the first time I changed the oil on the wife's RV I was all ready with mobil ESP and a Fram filter from the local auto parts store... when I removed the installed filter (I have no idea who did the previous oil change but safe to say not MB) the filter was crushed slightly and had a bit of a twist in it..
I decided to not mess around and went to the dealer and got a mahle... I compared it with the Fram when I got home and found the Fram stood a little taller.. I couldn't find a brand name on the damaged one that I removed.. suffice to say after that I only get MB filters for all positions..
Bernie
Bernie
Glad you posted this because it emphases what is known as quality assurance.
There are a lot of aftermarket filters available who knows what that quality assurance is?
The other month I bought a case of Landrover oil filter cartridges with a fairly little known main stream brand name , Made in China for $1,93 each.
The factory filter by the 100 off case is $5,95.
How can you know what is the quality assurance difference between the two extremes?
In short you can't without destructive analysis.
Unless it has changed since I last looked only two manufactures make their own filters, Toyota and Subaru.
As for the rest you have to be careful about selection.
Always take into account that in mass production there will be wastage and items that don't meet the minimal spec! They get tossed in the scrap stillage.
Those that pass are subjected to a flow test and dimensional conformity as they come of the production line before packaging ..
Its at that stage where the OE gets the best and the manufacturers sell the same in their own boxes for a percentage less.
Some won't quite pass but are serviceable and get sold to wholesalers as job lots.
The trick is to know what is OE quality and what is a good second from parts wholesaler.
Then its a decision time or what insurance companies call risk assessment.
Dennis
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