Oil filter

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Robinson
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Posts: 31
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 3:28 am
My tercel:: 2x red manual 1986 4wd, 1 standard, air con, 1 lift kit, 14inch rims, 4AGE engine. 1 +1987 4wd blue for spares

Oil filter

Post by Robinson »

Hi just gave engine flush with Liquid moly engine detox ( german product) $20 au from auto 1. oil was blacker that came out. Helped to get excess out by blowing air compressors down oil fill. Was thinking to try again with new oil as filled up 500ml bottle for 90cents of desiel. will makemy own little brew and add little keroro and mabey little manual tranny fluid( heard the auto tran fluid works better.)just to see how good bought stuff did job. I want to tape a jar with sponge inside instead of wasting new filter so i can see what is happening to oil and dont think really need as will be draining in no more than 10 minutes. The filter that came off is a small one 7386 rico same with my parts car. The auto guy said this one is for 16 valve and my 8valve z158 is bigger one. I wanted bigger filter to help filter better, he said smaller one might improve compression? Which one you guys use. The brand is cooper cheapest $6 but same specsas rico $29. 8 to 15 micronI want to put in penrite 15 / 60so want to have it good. ta
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Petros
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Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Oil filter

Post by Petros »

size of filter does not determine quality nor filtering capability. There is no way a different filter will improve compression on an existing engine. It might make the rings last longer (better compression) in long run with better filter, but more frequent oil changes will accomplish that as well. And frequent quality air filter changes too (fine dust into intake wears out rings).

I buy cheap filter and oil and simply expect frequent changes. Ohers buy expensive filter and oil and think they will improve engine life. Not sure it is worth the expense vs longer life (if any), typically other problems will require engine replacement/rebuild before bearing/rings wear out. I have seen damage valves trash an engine, quality oil would not have made a difference, same is true with overheat from failed hose/radiator/t-stat.

It would be interesting to actually do a cost/benefit analysis, if thousands of extra cost in oil and filters, over the engine's useful life makes it last longer enough to justify higher maintenance costs.

Of course there are always those who are oil and filter snobs, and no cost is too high so they can claim they only use the "best". No point in discussing cost/benefit since their minds are already made up, and clearly they do not want to be confused with facts.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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