Oil filter question

[MShreve]

Has anybody tried a Frantz TP oil filter on a newer Mazda?

http://www.frantzoil.com/home.html

They've been around forever. In fact my '72 Nova (first car) came with one already installed and I loved it. The oil still looked brand new after 3,000 miles...and TP rolls are CHEAP! Plus the added benefit of not having to crawl under the car to change the filter.

Anyways, I just remembered that I still had the one off my old Nova in storage and I'm trying to decide whether or not to install it on my MS6. Any input or thoughts are appreciated.

 

[BlackCherry06]

How do you plan to install this? Remove the canister system altogether?

Just speaking for me, it wouldn't be worth the warranty entanglement you'd surely face if anything happened. The OEM filter setup does a fine job of filterting the oil, so I really see no need to play with fire. If you want this just because it's easier (not in my opinion) than dealing with the cartridge, just convert to the spin-on setup.

 

[MShreve]

My reasonings for considering the Frantz filter are (in no particular order):
1) The price of filter changes - cents vs dollars
2) Currently my oil is consistently dark when I change it every 3,000 miles
3) Much better filtration than OEM which equates to longer engine life
4) Ease of filter change

I haven't figured out the installation piece yet, I'm still in the "should I even consider it?" stage, as my experience with these filter units is >10 years old and only on Chevy 350 engines. But I don't expect it to take more than a few trips to the auto parts store to get it figured out.

You're probably right about the warranty though. The dealership would probably s*** a brick if they saw that thing under my hood. lol And it definitely wouldn't be an easy swap out for dealership visits.

 

[MShreve]

The one on my Nova had an adapter that threaded directly to the spin-on filter mount with a supply/return hose going to the filter unit. So I'm hoping worst case would be that I'd have to convert to a spin-on filter and then find an adaptor for that filter type.

 

[BlackCherry06]

The only other thing I can say is that the color of your oil shouldn't be used to judge its condition. Temperature exposure has far more to do with its color than dirt does.

My fear for you is that you go ahead and do this to save a few bucks per oil change and something bad happens, that I guarantee Mazda won't cover under warranty. A new engine is pricey and paying for good oil and OEM filters is a pretty cheap insurance policy. Just sayin...don't give Mazda a reason to deny a warranty claim. If I were the service manager and I saw one of these contraptions on your car with a blown engine, I'd hand you an estimate for the repair.

 

[MShreve]

Good info! Thanks for the input!

Maybe I'll just put this on my long list of things to reconsider AFTER my warranty expires.