Oil filter fit question

I am researching various filters that fit the 3.3/3.8 and have learned so far that there seem to be 4 different ones that have the correct threads and gasket diameter for the block. Going by Wix numbers: 51085, 51515, 51775, and 51773. My question is if the 51773 will fit without the end hitting anything or hanging too low where road debris could hit it. Other than that spun #1 rod bearings in 3 different 2.2 engines using fram filters for regular oil and filter changes has made me avoid them like the plague.

Reply to
Daniel Who Wants to Know
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What unique aspect of Fram filters caused the rod bearings to spin 3 times?

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Reply to
Bill Putney

If you are willing to invest $10 in the future of your car, purchase a new FRAM and a new WIX filter for the same application. Now, saw the can off as near the base as possible. Tthe quality of the bypass valve alone will cause you to never buy another Fram. Now, look at the "end caps" on the filter itself. Fram-cardboard / Wix-steel. Now unroll the actual filter material and compare how many Square Inches of filtration you are getting? Amazing isn't it....

By the way, when that "bypass valve" pops open it floods the bearings with all the grit and debris that has been building up in the filter. Poof!

Another WIX number to consider is the 51452. It is actually specified as a "severe service" filter to replace the 51085 on Dodge Trucks. It has a thicker metal canister than the 51515, and I seem to remember that the Microns of filtration are somewhat smaller as well.

I and all of my buddies with Mopar products have been using the WIX

51515 for more than 15 years to replace the "shorty" 51085 and I highly recommend it.

Good Luck, Bruce

Reply to
Highcountry

It SHOULDN'T do that. When the bypass valve opens, it still keeps positive pressure and flow through the filter as always, which should keep built up debris pinned to the filter media. The bypass is direct from input to output in parallel with the regular flow through the media and shouldn't get any sort of "backwash" from the filter media whatsoever. The only grit that will get passed through the bypass valve is the grit in the oil CURRENTLY coming into the filter.

Reply to
Steve

I'll never use Fram again, although I used to about 10yrs. ago. I've heard and have had first hand experience on horror stories regarding fram.. I recommend factory replacement..or WIX.

Reply to
corning_d3

#1 may not have been entirely the fault of the filter, Friends installed a new A413 transaxle in our 89 yellow Sundance when 3rd and reverse went out but they didn't get the kickdown cable adjusted right so it would downshift up the smallest of hills and not shift back up until we let completely off the pedal. We told them and they took off down the highway with the car floored which of course wouldn't allow it to upshift at any speed and they spun the bearing. I'm not sure if they redlined it or what but it came back knocking. Had the engine replaced by another friend.

#2 1 month after getting back from a road trip to Florida to pick up my sister the head cracked from thermostat not opening until the temp gauge was almost to overheating then the temp slammed back to cold as the coolant in the radiator rushed to the hot block and head. A few months earlier my sister backed into an iron I beam light pole and creased in the back of the car so we decided to pull the engine and tranny among other parts and store them as extras. Bought another 89 Sundance with a bad fuel pump this time grey with what appeared to be an older engine as it had the square tooth timing belt and the blanking plate where the mechanical fuel pump would mount. Changed oil, filter, fuel pump, and fuel filter and drove it for a few months then it spun yet another bearing.

#3 Replaced the head on the other block and put the engine and trans in the grey Sundance. After test driving the car around to warm it up I looked under it with it idling to check for leaks and the engine stopped. After restarting it several times and having it idle for a few seconds and stop each time I started it again and held the RPM at 2500 during which time it bogged down a few times and was then that it started knocking. The oil was still full and it didn't get contaminated when the head cracked because we didn't try to drive it that way so it didn't get any coolant in the oil. I guess hindsight really is 20/20 because had I known that the engine was seizing I wouldn't have restarted it after it died the first time but at the time I didn't suspect oil because it was full and the light never so much as flickered after it was started.

Reply to
Daniel Who Wants to Know

PF 47--ac-delco-pf47....FRAM ARE JUNK....

Reply to
Scrapper

^ That's what I use on my '96 monte carlo

Reply to
corning_d3

I agree with Steve. Look - I'm not a defender of Fram, but if you're going to criticize something, don't make stuff up to over-state your case. Your case should stand on its own merits.

Also, your argument is pointless unless you identify which model filter you ar talking about. Some of your comments do not apply to, say, the Fram ToughGuard?, which is reasonably priced.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Reply to
Bill Putney

I've been using Proline from Pep Boys for years. Someone other than I did a teardown similar to the one mentioned earlier in the thread. Proline looked pretty good in that analysis.

Ken

corn> I'll never use Fram again, although I used to about 10yrs. ago. I've

Reply to
KWS

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