***Please read*** I just got off the phone with customer service over at Wix (1-704-869-3421), and I told the woman who answered the phone that I just bought this Wix 51040 oil filter that was made in China, she told me they are a global company and you can buy the same size filter again and it may be made in the USA, Poland, Mexico and she went on, etc. So I guess it's kind of a luck of the draw if you want to get a USA-made Wix oil filter. I suggest buying them in person if you want a USA-made Wix oil filter and checking where it was made. That's all I can say about what's going on with Wix. The woman who answered the phone also said she's in NC. and they have two plants there, and not going anywhere soon according to her. Thanks!
they do have a bypass valve. the way it works is the oil pressure pushes against the drain back valve and forces the filter media housing down against the spring, this creates a gap between the inlet and outlet side allowing oil to bypass.
@@michaelmcgregor3108 That's not what a dedicated bypass valve is. Click on the link, scroll down and read the product information on this filter. www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/wix/filters/engine-oil-filter/80c2d8dbb188/wix-oil-filter/wix0/51040
Current country of origin list for MANN+Hummel filters: S. Korea, Brazil, China, Poland, Germany, Bosnia Herzegovina, Mexico, and the US. It depends of the filter apparently.
HHMMMMMMMM -- Disgraced Republican President Richard Nixon opens trade with China around 50 years ago. Disgraced Republican President Donald Trump condemns trade with China today. Which of these disgraced Republicans should we believe in !?? Why should we believe in ANY of them ?? As a really "senior" citizen, I truly hope that years from now, the Trump supporters of today will reflect on what damage was done to our once-great nation by the choices that they've made. Trump's isolationist trade policies were based on his notion that he could punish China with tarriffs, and the "stable genius" didn't have a clue about what tarriffs are, OR how they work. Donald Trump has destroyed the Republican Party -- the mid-term results PROVED it.
As a mechanic born in 1980 I've lived the complete breakdown of quality autoparts while also seeing so many Americans lose their manufacturing jobs. The worst part though is how there doesn't seem to be any money being saved by the consumer anymore. So how long do we keep letting the people in change of these decisions make absurd profits off of us?
Tariffs are the only way. The US can't compete with cheap labor and environmental carelessness. Otherwise, some middle manager is getting an award for "saving" money by buying cheaper (quality) products. Not helping that US companies are being bought out by overseas companies.
We are all responsible - this is what happens when publicly traded companies prioritize profits over everything else, which is a direct result of shareholders demanding this. And that's basically anyone who directly or indirectly has investments (401k, pension, even a savings account). Sure you could regulate things to put pressure on one side or the other, but that is not in keeping with pure capitalism. At the end of the day, it is a political choice, either by shareholders or democratic institutions, both of which are ultimately doing what we tell them to do....
Because protectionism is too 'liberal' and regulation of the industry is 'government meddling' . The free market will try to optimize for cheap. It is good at at that.
As soon as I saw the new Made in China Wix filters, I switched to Baldwin filters. Still made in the USA and very high quality. No more Wix filters for me.
@@WhipCityWrencher You will not get an accurate read on wall thickness when a radius is being measured using calipers. Especially when you use the widest part of the blades. Try measuring out at the narrower tips, instead of sticking the can way up to the widest portion. Hope this makes sense.....
@@milojanis4901 Thanks, but I have tried that, the lip of the cans get distorted from the oil filter cutter when I open them up. The top of the caliper jaws have a cut-out and miss the lip of the can. The thickness might be off so slightly this way but you get a ballpark figure. I premeasure with the calipers before I videotape so it's pretty much right on. Might be off .02mm at the most.
Nothing improves when American corporate CEOs send American jobs to China in order to INCREASE THEIR PROFITS while Americans struggle to feed their families. Stupid Americans blame China for the damage caused by AMERICAN CEOs, and the beat goes on --
@@Tim.1113 I look for good filters that aren't made in China. I'm perfectly willing to buy them from countries that don't wreck the environment and abuse laborers like China does. This is why I look for filters that are both good and not made in China.
I often drove by the WIX plant in Gastonia right off I-85. Had friends of friends that worked there. LOTS of pride went into their work. The China filter may work fine.....but something about a filter made near your hose made it a good choice. Sad they moved to China.
@@Imaboss8ball YEP!! In the 197-'s workers DID take pride in making something. Because you can't or will not understand that does not mean it's WRONG!!!! Have a better day than you are!!! Thx
@@Imaboss8ball I would be PROUD to know that it was ME who kept the machines running smoothly. Pride resides within US -- it doesn't know or care about the task at hand. If my job was to kill Nazis, I would be PROUD to be the f**king "Employee of the Month" !!
Thanks for the comparison. Unfortunately there's few auto parts these days that aren't made in China. For me, where it's possible, I don't buy Chinese stuff so WIX is no longer on my list. There are still good quality oil filters made in America.
YEP. BOSCH Premium, Made in U.S.A., ISO-4548-12 @20-Micron rating; Silicone ADBV; Metal Core w/louvers, Nitrile Gasket; Cellulose/Synthetic Media; 200-lb. Burst Pressure; Black Cannister. EXCELLNT filter for 5,000-mile OCIs in your 4.6-liter Panther.
Many of the Wix filters are still made in the USA. I've seen different batches of the same part number (NAPA 7060) from the USA, China, Mexico, and even Venezuela. They're sourcing them all over the place. Sucks they're not all USA made anymore though for sure. I do wonder if part of it isn't just all this supply chain nonsense though, I mean, I'd rather have a filter that was made in China if the other option was no filter at all. If that's what they have to do in order to keep parts on the shelf, then well, that's what they have to do. 🤷♂
@@RW4X4X3006 All of the MotorCraft Oil Filters I've seen were "Made in U.S.A. " Their best feature is the Inlet-End By-Pass Valve. Great for 5,000-miles OCIs.
That new filter is surprisingly good quality. As for the filter media, I'd call it a draw because the old filer has denser material, but the new one has more of it. The fact that the new filter uses a metal crimp rather than a glued crimp shows that Wix is still a quality product. I have one in my Ranger tranny now.
I agree, my line of thinking the larger surface can hold more particulates, and the larger holes allow the oil to flow more freely. It’d be very interesting to actually put these to the test with used oil from the same engine and see how each performs, it’s too easy to make guesses that are incorrect for one reason or another. Intuition often is not right in situations like this.
@3:43 the older USA filter is lighter than the Chinese made one @3:53 ,the additional weight must be all the lead paint & lead (Pb)😁, I'll stick with the USA made ones .....that's my filter that was cut open 👍
I have a ~20 year old AC Delco PF2 made in USA if you would like it. 262902 stamped on the shell, and 014067 on the plate. Looks like it would fit my '93 Ford Exploder that I sold early 2000's. Great videos!
I agree $12.99 for a filter in this quality range is terrible. Not too long ago you could buy a Royal Purple filter which has fully synthetic media for the same price.
Surprised how good they both look to be honest. The media on the newer one appears to be definitely thinner yes, but also accounts for better flow so its hard to say. I wouldn't honestly worry about using either of them if it were me.
I also was pleasantly surprised by the Chinese quality but this is probably due to the company itself more than manufacturer location, regardless, I would prefer to buy American
Exactly. You can filter effectively and still get better flow …. From the aspect of a racing standpoint which is where I’m coming from, I’d take the new filter. I a should say I use a Wix Racing 51515Ron my drag car. I’m not biased, just did a ton of research
For me it is rather simple. One finances an authoritarian regime that brutalizes its people as policy while the other supports a regime of freedom that does not run child labor camps or organ donation farming of prisoners. Freedom over Authoritarianism any day of the week.
China will build anything to your specification even spacecraft that land on the dark side of the moon or hypersonic missiles. The new media probably flows BETTER and since there is more of it probably a 'wash'. Have to ask yourself if you are running a trophy truck in the desert with the oil filler cap off the whole race behind another truck or are you cruising to work in your rental grade chevy impala V6 does your motor have feelings for the differential pressure on either side of that filter? Doubt it.
@@05EVORS agreed but, as a whole, we should be buying more local as possible. It's better for the resources we have as a global population. If possible.
Here's a tip if you aren't certain what application your filter is for. The Wix filter look-up can cross reference any part number to their own, then you can see the engines/manufacturer list.
Wonderful video. As far as I can find out from WIX some filters are still made at the Gastonia plant. Under MANN+Hummel ownership many of the filters have had production moved to various locations within the M+H system including S. Korea, Brazil, China, Poland, Germany, Bosnia Herzegovina, and the US. It depends on the specific filter, I guess. Why? Bottom line financial reasons and production capabilities. Mann Hummel is a huge global operation. I have, in the last year alone, had Mann, Wix, and NAPA filters from all of those countries except Brazil. Even for the same application. Just the other day we had Mann filters from Poland, B/H, and Germany for 3 different BMW oil changes. They all seem to work fine if you stick to factory OCIs. We haven't had any oil filter related comebacks. It would seem that they all must go through the same QC process at all the facilities. I wouldn't loose too much sleep over it. Just use the correct oil and change it by the book. Or sooner. Regarding the Nitrile vs Silicone ADBVs: one would think that the Mann engineers have figured out that Silicone may not be needed for all applications and have modified the specs. Ford - Motorcraft did that years ago. Look at an FL-1A and an 820S for example.
The filter media in that new Wix filter was pretty disappointing. It's a shame what's happened with some of these well-known companies. Thanks for another great video. This one was very enlightening.
It doesn't really matter as long as it properly filters the oil. Honestly these tear open things and measuring all of this stuff means nothing. What matters is how well it filters particles out of the oil and maintains a good flow rate as it does so. If you want to know the quality of a filter put it in an engine and run it for 10000 miles then put the oil under a microscope and cut the filter open and see how it held up. Cutting open a new filter and deciding how well it will filter your oil without actually testing how well it filters oil is like deciding how well a pan will cook your food without ever putting it on a flame and cooking some food.
Mann + Hummel owns Purolator, the last batch of filters I bought all said made in Brazil. Can't really tell any difference. Maybe sometime compare older and newer Purolator? Unless it was done and I missed it.
Good Day to all American Veterans everywhere -- and thank you for your service and your sacrifices for our enduring democracy. About those WIX 51040 filters: A quick Googling showed prices ranging from $ 4.69 to $ 15.56 (USD) . WTF !?? The comparison is interesting, but of no practical use -- since one of them is no longer being sold anywhere. The new WIX has the Spiral-Wound Core, with more even distribution of the holes -- and the oil flow. Nix on the Nitrile ADBV. The new White Glue looks a lot neater than the old stuff. Time will tell if it works better. New Gasket seems to be made of a different (shiny) material. The WIX oil filters have been the choice of professional mechanics for decades -- BUT -- a look at the media under the exclusive Whip City Microscope tells me that time has changed things, and not for the better. They went from Silicone to Nitrile on the ADBV. They kept the teeny-tiny filter element and the coil spring that's necessary when a short element is used. The combination of a hole-filled media in a too-short element and a Nitrile ADBV = NO BUENO !! Funny how there's no Consumer Info on the box -- seems like they don't want us to know what's in there. First made in U.S.A., then Mexico, and now China -- Methinks WIX is gonna lose some customers !! Many thanks to the Whip City Wrencher for keeping us informed of the happenings in FilterLand !! Hallowell, C 482-18-58 BT2 U.S.S. MAGOFFIN - APA -199 WESTPAC '55 - '57
Interesting and pleasantly surprised that Wix is maintaining quality. We owned a NAPA store in the 80’s and had versus filters on display. Some of the crap that some brands had sad.
I learned many years, that NAPA filters were Wix. And all you had to do was change the first or last number, of the Wix, to get the NAPA number. I forget which way it is. I usually buy from NAPA, due to the lower cost. Wix / NAPA, a Trusted filter!
TBDN aka Puro Denso makes oil filters under many labels . They are Toyota filters . The end caps are or were paper that often was not attached to the filter element making it a pass through can . I still buy Wix which makes Oreilly house brand a little cheaper . Project Farm does a much better evaluation of filters .
Why would anyone pay that much for a Made in China oil filter? As long as there are Made in USA options, I will buy them. Just another nail in the coffin of American manufacturing.
Dang I was actually almost surprised the china made one was gonna be better considering it had more pleats, etc. Until you did a zoom in on the filters and that's where I immediately said nope.
At the 947 mark, the PROOF is in the Pudding. A picture is worth a thousand words. My guess as to the weight discrepancy, is that the MAJORITY of Consumers will pick up the NEW one, feel it's heft and equate it with Kwality. Thanks for the review as I too was curious. Something to be said about MADE in the USA.
I thought they were now being made in Mexico. i found this information, Wix oil filters are manufactured in Mann+Hummel’s facilities located in the following countries: China Canada Poland Brazil Mexico Ukraine. there is also a factory in Gastonia, NC.
Unless you know how well each one filters dirt, especially small contaminants there is no way to tell which one is best. Thicker or thinner filtering paper does not mean the thicker paper is better. Also, the efficiency of the flow back valve is important.
My take is if you can see light coming through the New Wix filter media (like pin holes) then those holes are too big and that's not going to do a very good job filtering. What's going to stop the dirty oil (soot, carbon) from going through those holes? JMHO
Most oil filters use cellulose (paper), synthetic material or micro-glass. They all filter small particles of dirt. You see light through a filter and think it is poor quality but what happens when hot oil runs through it? How good are cheap paper oil filters? They have been used for decades and actually work well. Looks alone tells you nothing.
The extra pleats (are supposed to) provide more oil cleaning capability due to increased ability to hold dirt and contaminants over the shorter thicker pleats, The silicone anti drainback is specified for certain makes and models of cars and not all and if specified by the manufacture Wix filters do have Silicone anti drain back valves in some the white and the black can filters. I would expect though that they should put silicone ones in all their filters instead of just some of them.
Everything's a trade-off. With two valve materials they save you money, and it doesn't cause issues over the life of the filter. Change your filters and oil on the normal interval, and you are not going to run into any problems.
Definitely go with older filter. What a shame Wix moved to China. I thought they were still US made filters. I’ll have to pay attention, as I won’t buy the China made filters.
Wix has changed in the last year or 2 for sure, I use em almost daily. 33977 and 33978 for John Deere engines , the flange for the locking collar is substandard now, I've had 4-5 of em leak ,and a couple of them you could pull right off when the locking collar is installed.
But you need to separate out product design changes from manufacturing location changes. There are plenty of design "advancements" that didn't work out...just look at GM of the '90s.
Almost all the Chinese filters I see have the plastic shrink wrap or a plastic cap on the bottom. I think it's so they don't get rusty on the inside during transport with humidity and salt-water. Kind of the results I expected. Wix under Affinia was 'OK'. They were better under Dana's ownership I just used a 20 year old Wix 51515 last year and it's nothing like the new stuff. I don't really use a lot of Wix anymore. Here and there the US made filters.
Same shrink wrap on Toyota filters made in Thailand. I think it's a good idea as long as some bit of plastic wrap doesn't get left behind in the filter. On the channel Just Rolled In they featured a clip of someone who brought their car in for an oil leak after the owner did an oil change. Shop discovered a plastic film cap wasn't removed from base of the filter! Some people..........
@@Hoaxer51 Generally, and this is generally, the Purolator filters are well built particularly the Boss and One premium filters. The only REALLY decent filter Fram makes that doesn't have any major drawbacks is the Titanium. Depends what you want though. The Fram Ultra is OK. Not as good as their Titanium, but OK. Baldwin makes some decent filters. Micro-Guard. There's really only 6 maybe 8 actual filter 'manufacturers' who make filters to wildly varying specifications based on who's specifying and whose label is going on it. You really need to put your hands on it and get a look on the inside. Different part numbers have different construction even among the same maker. I like the Purolator tapping plates and that Titanium the best, nice inlet holes, good threads, thick metal. I DID like Wix and now they are not the filter they used to be. Changed hands too many times, owners don't care about quality anymore. Coasted on the reputation of a once great product and squandered it. I had some old ones and they were much different than the new ones. Moving production more to China and Mexico. Since the NAPA's are rebranded Wix they're probably junk too.
@@vincemajestyk9497, Thanks for the reply, I’ll look into the Purolator’s and maybe see if anyone around me has Baldwin filters. I haven’t seen any Baldwin filters around where I live in a long time, I’ll have to look online.
@@Hoaxer51 Usually the Fleet service or truck/heavy equipment parts suppliers have Bladwin. But I would just look at the 'Boss' or Titanium if you want a premium filter. The Titanium is nice but it's more expensive than the Boss and the boss has a slightly thicker case. I've used K&N too but don't really like them. They don't have a particularly superior media and it is less efficient to get the flow numbers for 'racing'. Besides, they're owned by Goldman-Sachs, Bosch makes some decent filters too. They have a line they call 'Distance Plus' which is their premium line that they re-brand for Mobil 1 and some of the other 'oil' companies.
A rare case where a product may have actually improved or at least stayed fairly consistent over time even with production switching to China. Wix is generally a good bet for filters. A few pros and cons for each. Honestly doubt either one does a much better job in any respect.
Had a Chinese made oil filter split on my 550 Yamaha - something I only discovered when I had 5th gear break up & the split filter allowed metal particles to go right through the engine, wrecking bearings, cams, bore... Ever since, I've sourced Japanese, US, German or UK made filters whenever possible.
Looks can be deceiving. I actually work for a subsidiary of Mann+Hummel in the US, manufacturing air filtration products. I know a bit about filter media as it pertains to air filtration, but many of the principles probably apply to liquid filtration. The filter media and product design (more and larger pass-through holes, more pleats, longer media length, thinner media material) on the newer Wix filter indicates a goal of increasing flow rate and efficiency. This makes perfect sense given the much tighter tolerances of today's engines which are more vulnerable to oil starvation. The fact that you can see more light through the newer media does not necessarily indicate an inferior material. Many advances have been made in filtration media over the past 14 years. If the standards have not changed regarding minimum ppm for this product, then the product should still perform as good or better than the older one. On a newer car, I would definitely take the newer filter over the old one.
@@workonitm8 Truth is, no, you don't. Different workers, different machines in varying levels of age and disrepair, different facilities, all across the supply chain can affect the end product you pull off the shelf. But if I was a gambling man, I'd take newer over older. Also, China has its low quality and high quality factories and workers, just as most countries do. Arguably, the risks of finding the former is much higher.
@@WhipCityWrencher I couldn't tell if they were holes or just light (thin) spots from the videos. Inconsistent manufacting processes most likely. When COVID hit full force, we noticed a huge drop in quality among our suppliers, likely from lesser trained and experienced workers filling in for the sick. We had to make adjustments in our plant for the same reasons, and quality was an ongoing issue.
@@nathanielcasas8923 I know RockAuto's website says Denso oil filters have a silicone anti-drain back valve but here's a test I did on one. th-cam.com/video/yEij4zV3Apw/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=WhipCityWrencher
Ford has filters that use nitrile rubber valves such as the filter FL812 that fits my 2022 civic so what I’m trying to say whip is that you can’t just burn one and than say they are all nitrile rubber you know ? That’s all I’m saying brotha
The drain back valve being nitrile on the new one has me curious as to what is going on with the silicone! I've recently noticed that the supertech MP version has also gone from the blue silicone to the nitrile as well! I'm wondering if it's due to a material shortage or a temporary cost savings from the economy!!
@@tylerexperience8704 Has anyone actually tested between types of anti-drain-back material, and does it make any difference, unless you go for years and tens of thousands of miles? I change my oil quarterly and I doubt the silicone type does anything but pad someone else's wallet.
@@jamesplotkin4674 well the rubber valves after a couple heat cycles gets rigid and hard, Fram had to switch over to silicone because of a law suit. A guy ran a extra guard and the valve hardened and fractured getting sucked through the motor, the media did not fail though, silicone is heat resistant and will not break its form. Also it seals better rubber seals terribly in filters, silicone like RTV silicone will seal excellent.
I use the WIX 51040 for my 3800 L67, Last I purchased 4 from RA, and the label on the filter says "MADE IN USA", 052621DG date code. When did they start making them in CHINA? Now I did notice that the oil inlet holes in my filter are noticeably smaller than the ones in the video.
I was thinking the new one was made better until you showed the media measurement and microscope. It’s weird where the corners get cut make it all better then cut corners on the actual function of the item.
Wix has factories all over the world you can buy the same filter three different times and get one made in USA, Poland, or Mexico. I had one made in Japan they do that to keep the supply chain stable. And silicone can be any color. Also if you’re changing your oil at the proper intervals it really doesn’t matter on the anti drain back valve if it’s nitrle or silicone. Your going to be chucking the filter in the garage in 3,000 to 6,000 miles anyway. Qa
Basically a Mann & Hummel filter ,they make filters everywhere....but less are being made in USA.....that's my old filter 😁, still got a few more ,I'll stick with the older ones
@@tylerexperience8704 That's O.K. -- China wouldn't buy anything from YOU, either !! Sounds like you fell for Trump's anti-China isolationist bulls**t. "We must trade -- or fade." John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1960
The new one may be just as good or even better in some applications. Thinner media will flow more oil. If dirt isn't caught the first time through but the oil flows easier, it will be there again to be picked up. And longer filter media means more area to deposit that dirt. A clue to this is that the new one also has larger inlet holes to allow faster oil flow. An ideal filter picks up the dirt and doesn't block the flow.
Exactly my thoughts. I’d like to see an actual functional test of the two of them side-by-side to know if that line of thinking is correct, but of course that’s quite a bit of effort to go to for a TH-cam video 😉
wix filter i just bought today is in the same box as your new one has silicon valve, the last 4 i've bought may have had different box i don't remember but the were all silicon,. purchased on amazon for 1$ cheaper than yours mine is not wrapped in plastic,... wonder why
I used orange Fram Cor8 or PH8 for 375,000 miles on a 302 Ford with 5,000 miles oil changes, and it was still running fine last time I saw it. All it ever got was a water pump and injectors. Fact.
Ive used 2 of the redesigned 1516 filters and I'm extremely disappointed that they both had anti drain back valve issues. Dry starts after a minimum of 10 minutes of engine shutdown. I noticed after mann and Hummel bought out wix, something was changing when I received a case of napa proselect filters and they were Purolators.
I used wix up until a couple of years ago I stopped not because they wasnt good but because they really wasn’t made any better then the oem filters for ny new stuff
I would choose the older wix oil filter ! just probably hard to find a 14 year old filter but just goes to show how company's cheapen there product to save a dime ! Awesome video !
They save more money by shipping your job to China than they do by cutting a few corners on quality. Ronald Reagan told us 40 years ago that if workers kept asking for higher wages, their jobs would be sent over-seas. Since that time, wages have remained relatively FLAT, while corporate executive salaries have grown obscenely excessive. Meanwhile, American workers have been deluged with the greatest propaganda effort in history, it's goal is to champion those who would RULE, and not GOVERN.
Older WIX for sure. That's a shame the new one is downgrading like that at the price they retail for. I recently acquired a Napa Gold / Wix standard bulk pack (12) w/ silicone ADBV for $5.12 each probably to the same quality of the old one here and it's made by Mann Hummel in South Korea and was produced late last year. I guessed I lucked out if this is what the new WIX standard filters are going to be like. Maybe it's just an application thing too?
Those Mann& Hummel Korea filters are pretty good ,actually GM Korea (Daewoo) uses OEM filters made by Mann& Hummel Korea, they even took their current management right from SC plant too ....ps that's my old WIX filter that he cut open, I currently use either these old WIX filters or the OEM Korea made GM Mann& Hummel filters on my vehicles, always use the old school WIX filters on a overhauled/rebuild engines as well, they do a great job on keeping sparklies out & under control
That's why I had been buying Wix filters because they were the last of the Mohicans in quality and made in the USA I would buy a case of 12 on Ebay and use them but the last case I bought the new filters look different then the old ones I had been a Fram filter guy many years ago but they turned to crap over the years as well as Puralator. when my cars were new and under warranty I always used OE filters and they aren't all that expensive over auto parts chain stores
I just bought 6 of them here in Canada at Auto Value and they're made in USA, they have the silicone valve and they come in the same box as the filter made in China in this video, I don't understand what's going on here.
The fact that the ADBV is rubber on the new one is interesting. a few other Mfg's have switched back! I wonder if the cost of silicone has gone up or there is a logistics problem in getting the material to make the ADBV? There has to be a good reason for company's like Mann and Hummel/ Wix, Fram/Champion have switched back to rubber. Personally i would use the old one over the new one!
@@WhipCityWrencher Yes, Whip, we 're gonna be dealing withh supply issues and increased costs for well into the future. Remember, COVID-19 and it's variants have KILLED OVER 1,000,000 AMERICANS, and half of them in the work force means a lot of talent and skills were ERASED from our collective production and distribution networks. With the mighty Mississippi River drying up, literally thousands of barges are stacked up, unable to deliver their cargo to be shipped around the world. Thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed by tornados, floods, landslides, and forest fires -- while our Western farmers and ranchers are plagued by drought. Tough road ahead, my friend -- a tough road, indeed. But hey, Whip -- you're gonna be all-riight, I can feel it in these old bones. 😁
@@WhipCityWrencher Thank YOU, Whip, for all your hard work -- and attention to details that make your oil filter Reviews/Inspections the best on U-Tube. Suggestion: When measuring Cannister Wall Thickness, the results be given in thousandths-of-an-inch ( .015), rather than fractions of a Millimeter, which is foreign to most of us. Crikey !! I just realized that I've been retired for 26 years -- and I'm running out of money. When I was born, my life expectancy was 59.5 years --- and I'm now 84 -- and still rockin' in the free world !! 😁
I'd want the old one. As usual in today's world quality goes down the drain, yet you still pay a premium for the part! Sick of the Chinese imported crap!
I've only used WIX filters for years. ALL of them were marked made in USA - Gastonia NC. I run a 2016 Ford F150 with a 3.5L non turbo that has 254,000 miles. Absolutely no engine issues. This truck runs about 80,000 to 90,000 miles a year towing a trailer. Once I bought some WIX filters through Amazon. The boxes were in the old style. So I got curious as to if they were counterfeit or not. Called the factory and the lady asked me for the number that was on the can. By the way, that number is the date that the filter was made. These filters were over 5 years old. She told me to either return them or throw them away. In no way should I use a filter that was any older than 5 years. Come to find out, they start to deteriorate after 5 years. Much like tires after 7 years. This goes with any filter. Not just WIX. Over all, WIX is the best filter I've ever used.
Last Wix filter I bought I could feel the outer metal casing 'flex/bend/move' as I was putting it on - didn't fill me with confidence in the quality of it, if they were skimping on the thickness of the steel. Using Fleetguard now.
Gee, I have a racing Wix on my 588 horsepower 406 cu. in. small block Chevy. The microscope test worries me. The way politicians like to raise taxes I've got one for them. When something is made in China why not levy a tax that is equal to the RETAIL sell value. That would bring a lot back to this country. The reason the stock market has exploded is due to large companies getting it for next to nothing from overseas and marking it up tenfold, sometimes twenty fold. I know because I work for a Fortune 500 company. Big business doesn't want manufacturing here.....they are making a killing bringing it in.
The fact that the older Wix has silicone adbv and is made in US makes it the obvious choice. I'm hesitant to make a conclusive judgement on media based on a microscopic view alone. While the older media appears more dense or opaque, maybe the newer filter uses more synthetic fiber content and doesn't require as much density to achieve efficiency. Either way, I wouldn't pay $13 for the new Wix especially with nitrile adbv. O'R tends to be high priced. Too bad M&H moved production to China on this application, but profit margins on oil filters likely very thin. Thanks for video. Edit, might want to edit title from 51020 to 51040.
@@Andrew__Smith Nah. I like to keep politics out of a discussion where it's not the topic. I add though, M&H (a global company) could have moved production before the beginning of 2020 eliminating the unproven conclusion presented.
You could see the pin holes in the media. Holes in filter media is a very bad thing. As we all know, product quality increases when you move production to China. [s]
Got an old VW I installed a full flow Ford filter (NAPA 1515 or equiv) and also have a few filters (I'm a pack rat) still in stock that are closer to 20yrs old.. I buy in bulk, it's cheaper in the long run.. and as little it gets driven, they've lasted a loooong time. This makes me want to cut one open for my own comparison! I just can't bring myself to spend money on Chinese products strictly because I support home made, so I doubt I will.
I made stamping tools for the oil filter industry 1983......not anymore.....I'm sure they are good but high pay jobs are lost this trend was and is political.
Shame on WIX!! Email them this video! I’ve sold WIX for at least 15 years and was able to sell the consumer on the brand and being made in USA people would gladly pay the premium price. Looks like we may have to switch back to Hastings, Champ, or really if can source Donaldson filters would be great.
You identified this as a non-bypassing filter, but the spring below the filter media is there for that exact reason. The filter media assembly will push down on the spring when there is a large differential in pressure and allow the filter to bypass.
That's not a dedicated bypass valve. And dont ever put one of these on an engine that it wasn't meant for. The engines that this filter is meant for have their own bypass valve. Your filter would have to be pretty plugged up for the spring to push down and do what you're saying. Link Below, Check out the specs on this filter. www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/wix/wix-oil-filter/wix0/51040?q=wix+51040&pos=0
@@WhipCityWrencher, I agree that the engine has its own bypass valve, I'm just pointing out that the filter has the ability to bypass in an extreme situation. Your analysis is very good.
In a title of the video 51020 but you told about Wix 51040 filters!!! For customers: may be use *Baldwin B43-S* or *Baldwin B35-S* (Longer Version of Wix 51040) instead??? Now for $5.80(for *B43-S* ) and $6.03(for *B35-S* ) at Zoro + $5 for shipping up to $50 purchase - if more - shipping for free...For more solid and reliable filter? 😎😎
Quality control is quality control no matter where it's made. It's the fact of the matter that whatever company it is making these they are spending lower labor expenses. I love the fact that these were made in the USA but the country is just hurting itself. Then there's corporate greed. Many pieces of the puzzle.
Superb video, I had the same conclusion with Honda filters, OE and aftermarket switched to smaller filters with less capacity. I found out via a crosscheck I can still order the bigger (taller filters) that still have the old size. Moneywise just a bit more expensive but filtering capacity +50% 👍
I wonder how much cheaper Chinese manufacturing was if workers were paid an equivalent wage to american workers..... I imagine that manufacturing techniques were not that much cheaper when economies of scale were equivalent. It would have to come down to worse materials (that weigh more and thus cost more to ship), or cheaper labor (the US typically has higher wages per worker, but living expenese are more expensive)
I’ve put a LOT of those 51040’s on I’ve noticed the 51334’s have a different seal that’s more like a o-ring. The filter actually stops dead when tightening it down. I wish they were still made in the USA but nothing any of us can do about it.
@@jeffclark5024 BOSCH Premium # 3410. Made in USA. ISO 4548-12 @ 20 Microns. Silicone ADBV. Cellulose/Synthetic Blend Media. Metal Core - with Louvers. Black Surface cools oil. Nitrile Gasket. 5,000-Mile OCIs. Easily Available. Moderate Cost.
Not comfortable with what seems to be significantly cheaper filter media! I knew there would be a difference with the advantage going to the American-made filter, what with the apparently reduced filtering ability of the media used in the Chinese-made filter! You want quality? Buy American!
How nice of Mark to send it to You! YaY to Mark! Great comparison! The old filter seems to be the better choice. Its filter media looks much more dense. Just guessing, of course, since I base my unprofessional opinion on what I see in your video. Who knows, perhaps the new filter media is made of better quality material. Thanks for sharing this interesting video! Have a great weekend! 🍂🍁😊🍁🍂
I always look to see if any parts are made in China before I hand my $$ over the counter. I do not buy the Chinese made stuff unless there is absolutely no option and I have to have the part. It is increasingly harder to support American jobs and American parts, but we have to try. China is NOT our friend. Disappointed to see Wix going this direction.
It's interesting that even though Mann + Hummel cheaped out with the anti drainback valve and the media compared to the older filter, they retained the more expensive coil spring. They must not have seen that the coil spring is bad according to someone who frequently comments here (Fram website). I wonder if the reason why the Wix XP filters (and the corresponding Napa Platinum filters) have been disappearing is because production is moving to China.
Sad thing is I work in an auto parts store and I see more American made parts come in for warranty return due to defects over any other country of manufacturer. Good video I like how well you covered the difference between them and that you actually used a microscope
@@ronkostars4258 When though? I mean, in the late 70's, 80's, 90's, American made cars and associated parts were terrible. A 1977 Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla was cheap as heck, and would run forever. A 1977 Nova (or Maverick, Aspen, Hornet) was lucky to make it to 100k miles, at which point it was worth $100-$200.
use to provide over a thousand jobs in Gastonia NC, but China undercuts wages and the US gov removed the tariffs and allow China to dump its products in the USA. put them on a flow meter and test them so see how long they last, most filters are design to last about 3500 to 5000 miles depending on your engine, the bypass valve is design to open when the filter will no longer pass oil
Interesting and timely, friend of mine brought up the Wix oil filters at recent coffee group. He asked me about the quality of Wix which I replied that I had only run a few of them but no problems in the past. I've seen more changes in the oil quality than the filters.
***Please read***
I just got off the phone with customer service over at Wix (1-704-869-3421), and I told the woman who answered the phone that I just bought this Wix 51040 oil filter that was made in China, she told me they are a global company and you can buy the same size filter again and it may be made in the USA, Poland, Mexico and she went on, etc. So I guess it's kind of a luck of the draw if you want to get a USA-made Wix oil filter. I suggest buying them in person if you want a USA-made Wix oil filter and checking where it was made. That's all I can say about what's going on with Wix. The woman who answered the phone also said she's in NC. and they have two plants there, and not going anywhere soon according to her. Thanks!
they do have a bypass valve. the way it works is the oil pressure pushes against the drain back valve and forces the filter media housing down against the spring, this creates a gap between the inlet and outlet side allowing oil to bypass.
@@michaelmcgregor3108 That's not what a dedicated bypass valve is. Click on the link, scroll down and read the product information on this filter. www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/wix/filters/engine-oil-filter/80c2d8dbb188/wix-oil-filter/wix0/51040
Current country of origin list for MANN+Hummel filters: S. Korea, Brazil, China, Poland, Germany, Bosnia Herzegovina, Mexico, and the US. It depends of the filter apparently.
@@michaelmcgregor3108 That's the way it looks, Mike -- but that ain't the way it works.
HHMMMMMMMM --
Disgraced Republican President Richard Nixon opens trade with China around 50 years ago.
Disgraced Republican President Donald Trump condemns trade with China today.
Which of these disgraced Republicans should we believe in !??
Why should we believe in ANY of them ??
As a really "senior" citizen, I truly hope that years from now, the Trump supporters of today will reflect on what damage was done to our once-great nation by the choices that they've made.
Trump's isolationist trade policies were based on his notion that he could punish China with tarriffs, and the "stable genius" didn't have a clue about what tarriffs are, OR how they work.
Donald Trump has destroyed the Republican Party -- the mid-term results PROVED it.
As a mechanic born in 1980 I've lived the complete breakdown of quality autoparts while also seeing so many Americans lose their manufacturing jobs. The worst part though is how there doesn't seem to be any money being saved by the consumer anymore. So how long do we keep letting the people in change of these decisions make absurd profits off of us?
Until we are so uncomfortable in the upcoming future that we as north Americans will have no choice but to push back.Its coming.
Tariffs are the only way. The US can't compete with cheap labor and environmental carelessness. Otherwise, some middle manager is getting an award for "saving" money by buying cheaper (quality) products. Not helping that US companies are being bought out by overseas companies.
We are all responsible - this is what happens when publicly traded companies prioritize profits over everything else, which is a direct result of shareholders demanding this. And that's basically anyone who directly or indirectly has investments (401k, pension, even a savings account). Sure you could regulate things to put pressure on one side or the other, but that is not in keeping with pure capitalism. At the end of the day, it is a political choice, either by shareholders or democratic institutions, both of which are ultimately doing what we tell them to do....
Because protectionism is too 'liberal' and regulation of the industry is 'government meddling' . The free market will try to optimize for cheap. It is good at at that.
@@northeasterndirtandpropert7974 exactly… why else do they want to steal our guns
Baldwin still manufactures it’s filters in Nebraska USA
Bear in mind, it is the Wix company that specs the filters. The Chinese are fully capable of making any quality filter requested.
I'm definitely surprised for rational comments like yours on YT. LoL
As Mahle demonstrates
As soon as I saw the new Made in China Wix filters, I switched to Baldwin filters. Still made in the USA and very high quality. No more Wix filters for me.
Fleetquard is also fine Purolator too
No thanks for the new WIX. I would expect better from them.
That's one of the best filter comparisons I've ever seen so detailed.
Thanks! 👍
@@WhipCityWrencher You will not get an accurate read on wall thickness when a radius is being measured using calipers. Especially when you use the widest part of the blades. Try measuring out at the narrower tips, instead of sticking the can way up to the widest portion. Hope this makes sense.....
@@milojanis4901 Thanks, but I have tried that, the lip of the cans get distorted from the oil filter cutter when I open them up. The top of the caliper jaws have a cut-out and miss the lip of the can. The thickness might be off so slightly this way but you get a ballpark figure. I premeasure with the calipers before I videotape so it's pretty much right on. Might be off .02mm at the most.
Nothing improves when General Chin has his slaves make it.
Nothing improves when American corporate CEOs send American jobs to China in order to INCREASE THEIR PROFITS while Americans struggle to feed their families.
Stupid Americans blame China for the damage caused by AMERICAN CEOs, and the beat goes on --
Probably use the new filters to filter the used cooking oil & duck fat in the deep fryer & wok oil 😁
It sucks that they decided to make those in China. I try hard to avoid things that are made in China, so I will be avoiding Wix.
Same "O"....
Fram is made in America.
Awful filter so not everything is better when made in USA.
I understand your point but I’m not going to worry about it.
@@Tim.1113 Fram is cheap made trash filters-I would use WIX China over Fram USA made always....Wonder if Fram has always made trash oil filters?....
@@Tim.1113 I look for good filters that aren't made in China. I'm perfectly willing to buy them from countries that don't wreck the environment and abuse laborers like China does.
This is why I look for filters that are both good and not made in China.
Ill buy things from anywhere so long as its not china, most other countries Im fine buying stuff from though
Old for the win. That new media is crap. It seems nowadays, filters are changing suppliers constantly. And no consistency.
I often drove by the WIX plant in Gastonia right off I-85. Had friends of friends that worked there. LOTS of pride went into their work. The China filter may work fine.....but something about a filter made near your hose made it a good choice. Sad they moved to China.
They do still make some oil filters there. Check out the comment I Pinned on top.
Lots of pride? Do you seriously believe that? Who has pride in working in a mostly automated factory?
@@Imaboss8ball YEP!! In the 197-'s workers DID take pride in making something. Because you can't or will not understand that does not mean it's WRONG!!!! Have a better day than you are!!! Thx
@@Imaboss8ball I would be PROUD to know that it was ME who kept the machines running smoothly.
Pride resides within US -- it doesn't know or care about the task at hand.
If my job was to kill Nazis, I would be PROUD to be the f**king "Employee of the Month" !!
Move to china then you can buy a local made filter.
Thanks for the comparison. Unfortunately there's few auto parts these days that aren't made in China. For me, where it's possible, I don't buy Chinese stuff so WIX is no longer on my list. There are still good quality oil filters made in America.
You're Welcome!
YEP. BOSCH Premium, Made in U.S.A., ISO-4548-12 @20-Micron rating; Silicone ADBV; Metal Core w/louvers, Nitrile Gasket; Cellulose/Synthetic Media; 200-lb. Burst Pressure; Black Cannister.
EXCELLNT filter for 5,000-mile OCIs in your 4.6-liter Panther.
Many of the Wix filters are still made in the USA. I've seen different batches of the same part number (NAPA 7060) from the USA, China, Mexico, and even Venezuela. They're sourcing them all over the place. Sucks they're not all USA made anymore though for sure. I do wonder if part of it isn't just all this supply chain nonsense though, I mean, I'd rather have a filter that was made in China if the other option was no filter at all. If that's what they have to do in order to keep parts on the shelf, then well, that's what they have to do. 🤷♂
Not only America, but Taiwan and Mexico, regarding Motorcraft.
@@RW4X4X3006 All of the MotorCraft Oil Filters I've seen were "Made in U.S.A. "
Their best feature is the Inlet-End By-Pass Valve. Great for 5,000-miles OCIs.
I think the old media is better which is the prime purpose of the filters !
I used to buy Wix because they were made in USA. Not anymore , Wix has lost my business.
Why? There's no practical difference between them. I'll bet you buy tons of stuff made by the commie countries.
all the ones i buy say made in USA
@@RDC_Autosports buy all of the old stock you can ,because that won't last.
That new filter is surprisingly good quality. As for the filter media, I'd call it a draw because the old filer has denser material, but the new one has more of it. The fact that the new filter uses a metal crimp rather than a glued crimp shows that Wix is still a quality product. I have one in my Ranger tranny now.
more of a thinner filter media is not better
I agree, my line of thinking the larger surface can hold more particulates, and the larger holes allow the oil to flow more freely. It’d be very interesting to actually put these to the test with used oil from the same engine and see how each performs, it’s too easy to make guesses that are incorrect for one reason or another. Intuition often is not right in situations like this.
your watching this on a china made computer. Their stuff is great quality. Were lucky to have it.
@3:43 the older USA filter is lighter than the Chinese made one @3:53 ,the additional weight must be all the lead paint & lead (Pb)😁, I'll stick with the USA made ones .....that's my filter that was cut open 👍
Yep, the weight difference seems to be in the can, maybe some lead in the steel. lol
I also have some 20 years old wix and now I don’t have to waste them to see how sorry the new ones are
Thank You’ll
I have a ~20 year old AC Delco PF2 made in USA if you would like it. 262902 stamped on the shell, and 014067 on the plate. Looks like it would fit my '93 Ford Exploder that I sold early 2000's. Great videos!
Sure Thanks,
send me an email and I'll give you my address. My email is, Poker4me007@gmail.com
I like that, '93 Ford Exploder!
Ford Exploder!!!
@@wiz4020 ,the Ford Exploder with the exploding Firestone tires 💥 as well as engines
I agree $12.99 for a filter in this quality range is terrible. Not too long ago you could buy a Royal Purple filter which has fully synthetic media for the same price.
Say "Thank you very much" to the stupid bastards who put muzzles on their faces!!!
@@Andrew__Smith What? WTH does your statement have to do with oil filters?
Wix Regulars are around 6-9 bucks for most. We buy about 30 per year.
@@GT-mn3bx Probably even cheaper on Rock Auto.
Surprised how good they both look to be honest. The media on the newer one appears to be definitely thinner yes, but also accounts for better flow so its hard to say. I wouldn't honestly worry about using either of them if it were me.
I also was pleasantly surprised by the Chinese quality but this is probably due to the company itself more than manufacturer location, regardless, I would prefer to buy American
Exactly. You can filter effectively and still get better flow …. From the aspect of a racing standpoint which is where I’m coming from, I’d take the new filter. I a should say I use a Wix Racing 51515Ron my drag car. I’m not biased, just did a ton of research
For me it is rather simple. One finances an authoritarian regime that brutalizes its people as policy while the other supports a regime of freedom that does not run child labor camps or organ donation farming of prisoners. Freedom over Authoritarianism any day of the week.
China will build anything to your specification even spacecraft that land on the dark side of the moon or hypersonic missiles. The new media probably flows BETTER and since there is more of it probably a 'wash'. Have to ask yourself if you are running a trophy truck in the desert with the oil filler cap off the whole race behind another truck or are you cruising to work in your rental grade chevy impala V6 does your motor have feelings for the differential pressure on either side of that filter? Doubt it.
@@05EVORS agreed but, as a whole, we should be buying more local as possible. It's better for the resources we have as a global population. If possible.
Here's a tip if you aren't certain what application your filter is for. The Wix filter look-up can cross reference any part number to their own, then you can see the engines/manufacturer list.
Wonderful video. As far as I can find out from WIX some filters are still made at the Gastonia plant. Under MANN+Hummel ownership many of the filters have had production moved to various locations within the M+H system including S. Korea, Brazil, China, Poland, Germany, Bosnia Herzegovina, and the US. It depends on the specific filter, I guess. Why? Bottom line financial reasons and production capabilities. Mann Hummel is a huge global operation. I have, in the last year alone, had Mann, Wix, and NAPA filters from all of those countries except Brazil. Even for the same application. Just the other day we had Mann filters from Poland, B/H, and Germany for 3 different BMW oil changes. They all seem to work fine if you stick to factory OCIs. We haven't had any oil filter related comebacks. It would seem that they all must go through the same QC process at all the facilities. I wouldn't loose too much sleep over it. Just use the correct oil and change it by the book. Or sooner. Regarding the Nitrile vs Silicone ADBVs: one would think that the Mann engineers have figured out that Silicone may not be needed for all applications and have modified the specs. Ford - Motorcraft did that years ago. Look at an FL-1A and an 820S for example.
Hi Shooter,
Thanks For Sharing!👍
Hey My concern is oil flow rate through filter / filter material. I wouldn’t want to restrict oil flow to vital components .
@@josephpuchel6497 The new one has thinner media with more surface area, so it seems it should actually flow better than the old one.
@@josephpuchel6497 If you have good pressure, you should be fine, remember, filters were options for many years.
I have an S&W 669 in mint condition. :0)
The filter media in that new Wix filter was pretty disappointing. It's a shame what's happened with some of these well-known companies. Thanks for another great video. This one was very enlightening.
Your Welcome!
CEO got a bonus. That's what happened
Disappointing? More pleats, more flow for filtration, same thickness, taller filter. All better imo
It doesn't really matter as long as it properly filters the oil. Honestly these tear open things and measuring all of this stuff means nothing. What matters is how well it filters particles out of the oil and maintains a good flow rate as it does so. If you want to know the quality of a filter put it in an engine and run it for 10000 miles then put the oil under a microscope and cut the filter open and see how it held up. Cutting open a new filter and deciding how well it will filter your oil without actually testing how well it filters oil is like deciding how well a pan will cook your food without ever putting it on a flame and cooking some food.
These brand new oil filter cut-opens only shed light on construction quality and defects, not media performance.
Mann + Hummel owns Purolator, the last batch of filters I bought all said made in Brazil. Can't really tell any difference. Maybe sometime compare older and newer Purolator? Unless it was done and I missed it.
Good Day to all American Veterans everywhere -- and thank you for your service and your sacrifices for our enduring democracy.
About those WIX 51040 filters:
A quick Googling showed prices ranging from $ 4.69 to $ 15.56 (USD) . WTF !??
The comparison is interesting, but of no practical use -- since one of them is no longer being sold anywhere.
The new WIX has the Spiral-Wound Core, with more even distribution of the holes -- and the oil flow.
Nix on the Nitrile ADBV.
The new White Glue looks a lot neater than the old stuff. Time will tell if it works better.
New Gasket seems to be made of a different (shiny) material.
The WIX oil filters have been the choice of professional mechanics for decades -- BUT -- a look at the media under the exclusive Whip City Microscope tells me that time has changed things, and not for the better.
They went from Silicone to Nitrile on the ADBV.
They kept the teeny-tiny filter element and the coil spring that's necessary when a short element is used.
The combination of a hole-filled media in a too-short element and a Nitrile ADBV = NO BUENO !!
Funny how there's no Consumer Info on the box -- seems like they don't want us to know what's in there.
First made in U.S.A., then Mexico, and now China -- Methinks WIX is gonna lose some customers !!
Many thanks to the Whip City Wrencher for keeping us informed of the happenings in FilterLand !!
Hallowell, C
482-18-58
BT2
U.S.S. MAGOFFIN - APA -199
WESTPAC '55 - '57
Just think if it had a stamped metal leaf retainer spring- so much cooler.
Interesting and pleasantly surprised that Wix is maintaining quality. We owned a NAPA store in the 80’s and had versus filters on display. Some of the crap that some brands had sad.
I learned many years, that NAPA filters were Wix. And all you had to do was change the first or last number, of the Wix, to get the NAPA number. I forget which way it is. I usually buy from NAPA, due to the lower cost. Wix / NAPA, a Trusted filter!
TBDN aka Puro Denso makes oil filters under many labels . They are Toyota filters . The end caps are or were paper that often was not attached to the filter element making it a pass through can . I still buy Wix which makes Oreilly house brand a little cheaper . Project Farm does a much better evaluation of filters .
The older stuff in most categories is most often better and cheaper.
There's NO WAY....I Would uses a WIX OIL FILTER to protect my engine....To begin with..
Why would anyone pay that much for a Made in China oil filter? As long as there are Made in USA options, I will buy them. Just another nail in the coffin of American manufacturing.
Mahle makes filters in China that are better than either of these.
I stepped away from wix a while back as far as oil filters but the occasional air filter if the price is right
Dang I was actually almost surprised the china made one was gonna be better considering it had more pleats, etc. Until you did a zoom in on the filters and that's where I immediately said nope.
At the 947 mark, the PROOF is in the Pudding. A picture is worth a thousand words.
My guess as to the weight discrepancy, is that the MAJORITY of Consumers will pick up the NEW one, feel it's heft and equate it with Kwality.
Thanks for the review as I too was curious. Something to be said about MADE in the USA.
You're Welcome, Bob!
I thought they were now being made in Mexico. i found this information, Wix oil filters are manufactured in Mann+Hummel’s facilities located in the following countries:
China
Canada
Poland Brazil
Mexico
Ukraine.
there is also a factory in Gastonia, NC.
I would pick the old one, thicker filtering medium, more likely to trap dirt and particles.
Unless you know how well each one filters dirt, especially small contaminants there is no way to tell which one is best. Thicker or thinner filtering paper does not mean the thicker paper is better. Also, the efficiency of the flow back valve is important.
My take is if you can see light coming through the New Wix filter media (like pin holes) then those holes are too big and that's not going to do a very good job filtering. What's going to stop the dirty oil (soot, carbon) from going through those holes? JMHO
Most oil filters use cellulose (paper), synthetic material or micro-glass. They all filter small particles of dirt. You see light through a filter and think it is poor quality but what happens when hot oil runs through it? How good are cheap paper oil filters? They have been used for decades and actually work well. Looks alone tells you nothing.
@@williamwaters4506 Holes in filter material tell me all I need to know.
@@williamwaters4506
Holes tell me a LOT !
A filter is only as good as the BIGGEST hole in the media.
Maybe oil filters are a scam, we won't know until someone does an oil filter delete and we see how long the engine lasts without one.
The extra pleats (are supposed to) provide more oil cleaning capability due to increased ability to hold dirt and contaminants over the shorter thicker pleats, The silicone anti drainback is specified for certain makes and models of cars and not all and if specified by the manufacture Wix filters do have Silicone anti drain back valves in some the white and the black can filters. I would expect though that they should put silicone ones in all their filters instead of just some of them.
Everything's a trade-off. With two valve materials they save you money, and it doesn't cause issues over the life of the filter.
Change your filters and oil on the normal interval, and you are not going to run into any problems.
Definitely go with older filter. What a shame Wix moved to China. I thought they were still US made filters. I’ll have to pay attention, as I won’t buy the China made filters.
Some are made in Mexico. There maybe some sizes that are still made here.
Last 5 years they were made in mexico buy puralator boss there american made
Wix has changed in the last year or 2 for sure, I use em almost daily.
33977 and 33978 for John Deere engines , the flange for the locking collar is substandard now, I've had 4-5 of em leak ,and a couple of them you could pull right off when the locking collar is installed.
But you need to separate out product design changes from manufacturing location changes. There are plenty of design "advancements" that didn't work out...just look at GM of the '90s.
Almost all the Chinese filters I see have the plastic shrink wrap or a plastic cap on the bottom. I think it's so they don't get rusty on the inside during transport with humidity and salt-water.
Kind of the results I expected. Wix under Affinia was 'OK'. They were better under Dana's ownership I just used a 20 year old Wix 51515 last year and it's nothing like the new stuff. I don't really use a lot of Wix anymore. Here and there the US made filters.
Same shrink wrap on Toyota filters made in Thailand. I think it's a good idea as long as some bit of plastic wrap doesn't get left behind in the filter. On the channel Just Rolled In they featured a clip of someone who brought their car in for an oil leak after the owner did an oil change. Shop discovered a plastic film cap wasn't removed from base of the filter! Some people..........
So what filters do you recommend since you don’t like the Wix filter. I’ve generally liked the Wix brand.
@@Hoaxer51 Generally, and this is generally, the Purolator filters are well built particularly the Boss and One premium filters. The only REALLY decent filter Fram makes that doesn't have any major drawbacks is the Titanium. Depends what you want though. The Fram Ultra is OK. Not as good as their Titanium, but OK. Baldwin makes some decent filters. Micro-Guard.
There's really only 6 maybe 8 actual filter 'manufacturers' who make filters to wildly varying specifications based on who's specifying and whose label is going on it. You really need to put your hands on it and get a look on the inside. Different part numbers have different construction even among the same maker.
I like the Purolator tapping plates and that Titanium the best, nice inlet holes, good threads, thick metal.
I DID like Wix and now they are not the filter they used to be. Changed hands too many times, owners don't care about quality anymore. Coasted on the reputation of a once great product and squandered it. I had some old ones and they were much different than the new ones. Moving production more to China and Mexico. Since the NAPA's are rebranded Wix they're probably junk too.
@@vincemajestyk9497, Thanks for the reply, I’ll look into the Purolator’s and maybe see if anyone around me has Baldwin filters. I haven’t seen any Baldwin filters around where I live in a long time, I’ll have to look online.
@@Hoaxer51 Usually the Fleet service or truck/heavy equipment parts suppliers have Bladwin. But I would just look at the 'Boss' or Titanium if you want a premium filter. The Titanium is nice but it's more expensive than the Boss and the boss has a slightly thicker case. I've used K&N too but don't really like them. They don't have a particularly superior media and it is less efficient to get the flow numbers for 'racing'. Besides, they're owned by Goldman-Sachs, Bosch makes some decent filters too. They have a line they call 'Distance Plus' which is their premium line that they re-brand for Mobil 1 and some of the other 'oil' companies.
A rare case where a product may have actually improved or at least stayed fairly consistent over time even with production switching to China. Wix is generally a good bet for filters. A few pros and cons for each. Honestly doubt either one does a much better job in any respect.
Had a Chinese made oil filter split on my 550 Yamaha - something I only discovered when I had 5th gear break up & the split filter allowed metal particles to go right through the engine, wrecking bearings, cams, bore...
Ever since, I've sourced Japanese, US, German or UK made filters whenever possible.
French Purflux are great too
That "Scrap-a-nise" stuff sent over here is for ONE reason --Pure Sabotage.
► Oil Filter Friday, watch a New Automotive oil filter inspection video every Friday on this TH-cam Channel.
I was going to like the new one better, but the new filter media is crap
LOL smh
How do you know that?
Ones I get from Rockauto always say made in Poland. Guess it depends on the individual filter model.
Seems like the picture is a representive view of all features, you may not have in yours.
Looks can be deceiving. I actually work for a subsidiary of Mann+Hummel in the US, manufacturing air filtration products. I know a bit about filter media as it pertains to air filtration, but many of the principles probably apply to liquid filtration. The filter media and product design (more and larger pass-through holes, more pleats, longer media length, thinner media material) on the newer Wix filter indicates a goal of increasing flow rate and efficiency. This makes perfect sense given the much tighter tolerances of today's engines which are more vulnerable to oil starvation. The fact that you can see more light through the newer media does not necessarily indicate an inferior material. Many advances have been made in filtration media over the past 14 years. If the standards have not changed regarding minimum ppm for this product, then the product should still perform as good or better than the older one. On a newer car, I would definitely take the newer filter over the old one.
Light and holes are entirely different issues.
The holes in the media are not consistent, I've opened other New Wix oil filters without the pin holes that you can see in this video.
@@WhipCityWrencher
That filter in the video was a random sample. When you buy a filter, do you KNOW what you're REALLY GETTING ?
@@workonitm8 Truth is, no, you don't. Different workers, different machines in varying levels of age and disrepair, different facilities, all across the supply chain can affect the end product you pull off the shelf. But if I was a gambling man, I'd take newer over older. Also, China has its low quality and high quality factories and workers, just as most countries do. Arguably, the risks of finding the former is much higher.
@@WhipCityWrencher I couldn't tell if they were holes or just light (thin) spots from the videos. Inconsistent manufacting processes most likely. When COVID hit full force, we noticed a huge drop in quality among our suppliers, likely from lesser trained and experienced workers filling in for the sick. We had to make adjustments in our plant for the same reasons, and quality was an ongoing issue.
Not getting Wix anymore, I'll stick to Mobil 1 filters.
Did you do a burn test on the anti drain back valve to make sure it was nitrile rubber ? Because sometimes silicone is black
No, I didn't this time, but all the black ones I ever tested were nitrile rubber. Where have you seen a black silicone anti-drain back valve? Thanks!
Denso sometimes uses black silicone anti drainback valves on there filters
@@nathanielcasas8923 I know RockAuto's website says Denso oil filters have a silicone anti-drain back valve but here's a test I did on one.
th-cam.com/video/yEij4zV3Apw/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=WhipCityWrencher
Yeah but you also gotta remember it depends on the application no two filters are the same
Ford has filters that use nitrile rubber valves such as the filter FL812 that fits my 2022 civic so what I’m trying to say whip is that you can’t just burn one and than say they are all nitrile rubber you know ? That’s all I’m saying brotha
Older filter media definitely better. 👍👍👍👍👍
Need improvement in that area FOR SURE. Quality isn't what it USED to be.
The drain back valve being nitrile on the new one has me curious as to what is going on with the silicone! I've recently noticed that the supertech MP version has also gone from the blue silicone to the nitrile as well! I'm wondering if it's due to a material shortage or a temporary cost savings from the economy!!
Most likely, silicone material supply chain issues.
I think it's a supply issue also, some seem to have others not.
Yeah I’ve been buying up silicone Fram extra guards and ultras at Walmart, I’m hating the supply problems
@@tylerexperience8704 Has anyone actually tested between types of anti-drain-back material, and does it make any difference, unless you go for years and tens of thousands of miles? I change my oil quarterly and I doubt the silicone type does anything but pad someone else's wallet.
@@jamesplotkin4674 well the rubber valves after a couple heat cycles gets rigid and hard, Fram had to switch over to silicone because of a law suit. A guy ran a extra guard and the valve hardened and fractured getting sucked through the motor, the media did not fail though, silicone is heat resistant and will not break its form. Also it seals better rubber seals terribly in filters, silicone like RTV silicone will seal excellent.
I use the WIX 51040 for my 3800 L67, Last I purchased 4 from RA, and the label on the filter says "MADE IN USA", 052621DG date code. When did they start making them in CHINA? Now I did notice that the oil inlet holes in my filter are noticeably smaller than the ones in the video.
I don't know? The Wix oil filters seem to be made all over, I've opened some that were made in Mexico also.
Thank you, this is very informative as well as disappointing. because now I need to find a new premium brand filter.
You're welcome!
I was thinking the new one was made better until you showed the media measurement and microscope. It’s weird where the corners get cut make it all better then cut corners on the actual function of the item.
It’s a shame companies are cutting quality for quantity and profit
You can thank the high US taxes that cripple companies
Wix has factories all over the world you can buy the same filter three different times and get one made in USA, Poland, or Mexico. I had one made in Japan they do that to keep the supply chain stable. And silicone can be any color. Also if you’re changing your oil at the proper intervals it really doesn’t matter on the anti drain back valve if it’s nitrle or silicone. Your going to be chucking the filter in the garage in 3,000 to 6,000 miles anyway. Qa
Basically a Mann & Hummel filter ,they make filters everywhere....but less are being made in USA.....that's my old filter 😁, still got a few more ,I'll stick with the older ones
I like the USA and Mexico, and Japanese made wix filters, would not buy the china ones
@@tylerexperience8704 That's O.K. --
China wouldn't buy anything from YOU, either !!
Sounds like you fell for Trump's anti-China isolationist bulls**t.
"We must trade -- or fade."
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1960
I used to request Wix filters. Not anymore.
The new one may be just as good or even better in some applications. Thinner media will flow more oil. If dirt isn't caught the first time through but the oil flows easier, it will be there again to be picked up. And longer filter media means more area to deposit that dirt. A clue to this is that the new one also has larger inlet holes to allow faster oil flow. An ideal filter picks up the dirt and doesn't block the flow.
Exactly my thoughts. I’d like to see an actual functional test of the two of them side-by-side to know if that line of thinking is correct, but of course that’s quite a bit of effort to go to for a TH-cam video 😉
wix filter i just bought today is in the same box as your new one has silicon valve, the last 4 i've bought may have had different box i don't remember but the were all silicon,. purchased on amazon for 1$ cheaper than yours mine is not wrapped in plastic,... wonder why
Probably made at a different time.
I used orange Fram Cor8 or PH8 for 375,000 miles on a 302 Ford with 5,000 miles oil changes, and it was still running fine last time I saw it. All it ever got was a water pump and injectors. Fact.
Ive used 2 of the redesigned 1516 filters and I'm extremely disappointed that they both had anti drain back valve issues. Dry starts after a minimum of 10 minutes of engine shutdown. I noticed after mann and Hummel bought out wix, something was changing when I received a case of napa proselect filters and they were Purolators.
I used wix up until a couple of years ago I stopped not because they wasnt good but because they really wasn’t made any better then the oem filters for ny new stuff
I would choose the older wix oil filter ! just probably hard to find a 14 year old filter but just goes to show how company's cheapen there product to save a dime ! Awesome video !
Thanks, Scotty!
They save more money by shipping your job to China than they do by cutting a few corners on quality.
Ronald Reagan told us 40 years ago that if workers kept asking for higher wages, their jobs would be sent over-seas.
Since that time, wages have remained relatively FLAT, while corporate executive salaries have grown obscenely excessive.
Meanwhile, American workers have been deluged with the greatest propaganda effort in history, it's goal is to champion those who would RULE, and not GOVERN.
There are some Wix filters still made in USA. However I was disappointed to see the last wix transmission filter I installed was made in china!
Thanks for Sharing!
The XP filter line is my choice when I buy Wix. Not as many applications as the standard Wix filter, though
Older WIX for sure. That's a shame the new one is downgrading like that at the price they retail for.
I recently acquired a Napa Gold / Wix standard bulk pack (12) w/ silicone ADBV for $5.12 each probably to the same quality of the old one here and it's made by Mann Hummel in South Korea and was produced late last year. I guessed I lucked out if this is what the new WIX standard filters are going to be like. Maybe it's just an application thing too?
Those Mann& Hummel Korea filters are pretty good ,actually GM Korea (Daewoo) uses OEM filters made by Mann& Hummel Korea, they even took their current management right from SC plant too ....ps that's my old WIX filter that he cut open, I currently use either these old WIX filters or the OEM Korea made GM Mann& Hummel filters on my vehicles, always use the old school WIX filters on a overhauled/rebuild engines as well, they do a great job on keeping sparklies out & under control
It is Global Plan to Destroing America!!!😢
The old Wix were the most reliable filter
That's why I had been buying Wix filters because they were the last of the Mohicans in quality and made in the USA I would buy a case of 12 on Ebay and use them but the last case I bought the new filters look different then the old ones I had been a Fram filter guy many years ago but they turned to crap over the years as well as Puralator. when my cars were new and under warranty I always used OE filters and they aren't all that expensive over auto parts chain stores
I just bought 6 of them here in Canada at Auto Value and they're made in USA, they have the silicone valve and they come in the same box as the filter made in China in this video, I don't understand what's going on here.
Good video. Not sure that new filter is worth $13 just to buy a name that rhymes with chop stix 😂
Thanks!
LOL, Good One!
The fact that the ADBV is rubber on the new one is interesting. a few other Mfg's have switched back! I wonder if the cost of silicone has gone up or there is a logistics problem in getting the material to make the ADBV? There has to be a good reason for company's like Mann and Hummel/ Wix, Fram/Champion have switched back to rubber. Personally i would use the old one over the new one!
I think it's a supply issue, I've noticed the newer Frams have silicone anti-drain back valves again.
@@WhipCityWrencher Yes, Whip, we 're gonna be dealing withh supply issues and increased costs for well into the future. Remember, COVID-19 and it's variants have KILLED OVER 1,000,000 AMERICANS, and half of them in the work force means a lot of talent and skills were ERASED from our collective production and distribution networks.
With the mighty Mississippi River drying up, literally thousands of barges are stacked up, unable to deliver their cargo to be shipped around the world.
Thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed by tornados, floods, landslides, and forest fires -- while our Western farmers and ranchers are plagued by drought.
Tough road ahead, my friend -- a tough road, indeed.
But hey, Whip -- you're gonna be all-riight, I can feel it in these old bones. 😁
@@SlikLizrd Thanks, Chuck!👍
@@WhipCityWrencher Thank YOU, Whip, for all your hard work -- and attention to details that make your oil filter Reviews/Inspections the best on U-Tube.
Suggestion: When measuring Cannister Wall Thickness, the results be given in thousandths-of-an-inch ( .015), rather than fractions of a Millimeter, which is foreign to most of us.
Crikey !! I just realized that I've been retired for 26 years -- and I'm running out of money.
When I was born, my life expectancy was 59.5 years --- and I'm now 84 -- and still rockin' in the free world !! 😁
I'd want the old one. As usual in today's world quality goes down the drain, yet you still pay a premium for the part! Sick of the Chinese imported crap!
I just always "assumed" Wix was USA made,just looked at my Wix and Napa and both made in Mexico. Thank you
Hi William,
You're Welcome!
I've only used WIX filters for years. ALL of them were marked made in USA - Gastonia NC. I run a 2016 Ford F150 with a 3.5L non turbo that has 254,000 miles. Absolutely no engine issues. This truck runs about 80,000 to 90,000 miles a year towing a trailer. Once I bought some WIX filters through Amazon. The boxes were in the old style. So I got curious as to if they were counterfeit or not. Called the factory and the lady asked me for the number that was on the can. By the way, that number is the date that the filter was made. These filters were over 5 years old. She told me to either return them or throw them away. In no way should I use a filter that was any older than 5 years. Come to find out, they start to deteriorate after 5 years. Much like tires after 7 years. This goes with any filter. Not just WIX. Over all, WIX is the best filter I've ever used.
Last Wix filter I bought I could feel the outer metal casing 'flex/bend/move' as I was putting it on - didn't fill me with confidence in the quality of it, if they were skimping on the thickness of the steel. Using Fleetguard now.
Gee, I have a racing Wix on my 588 horsepower 406 cu. in. small block Chevy. The microscope test worries me. The way politicians like to raise taxes I've got one for them. When something is made in China why not levy a tax that is equal to the RETAIL sell value. That would bring a lot back to this country. The reason the stock market has exploded is due to large companies getting it for next to nothing from overseas and marking it up tenfold, sometimes twenty fold. I know because I work for a Fortune 500 company. Big business doesn't want manufacturing here.....they are making a killing bringing it in.
The fact that the older Wix has silicone adbv and is made in US makes it the obvious choice. I'm hesitant to make a conclusive judgement on media based on a microscopic view alone. While the older media appears more dense or opaque, maybe the newer filter uses more synthetic fiber content and doesn't require as much density to achieve efficiency. Either way, I wouldn't pay $13 for the new Wix especially with nitrile adbv. O'R tends to be high priced. Too bad M&H moved production to China on this application, but profit margins on oil filters likely very thin. Thanks for video. Edit, might want to edit title from 51020 to 51040.
Say "thank you" for Bidon and another corrupted a ss holes who drain America.
@@Andrew__Smith Nah. I like to keep politics out of a discussion where it's not the topic. I add though, M&H (a global company) could have moved production before the beginning of 2020 eliminating the unproven conclusion presented.
Thanks, faxmen09 for the heads up on the title and your feedback!👍
@@WhipCityWrencher You're welcome, Whip. 👍
You could see the pin holes in the media. Holes in filter media is a very bad thing.
As we all know, product quality increases when you move production to China. [s]
Got an old VW I installed a full flow Ford filter (NAPA 1515 or equiv) and also have a few filters (I'm a pack rat) still in stock that are closer to 20yrs old.. I buy in bulk, it's cheaper in the long run.. and as little it gets driven, they've lasted a loooong time. This makes me want to cut one open for my own comparison!
I just can't bring myself to spend money on Chinese products strictly because I support home made, so I doubt I will.
Great Video, Thank You! Interesting if you could pass the same flow through each filter and see if there is any difference in pressure.
I made stamping tools for the oil filter industry 1983......not anymore.....I'm sure they are good but high pay jobs are lost this trend was and is political.
I used to pay 9.99 for wix. It going up, I don't buy anymore. I think there's better filters cheaper. Thanks
Fram XG
I buy my Denso-made Mazda filters from my dealer for $6.50. They are very well made, especially for the money. Same goes for Denso filters for Toyota.
@@ChicagoRob2 That's not bad.
@@kenj.8897 I'll check that out.
Shame on WIX!! Email them this video! I’ve sold WIX for at least 15 years and was able to sell the consumer on the brand and being made in USA people would gladly pay the premium price. Looks like we may have to switch back to Hastings, Champ, or really if can source Donaldson filters would be great.
I'm with you,the older filter for the win.💪
You identified this as a non-bypassing filter, but the spring below the filter media is there for that exact reason. The filter media assembly will push down on the spring when there is a large differential in pressure and allow the filter to bypass.
That's not a dedicated bypass valve. And dont ever put one of these on an engine that it wasn't meant for. The engines that this filter is meant for have their own bypass valve. Your filter would have to be pretty plugged up for the spring to push down and do what you're saying. Link Below, Check out the specs on this filter. www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/wix/wix-oil-filter/wix0/51040?q=wix+51040&pos=0
@@WhipCityWrencher, I agree that the engine has its own bypass valve, I'm just pointing out that the filter has the ability to bypass in an extreme situation.
Your analysis is very good.
@@B81Mack Thank You!👍
Well, I just bought a made in the USA 51040 from O'Reilly's ... and it WAS stupid expensive like yours was.
In a title of the video 51020 but you told about Wix 51040 filters!!! For customers: may be use *Baldwin B43-S* or *Baldwin B35-S* (Longer Version of Wix 51040) instead??? Now for $5.80(for *B43-S* ) and $6.03(for *B35-S* ) at Zoro + $5 for shipping up to $50 purchase - if more - shipping for free...For more solid and reliable filter? 😎😎
I messed up the title, it's fixed now.
@@WhipCityWrencher That happens 😊. _The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything._
Quality control is quality control no matter where it's made. It's the fact of the matter that whatever company it is making these they are spending lower labor expenses.
I love the fact that these were made in the USA but the country is just hurting itself.
Then there's corporate greed.
Many pieces of the puzzle.
Superb video, I had the same conclusion with Honda filters, OE and aftermarket switched to smaller filters with less capacity. I found out via a crosscheck I can still order the bigger (taller filters) that still have the old size. Moneywise just a bit more expensive but filtering capacity +50% 👍
Thank You!
I try to use a bigger filter also when possible.
Thanks for Sharing!
I wonder how much cheaper Chinese manufacturing was if workers were paid an equivalent wage to american workers..... I imagine that manufacturing techniques were not that much cheaper when economies of scale were equivalent. It would have to come down to worse materials (that weigh more and thus cost more to ship), or cheaper labor (the US typically has higher wages per worker, but living expenese are more expensive)
I’ve put a LOT of those 51040’s on I’ve noticed the 51334’s have a different seal that’s more like a o-ring. The filter actually stops dead when tightening it down. I wish they were still made in the USA but nothing any of us can do about it.
I buy filters from brands that are produced domestically, that's what I do about it.
@@GrandPrix46 what do you recommend? What brand or brands?
@@jeffclark5024 BOSCH Premium # 3410.
Made in USA.
ISO 4548-12 @ 20 Microns.
Silicone ADBV.
Cellulose/Synthetic Blend Media.
Metal Core - with Louvers.
Black Surface cools oil.
Nitrile Gasket.
5,000-Mile OCIs.
Easily Available.
Moderate Cost.
Not comfortable with what seems to be significantly cheaper filter media! I knew there would be a difference with the advantage going to the American-made filter, what with the apparently reduced filtering ability of the media used in the Chinese-made filter! You want quality? Buy American!
How nice of Mark to send it to You! YaY to Mark! Great comparison! The old filter seems to be the better choice. Its filter media looks much more dense. Just guessing, of course, since I base my unprofessional opinion on what I see in your video. Who knows, perhaps the new filter media is made of better quality material. Thanks for sharing this interesting video! Have a great weekend! 🍂🍁😊🍁🍂
Hi Ella, Thanks!
Have a Great weekend also!
Thanks ! still using these old filters as well ,still got a few of them, these are the ones I use after a engine overhaul as well
@@WhipCityWrencher , Thanks! 😊
@@daewooparts, Sounds good! 👍😊
@@daewooparts Thanks Mark for the filter!👍
I always look to see if any parts are made in China before I hand my $$ over the counter. I do not buy the Chinese made stuff unless there is absolutely no option and I have to have the part. It is increasingly harder to support American jobs and American parts, but we have to try. China is NOT our friend. Disappointed to see Wix going this direction.
It's interesting that even though Mann + Hummel cheaped out with the anti drainback valve and the media compared to the older filter, they retained the more expensive coil spring. They must not have seen that the coil spring is bad according to someone who frequently comments here (Fram website).
I wonder if the reason why the Wix XP filters (and the corresponding Napa Platinum filters) have been disappearing is because production is moving to China.
Buy usa only better quality, workmanship,china parts are only cheap,sad company's in America are about more profits.
Sad thing is I work in an auto parts store and I see more American made parts come in for warranty return due to defects over any other country of manufacturer. Good video I like how well you covered the difference between them and that you actually used a microscope
Thanks Josh!
Yes, "American Made" doesn't always mean "Better Made" unfortunately.
@@ronkostars4258 the real sad thing is that it used to be that way at one point in time america did make the best products
@@Skaadi89- That's true.
@@ronkostars4258 When though? I mean, in the late 70's, 80's, 90's, American made cars and associated parts were terrible. A 1977 Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla was cheap as heck, and would run forever. A 1977 Nova (or Maverick, Aspen, Hornet) was lucky to make it to 100k miles, at which point it was worth $100-$200.
I'll stick with the $3.48 SuperTech filters sold by Walmart. Made in the USA and never had a problem.
The spring at the bottom acts as a bypass valve. When the pressure gets too high, the filter media moves towards the spring. In theory.
use to provide over a thousand jobs in Gastonia NC, but China undercuts wages and the US gov removed the tariffs and allow China to dump its products in the USA. put them on a flow meter and test them so see how long they last, most filters are design to last about 3500 to 5000 miles depending on your engine, the bypass valve is design to open when the filter will no longer pass oil
Interesting and timely, friend of mine brought up the Wix oil filters at recent coffee group. He asked me about the quality of Wix which I replied that I had only run a few of them but no problems in the past. I've seen more changes in the oil quality than the filters.