Conversion from cartridge filter to screw on filter - Should I do it?

W

Wuster

Member
:
Whitewater Pearl Mazda5 Touring
A while back, I saw somewhere out there in cyber space, a link on converting the Mazda3's 2.3L cartridge filter to a screw on filter using a parts/adapter kit from the Mazda6 2.3L engine.

I drop my Mazda5 (which has the same 2.3L engine as the Mazda3) off at the dealership this morning for an oil change and they offered to make the conversion from cartridge to screw-on for around $30

Has anyone made this conversion and would like to share his/her experiences on how well its working (or not working)?

So I make this conversion? I figured that I can save a few bucks on filters down the road and probably make the oil change go faster. But the engineer in me is wondering about the degradation in oil filtering performance.

Thoughts?
 
Wuster said:
A while back, I saw somewhere out there in cyber space, a link on converting the Mazda3's 2.3L cartridge filter to a screw on filter using a parts/adapter kit from the Mazda6 2.3L engine.

I drop my Mazda5 (which has the same 2.3L engine as the Mazda3) off at the dealership this morning for an oil change and they offered to make the conversion from cartridge to screw-on for around $30

Has anyone made this conversion and would like to share his/her experiences on how well its working (or not working)?

So I make this conversion? I figured that I can save a few bucks on filters down the road and probably make the oil change go faster. But the engineer in me is wondering about the degradation in oil filtering performance.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I may be wrong about this, but I have heard that the cartridge filter found on the MZR engine series actually filters/protects the engine better than the canister type filters found on most Honda and Toyota engines. If this were true, don't you think paying a little bit extra for the OEM Mazda filter be worth protecting your engine in the long run?
 
Wuster said:
they offered to make the conversion from cartridge to screw-on for around $30
Click to expand...

You'll save $1.50 per filter, so it will take 20 oil changes to payoff. At 7,500 miles per change, that is 150,000 miles.

If it does not filter as well, you wont make it 150,000 miles.

Stick with what you've got.
 
The only reason for doing the conversion in the past, I've heard, what the cost and difficulty in getting the filters. This isn't a problem any longer, and the OEM filters from the dealer are not too much more than a normal filter at the parts store. I bought 4 when I went, and he gave them to me at a discount, cheaper than what a crappy Fram would've cost. And changing them isn't very difficult. You can get the big adapter for your ratchet, or you can get one of those rubber strap wrenches.
 
I decided not to make the conversion.

The dealer "forgot" to mentioned that the '$30 bucks' was for labor only. The part itself was around $110. Which I call BS. Folks on the Mazda3 forum can get the same part for $40.
 
IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT THE CONVERSION:
The 2.3 MZR on the Mazda 5 has an oil cooler which routes coolant down to the filter cartridge housing. To remove that housing and change over to a screw-on filter will require disabling the oil cooler system, unless you find a spin-on head with a cooler built in. Having learned this fact, I personally will not even consider the swap.

Wuster: I know you already decided against the swap, so this post is not aimed at you in particular, but rather at anyone who is contemplating the swap.
 
no you won't
you only would if you followed the mazda3/6 how-tos which calls for a part that's WRONG for the 5

if you have searched you would've known that the 2005 tribute s*** works because it also has an oil cooler
 
Rocket said:
You'll save $1.50 per filter, so it will take 20 oil changes to payoff. At 7,500 miles per change, that is 150,000 miles.

If it does not filter as well, you wont make it 150,000 miles.

Stick with what you've got.
Click to expand...

7500 miles is only for "normal" driving conditions... something which 99% of the people on this forum WON'T qualify for because they live in cities or drive their car "spiritedly" or in a harsh climate.... there are VERY specific things that are called for in "normal" driving conditions that are stated in the owner's manual which are more like ideals than anything else

so don't think just because you don't race your car, drive fast, don't drive your car "hard", etc means you're under "normal" conditions... its very misleading and its one of the major causes of poor vehicle maintenance in this country because people don't read their owner's manual carefully and/or are cheap asses thinking they can go longer without changing their oil

those "extended" intervals are there as a marketing ploy when people are car shopping... it's to exploit some of the car cheap ass car shoppers into buying a car thinking they don't have to do anything to it for 100000 miles when it's not necessarily true... what do they care after the salesmen makes their bucks? the service department can milk you dry when s*** in your car breaks and they voided your warranty because you were too good to read the owner's manual carefully... or milk you anyway even if you've read the owner's manual and followed the "unique driving conditions" schedule.... do you seriously think they'd care about what the salesman told you about the magical 100000 mile thing or what you'd think of this deception? I think not

anyway, since a lot of you like the average american person won't read the manual anyway, I'll spare you the trouble... if you live in a city, don't even bother with the "normal" schedule, you'll fail to meet any of those conditions miserably... go with the "unique driving conditions" one to save you the trouble if you care about your car
 
TheMAN said:
7500 miles is only for "normal" driving conditions... something which 99% of the people on this forum WON'T qualify for because they live in cities or drive their car "spiritedly" or in a harsh climate.... there are VERY specific things that are called for in "normal" driving conditions that are stated in the owner's manual which are more like ideals than anything else
Click to expand...

Hey Man,
The general driving public has been duped into the "normal and harsh" driving modes. If you plan on keeping the car beyond the warranty period, go here:http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

A wealth of information regarding oils, air filters, oil testing, etc. I have my explorer on a 10K oil change interval using Mobil 1 and have never had a problem with oil breakdown or excessive wear. I test the oil every 50K miles. This all works out to about the same cost as changing the oil every 5 to 7 K, but I know what's up with my vehicle. BTW it has 179,000 on the ticker and runs just like the day I bought it.
TheMAN said:
so don't think just because you don't race your car, drive fast, don't drive your car "hard", etc means you're under "normal" conditions... its very misleading and its one of the major causes of poor vehicle maintenance in this country because people don't read their owner's manual carefully and/or are cheap asses thinking they can go longer without changing their oil

...snip...

go with the "unique driving conditions" one to save you the trouble if you care about your car
Click to expand...

Words to live by if you are on a lease.
 
irloyal said:
Hey Man,
The general driving public has been duped into the "normal and harsh" driving modes. If you plan on keeping the car beyond the warranty period, go here:http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

A wealth of information regarding oils, air filters, oil testing, etc. I have my explorer on a 10K oil change interval using Mobil 1 and have never had a problem with oil breakdown or excessive wear. I test the oil every 50K miles. This all works out to about the same cost as changing the oil every 5 to 7 K, but I know what's up with my vehicle. BTW it has 179,000 on the ticker and runs just like the day I bought it.


Words to live by if you are on a lease.
Click to expand...

cheap ******* oil used by whatever oil change place is NOT the same as mobil1 or any decent oil for that matter... heat kills oil, short distance driving kills oil, and so does driving through a dust storm

WTF is wrong with changing oil every 3000 miles? it's cheap insurance and that s*** gets recycled anyway... it's not like you're "polluting" more

I've seen oil at 7000 miles when someone followed the "normal" s***... and that s*** is NASTY, enough said
 
TheMAN said:
cheap ******* oil used by whatever oil change place is NOT the same as mobil1 or any decent oil for that matter... heat kills oil, short distance driving kills oil, and so does driving through a dust storm

WTF is wrong with changing oil every 3000 miles? it's cheap insurance and that s*** gets recycled anyway... it's not like you're "polluting" more

I've seen oil at 7000 miles when someone followed the "normal" s***... and that s*** is NASTY, enough said
Click to expand...

So I guess ignorance is bliss..........(burnout)
 
bulwnkl said:
IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT THE CONVERSION:
The 2.3 MZR on the Mazda 5 has an oil cooler which routes coolant down to the filter cartridge housing. To remove that housing and change over to a screw-on filter will require disabling the oil cooler system, unless you find a spin-on head with a cooler built in. Having learned this fact, I personally will not even consider the swap.

Wuster: I know you already decided against the swap, so this post is not aimed at you in particular, but rather at anyone who is contemplating the swap.
Click to expand...

Saw a thread on a Mazdaspeed6 (also with cooler) on this conversion.
The Ford Escape 2.3L (and probably Tribute) uses an oil cooler with a spin on filter. The part looks identical except that it's for a spin on filter. Pretty expensive though. I hate the cartrige filter, but it's really easy to do an oil change. Converted my 6i to a spin on, but I'll probably leave the 5 like it is.
 
synthetic oil is the way to go, most times even when you changed past the 5k mark, the oil is still clean. When people get synth oil and change every 3k, unless they use the car in traffic every day, in a dust storm, in the desert, it would be a waste of money. I put Mobil1 in my 1.8t(chipped, t/back) every 5k and the oil was sooo clean it was unbelievable. If you're worried about the 7.5k interval, next oil change get the 15k oil from Mobil1, they even have 10k and 20k oils. Your dime, your car, your call they way I look at it.
 
065 said:
Saw a thread on a Mazdaspeed6 (also with cooler) on this conversion.
The Ford Escape 2.3L (and probably Tribute) uses an oil cooler with a spin on filter. The part looks identical except that it's for a spin on filter. Pretty expensive though. I hate the cartrige filter, but it's really easy to do an oil change. Converted my 6i to a spin on, but I'll probably leave the 5 like it is.
Click to expand...

expensive? the part is only 35 bucks!
 
TheMAN said:
expensive? the part is only 35 bucks!
Click to expand...
Didn't check. Sure that's for the oil cooler version? On the thread I saw it on they said it was like, I think $200 (my memory fails me, and to lazy to look for it), but like I said I never checked myself. May change mine over to spin on if it's that cheap!
 
065 said:
Didn't check. Sure that's for the oil cooler version? On the thread I saw it on they said it was like, I think $200 (my memory fails me, and to lazy to look for it), but like I said I never checked myself. May change mine over to spin on if it's that cheap!
Click to expand...

That sounds right. The folks on the Mazda3 fourms are paying around $40 bucks for it.

My dealer wanted $110 for it.(pissed)

Another reason not to do it.
 
Get gasket part# LF01-14-342 for $5.85
Get filter body part# L311-14-311 for $35.80

Oh, and a spin on filter # LF10-14-302.

You don't have to worry about the cooler because it mounts to the top of the filter body (adapter), but the Tribute does use a different cooler than the MSP6, CX-7, and 5.

If you change your own oil, and don't want to worry about failed or torn o-rings, and don't care about your warranty, it's a easy mod.
 
the coolant does not have to be drained to do the conversion... just becareful around the seal that's under the oil cooler because it's NOT replacable

torque specs:
25.1-29.5 ft lbs for oil cooler to oil filter mount bolt
9-13 ft lbs for oil pressure switch
14.8-22.1 ft lbs for oil filter mount
 
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