Dipstick Accuracy

I have the 2.7 and have installed an EZ drain valve. If I am not changing the oil filter, I slide the old 5 qt. container under the valve and drain. I pour the entire new 5 quart jug in, replace the fill cap and close the hood. This puts the oil exactly at the full mark. I have installed a PH8A Fram Ultra which has 3.5 times the filter area and is rated for 20k miles. That’s 70k miles of filtration. No need to change it every oil change.

 

Edit: 3.5 times the filter area of the OEM filter.

 

Call me crazy, but I would never in a million years change the oil without also changing the filter. Very cheap insurance.

 

I'm in your boat buddy. Never ever in my long legged life.

 

Ya know, that's not to say I wouldn't swap filter's from 'factory' to something else.
Example: (And I'll use Fram numbers, even though I don't use Fram filters)
I've always been kinda' a Dodge guy.. Have had many of them .. The V8's have used one of two filters since forever. 273 - 318 - 340 - 360 - 383 - 413 - 426 - 440 ... Even the old Slant 6 ... And the 3.3/3.8L V6's ... (I can't say about the the newer V8's though)
A PH16 or a PH8A ... both the same, except the PH8A is a couple inches longer. So, more filter element. Not a bad thing in theory.
So on a lot of the engines I've had, if Mopar called for the short filter, I always used the longer filter if space allowed.
Doing that, when changing oil ... Filling the crank, instead of an even 5 qts, turned into 5.5 qts. Eh, no BFD.
And, I can't speak for newer rigs, but back in the day Chevy/Ford had long/short filters also.
Anyway, I'd never have a prob putting on a 'bigger' filter and having to add a little extra oil so the crankcase was full. As long as the filter specs and requirements were the same. (Especially when it comes to 'Full flow' vs. the cheaper filters with a by-pass valve on the bottom of it..)
Anyway, all that said ... I'd still never change the oil without a new filter also. No matter what The Factory says. It'd be like taking a shower without soap. You only get 'sorta' clean.

 

Right down the road from me. Champion Laboratories, Inc.

 

So, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
I've seen 'Champ' filters in the cheap/econo section of the filter section at most any auto parts, or hardware store.
Are you saying that an upper-end filter is made by the same company that makes $3.00 oil filters?

 

2.7l engine mines 5.5 quarts at the fill mark, manual says 6.1 quarts

 

I like watching this guy on YouTube, he's channel is called Project Farm...watch the oil demos this guy does...but never ever ever use Fram filters on anything you actually care about...

 

Buddy works there for years and he said they add filament to specs whomever they are making the filters for and also change the paint color on the filter housings.

 

I bought my battery boost/jump pack after I watched his video testing 5 or 6 of them. The Audew 2000 is the tops!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN8A2nIMUWA

 

Yup my 2.7L was 5 1/2 quarts on the nose every time.

 

I agree... Fram filters, back in the day ... 60's thru 70's and maybe a bit beyond .. Were know as possibly THE best filter you could buy at the time. Now? I wouldn't install one on my worst enemies rig. Absolute garbage. But ... They have the 'rep' and dirt-cheap at Wally-World.... I think a lot of it had to do with when they stopped being made in USA and started being made in Mexico and/or China.
There's some things I may cut a corner on, but never ever an oil filter.

 

Exactly, the insides are short cuts central...instead of metal there is cardboard and instead of silicone there is some hard chinesium plastic...I used to like Bosch...now can't find them anywhere (maybe on line, they used to be US made), good ones now are Napa Gold and I believe you guys in the States got more options from Napa, but Wix is good, K&N, Amsoil, Mobil1...but definitely not fram. I don't know how their air or cabin filters are but I assume they are crap too...

 

Do what the dipstick shows and you will have no problems.

 

There may be better ones now, but I bought a 'Goo Loo' about 5 years ago. Amazon... $70.00 at the time.
It's been flawless so far and yes there was a couple times I needed it. Has never failed me.
And it fits perfectly under the seat ... Not schilling for this particular brand, ... Hell, all these types of devices may be made by the same company (China) for all I know, but besides a good spare tire and a jack... Possibly one of THE best things you could keep in yer rig.

 

I know that Napa Gold is made by WIX and the whatever the top-brand at O'Reilly auto parts is made by WIX also. I would guess that maybe some other auto part stores as well, but IDK as, I don't go there. Could be that the other brands you state ... Could be made by WIX also, I have no idea. I have read a lot of reviews on various websites though that say the factory Toyota filters are every bit as good as any 'top shelf' filter you can buy, so there's that also. And I have no reason to doubt that.. I guess when you really boil it down ... As with everything else .. You Get What You Pay For... Even though Fram has filters out there that are just as pricey as the rest, I would never ever trust them again.
They may have brought their quality standards back up to being a Good Quality Filter, but they lost my trust long ago, and I'm not risking a brand new engine on 'maybe' ....

 

Why does this thread title remind me of pornhub?

 

actually U dont get what U pay for

‘ Marketing ‘ is the art of separting U from Ur $$$$$$

some hype + fancy packaging +playin to Ur ego...............Ur Special ! right

there are several test by independent folks that indicate some of what U say

Iv Never seen a OEM ‘ bad ‘ oil filter

iv seen plenty of pigs in fish net / cheap lip stick

 

Well, yes you're right to an extent... I've never bought anything (Especially something as important as filters) because of a flashy TV commercial. I agree ... Looking up various independent websites who have nothing to gain one way or the other and do meaningful testing/analysis/etc, has usually been my guide. Especially as much as rigs cost these days, it never ever pays to cut corners.