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Thread: Warning: Re-evaluating Motorcraft Filters

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    Warning: Re-evaluating Motorcraft Filters

    Harley#356’s How-To’s


    Warning for Motorcraft Filters


    Reason behind the Questioning:
    The Ford Motorcraft filter has recieved excellent reviews for its filtering capability and quality, and I've always used motorcraft filters over crappy fram, or expensive K&N or Mobile 1 filters. Last year at L-Fest, from what I've heard, the probable cause of Frank5L's crash was the rubber seal on his motorcraft filter blowing out and spraying oil over the drivers side tire causing him to catapult across the track into yaegers truck with the drivers slick covered in oil and the passenger slick hooking. Whether that was the actual cause or not, its reason enough to take a 2nd look at Motorcraft filters. A few weeks later I was changing the oil in my DD, and the filter is BURRIED in an awkward spot, and the car is low and hard to crawl under even on ramps. Long story short, after I took the filter off, I didn't pay any attention to the rubber seal to make sure it was still on the filter, and I was in a hurry, and with the filter location burried, I didn't slide further under the car under the dripping oil to look up and inspect the filter seating surface. I put on a new motorcraft filter, and drive on my way. About 25 miles later that same day, I'm pulling into my driveway and notice the oil pressure gauge drop to ZERO just as I get in the drive. WTF? I get out and notice 6 quarts of fresh Mobile 1 all over my driveway! I throw the car back up on ramps, pull the filter back off, and what do ya know....the damn rubber seal from the old motorcraft filter stuck to the flange surface! With 2 rubber seals on, once the oil got hot and softened the double seal it blew out right between them. Yes 100% my fault for not checking lol, but I've never had a rubber seal stick like that with lubricating the seal before putting the filter on, and one lapse forgetting to check like that could be deadly! I decided to checkout a Mobil 1 filter's seal, and the difference in seal quality is NIGHT and DAY!


    PHOTO # 1: :Thin rubber Motorcraft Seal...pulls right out of the filter body only held in my a few tiny crimps around the sides.


    PHOTO # 2: :Thick rubber Mobile 1 Seal...fully crimped all the way around the sides, so its nearly impossible to pull the rubber seal off!



    Next time you're at the parts store, checkout both filters for yourself. Take the Motorcraft, and the same model Mobile 1. The Motorcraft rubber seal is thinner, and you can pull it right off the filter housing. The Mobile 1 rubbber seal is thicker, and is very hard to try and pull off the filter housing! While you should still always check your oil filter flange before putting the new filter on, the better designed heavier duty seal will at least be a lot less likely to fall right out and stick like that, and with it being secured better and thicker, its a lot less likely to blow out when going down the track at 5,800-6,000 RPM's and triple digit speed!


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    I had the same experience with the Motorcraft filter rubber seal sticking to the oil filter area when I did my last oil change. Now using Mobil 1 or Napa Gold filters.

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    I had the exact same thing happen less than a month ago on my daily beater. And it was a Fram filer....The exact same thing!!!! 4 quarts all over my garage driveway and down the street before I caught it and the oil light came on. Man that sucked!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    haha glad I'm not the only one!

    Time for everybody to spend that few extra bucks for the Mobile 1 filter....I definitely don't see that seal pulling off and sticking!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Harley#356 View Post
    haha glad I'm not the only one!

    Time for everybody to spend that few extra bucks for the Mobile 1 filter....I definitely don't see that seal pulling off and sticking!
    i have never had a issue with the ring coming off...

    but this is good info to have... i just run the ford one and make sure i rub my finger around where the old filter was to make sure there isnt the gasket still there...

    good job on the info josh...

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    I am telling you it sucked. I had oil streaks all through my development and under the hood was a disaster. Oil splattered everywhere. Josh is right check those seals. I know I will everytime I do an oil change from this day forward!!!

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    same thing happened to me, but i caught it when i took the old filter off i noticed it had no gasket and sure enough it was stuck on the block.
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    Had this happen on a mower once with the Briggs & Stratton oil filter. Dang thing pumps a lot of oil in the 5 seconds it takes to get shut down. The Purolater Pure 1 filter uses the same crimp to retain the gasket, but the gasket is enhanced with Teflon. Never had a problem with the Pure 1 filter... a little cheaper alternative than the Mobile 1 filter. I'm too anal to keep a filter on for more than 3000 miles even if it is an extended service filter. Perhaps that's why I've never had a problem.

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    I always look at the filter when I take it off.And always wipe the filter flange before putting the new filter on.My dad told me to do that a long time ago and I just got into the habit.

    Good info,though,Josh.So how about cutting apart your next Mobil1 filter to check out the media quality(# of pleats,etc),if you dont mind.Just to see how good they are.

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    lol I just did 3 oil changes last weekend, could have cut apart lots of filters! did one on my stealth and my gf's SRT-4 both with 6000 miles, and my 85's with 100, yes 100 miles (new motor) lol.

    There's lots of info online on filters, I'll try to grab that one link I had before had some really good 3rd party comparisons on all them, cut apart shots too. Mobile 1 was up there with the best, fram was down there with the worst. Motorcraft was rated pretty high, but one thing I don't think they tested was rubber seal design.

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    When I worked at the parts store,my boss and I got into an arguement over filters.We sold Wix,,,but I used Motorcraft on my Stang.We cut both brands open and the Wix had a band around the paper,Motorcraft had some industrial looking string around it.Same type/thickness material,same # of pleats.He backed off.hehehehe

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    WIX for me check out eral the oil guy. tons of info on filters. Mobil one is a good filter. so is the K&N

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    I will keep sticking with the Motorcraft myself, I have always cleaned and checked the engine block where I am putting the new filter before I screw it in.

    I am not sure that the quality of the filter gasket's crimp will be a benefit (other than keeping it from sticking to block after removed & not noticed),
    --when you screw the filter on, the gasket gets squished providing seal and tension, and isn't going anywhere... regardless of the gasket crimp.

    A better crimp would show more attn to detail though, but as long as the motorcraft filters the oil better, that is what I will use.

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    a thicker gasket recessed further into the filter housing like on the mobile one will provide more protection against the seal blowing out though. and if it filters just as good, if not better than the motorcraft, for another buck or two, I definately jumped brands.

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    I've always checked to make sure it did not stick to the engine as it was always drilled in my head by my father and grandfather. I've never seen a gasket blow out before though, that must be some crazy oil pressure!!! My father always used to run either WIX or Motorcraft on his 302 race engines that turned 7400-7600 rpm with no issues...

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