Ford Oil Filter on a Dodge. Why Not?

[moterhead]

I was getting ready to change the oil in both my '03 Ram and my wife's T'bird. The bird uses the standard Motorcraft FL1A. Comparing the Ram filter with the Ford, both have the same thread and same sealing ring location. Why not use the FL1A on the Ram? It's bigger, so would hold slightly more oil and possibly have more filter media surface. Plenty of clearance on the Hemi, so the length isn't a problem. I used to use the FL1A on a Buell motorcycle I had a couple of years ago. Basicly a built Sportster 1200 motor, dyno'd at 104 rwhp. The FL1A gave me a half quart extra oil capacity. Stock capacity was only three, so a significant increase. Worked just fine.

[GUAM_SS/T]

shouldn't be a problem. I use a bigger fram on my Ram to get the extra capacity.

[COOP964x4]

I run a NAPA 1515 Ford filter on my 96.

It should work fine on the Hemi.

[dwc43]

PH 8A is the long fram filter number that will work just as good as teh 1a will.

[Lilitchpin]

Sorry for the cut & paste job - but being newbie I was looking at TSBs and found this one. At least in diesels, some oil filters can cause problems.

Here is link followed by paste: http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2001/09-004-01.htm

ate: May 18, 2001

Models: 1989 -1993 (AD), 1994 - 2001 (BR/BE) Ram Truck

NOTE: THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES 1989 - 201 MY 2500 AND 3500 RAM TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH A 5.9L CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE.

Discussion:

Customer may complain of high oil consumption, grey oil smoke coming out of the exhaust or breather tube, or mechanical knocking. Neoprene compounds used internally in the manufacture of oil filters not recommended by DaimlerChrysler may separate from the filter, lodge in the piston cooling nozzle, and can fail the engine.

NOTE: THIS IS NOT AN ENGINE DEFECT.

(See the table below for a list of filters recommended by DaimlerChrysler for use with the 5.9L Cummins diesel engine.)

NOTE: SECTION 2.7 OF THE TRUCK WARRANTY MANUAL STATES DAIMLERCHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR FAILURES RESULTING FROM IMPROPER REPAIR OR THE USE OF PARTS WHICH ARE NOT GENUINE DAIMLERCHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION / MOPAR OR DAIMLERCHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION / MOPAR APPROVED PARTS. DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE USE OF OIL FILTER NOT APPROVED BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER MAY NOT BE COVERED BY THE NEW VEHICLE WARRANTY. DAIMLERCHRYSLER RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING OIL FILTERS. DO NOT USE ANY OIL FILTER CONTAINING NEOPRENE. PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS.

RECOMMENDED OIL FILTERS FOR USE WITH CUMMINS 5.9L DIESEL ENGINE:


Part Number Manufacturer
05016547AC Mopar
LF3894 Fleetguard Stratopore
LF3552 Fleetguard Microglass
LF3949 Fleetguard Cellulose
3937695 Cummins Cellulose
FL896 MotorCraft Cellulose
L45335 Purolator Cellulose
PF1070 AC Delco Cellulose

Policy: Information Only

Notes:

The LF3349 Cellulose filter does not appear on this list. It was approved in the past for 12Valve engines, but it has been superseded by the LF3949, which has a stronger metal case for the 24 Valve engines. You can use your existing LF3349's for 12 valve engines without concern about warranty coverage.

What does this TSB mean?
If you use one of the filters in this list, you will not have to worry about warranty coverage of an oil related engine failure. If you choose to use another filter that is not on the list, DC will (justifiably) make you pay for repairs if a piston cooling nozzle becomes clogged by a piece of filter material. Some filters have disintegrated resulting in severe engine damage. When this happens, you must seek compensation from the manufacturer of the filter (numerous reports of Fram failures have surfaced recently, and Wix filters damaged some 1st Gen engines back in the 90's). If the manufacturer is standing behind their product, they will pay for the repairs. GOOD LUCK! Is saving a few bucks on an oil filter really worth the risk of a $4000 repair bill? Your decision...

Not mentioned in the TSB, but a valid reason for denial of warranty coverage is damage caused by foreign material introduced into the oil filter by the person changing the oil. You can not expect a manufacturer to pay for engine damage caused by carelessness during an oil change, that kind of damage is not due to a manufacturing defect! Anything in the center of the filter goes directly into the oil galley when the engine is started. When you open an oil container and pre-fill the oil filter, be very careful that you do introduce into the center of the filter any of these into the filter:

* dirt or debris from your hands or the work area
* a bit of sealing foil from the top of the oil container
* plastic shavings from the oil container
* plastic or paper from the oil filter wrapping or container

[moterhead]

Some interesting reading on oil filters at these two sites. The first is the actual study. The second consists of derogatory opinions the author found about certain well known filter companies. He was threatened with a law suit if he didn't remove them, so he moved them to a different site.

http://www.frankhunt.com/FRANK/corve...lterstudy.html


http://www.frankhunt.com/FRANK/corve...ilfilters.html

[HemiRam]

Originally posted by moterhead
I was getting ready to change the oil in both my '03 Ram and my wife's T'bird. The bird uses the standard Motorcraft FL1A. Comparing the Ram filter with the Ford, both have the same thread and same sealing ring location. Why not use the FL1A on the Ram? It's bigger, so would hold slightly more oil and possibly have more filter media surface. Plenty of clearance on the Hemi, so the length isn't a problem. I used to use the FL1A on a Buell motorcycle I had a couple of years ago. Basicly a built Sportster 1200 motor, dyno'd at 104 rwhp. The FL1A gave me a half quart extra oil capacity. Stock capacity was only three, so a significant increase. Worked just fine.

You can either a Mobile 1 or K&N 2004 series filter.

[RodNut6]

Psssst...
The filter that I took off of my Hemi was made by Purolator, painted black, and had a MOPAR label on it.
The Motorcraft FL1A that you get at Wally World is made by Purolator, painted white and has a Motorcraft label on it...

The FL1A also holds approx. 1 pint more than the L14670.

[74sport]

There are alot of oil fliters that are used on different automotive applications, so this is not too big of a deal. Go with something like purolator, don't let Ford make money off ya!

[superdart]

http://minimopar.net/oilfilterstudy.html

Check this site out

VERY informative..it may be the site that was mentioned earlier.

I WILL NOT EVER RUN A FRAM!!! DC buys all different filters and slaps their name on them...so does it really matter?

I always run a larger filter The PH8/FL1A is just a taller version of the PH16 that DC puts on thier trucks. It doesn't hurt anything, but DC saves a few pennies on filters, and a 1/2 qt of oil PER truck by running the smaller filter.

I ran the FL1A size before I put my bypass kit on, and had no problems.

[Christopher]

I use the larger filter on all my vehicles,makes it easy to run the same filter. The race car gets Fram for contengency,and the rest get the ST8A filter from Wally Mart. Also 15w40 oil- Quaker State of course.

An excellent site on oil,filters and other topics on lubrication is www.bobistheoilguy.com

[dwc43]

Nothing wrong with Fram filters. We use them on all of the race cars and stocks too. Never had a prob with them. Also run 20w50 Quakerstate in hte race cars too. Good products.

[David Smothers]

Do some reading on Fram you might change your mind.
If I got them for free I would not use them, but that is just my .02.
You may not have had a problem yet, but the one time you do could be very costly.


David

[orig_moparhead]

The PH8/FL1A is just a taller version of the PH16 that DC puts on thier trucks.

PH16 = Chevy filter

PH43 = Mopar filter = FL300 Motorcraft (short version of an FL1A / Fram PH8)

-James

[superdart]

OOPS....my fault on the 16/43 thing........

As for the Fram....the drainback valve sucks..changed the oil on my friends Honda 4 banger...empty..no oil..it all drains back into the motor..great place for all the cruddy oil to go