I just did an oil change and for the 1st time didn't use a Mazda oil filter. I've owned my car since Oct. of 2003 and have always done my oil changes at 3k miles in the winter and usually 5k miles in the spring/summer. I used Royal Purple synthetic oil for the first time too. I usually use Castrol dino oil... I know they are both technically dino.

I'm hoping that I'm getting some benefit for the extra charge. K&N filter: $11.99 4 quarts of oil @ $6.99 per quart totalling $39.95 That's about $15 more than I pay to have the dealer change it. But I have heard good stuff about Royal Purple's oil products.

 

I like the lug on top the filter for removal but can't justify the cost for the lug and the "impregnated" cellulose paper and whatever else they claim it does. Is a filter really that complicated? Someone on here said they had an old VW I believe with a metal mesh oil filter and it ran great for years.

 

Everything you ever wanted to know about oil filters:

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html

 

^that's some interesting 3rd party info on a whole lot of filters.

personally i've only used the mazda filter (with royal purple). i tried an after market one once...but it wouldn't thread correctly onto my oil preasure/temp plate adaptor that is installed inbetween the filter and engine.

so hopefully the mazda filter is good. lol

 

im using k&n. it threads up fine

 

Too bad there was no information about the K&N on that page. So far so good. The engine is definately running smoother but that could be due to the fact that I also did the coolant bypass mod to the throttle body. I was having issues when the temperatures would rise and not in a little way either. Once the car would warm up the hesitations would start and as soon as it hit 80*F or so it would just about stall on launch. I would also note the gear shift being very erratic. I did both of these at the same time and so far no rough idle or loss of power after warm up.

 

I've used K&N, Mobil 1 and OEM (Mazda and Nissan before)

why Nissan? well, Im talking my father's 95 Quest, and my Brother'e 05 Altima SE-R.

I will say OEM filters is "ALRIGHT" for normal use. but nothing extreme.

K&N has really good filters, they know what they're doing and it filters more than OEM does. but the problem is the price. you gotta pay at least 10 bucks for each of them.

Mobil 1 is ok imo as well, problem is that, it cost more like 9 bucks each and its hard as hell to find.

Im using Mazda OEM right now, Im going to try to do an oil change today by myself(!), and see what sup.(going to change to WiX)

 

If i'm not mistaken, you should not use synthetic oil in your rotary. The engine needs to burn oil at a set ratio to prevent engine damage and the sythetic oil burns less. Check it out.

 

There are some very good threads about this and from everything I've read I don't think that high quality oils like Royal Purple are going to create a problem. But either way here's a link with lots of information on the subject for you to chew on... https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tech-garage-22/cumulative-synthetic-oil-discussion-52856/ . Have fun.

 

Ever since reading the ultimate guide to the oild filter a long time ago, I inspect all filters. I have notice that basically they are all the same. I have notice about 3 different constructions which are shared among the manufactures. I have notice they are very crappy, all of them, in contruction even the K&N filters, they look just like the ACdelco ones. The paper filter inside might be different but they share the shell.

Everytime I pick one, I check the threads, even the K&N filter have metal shaving left over on the threads and who know where else. It takes me like a half hour trying to pick the cleanest, this is worse that trying to pic the best carton of eggs at the store.

I have started to buy the brand mazdatrix brand sells, nippon I believe. Their contruction is what the old mazda oil filters used be like. They even come with a plastic cover to prevent anything of falling in. They are priced well too.

C

 

My god. Obviously another one of those "smart" ones.

wait, my Rotary still alive ! Synth Oil is the only thing she eats !

Oh, prove that Synth oil burns less please.

I mean PLEASE !

 

you are mistaken, and dont have a clue...

beers

 

yes royal purple is good.. I used k&n oil filter once...but realized it would get to costly for something that did the same thing a fram extra-guard would do.. and it 3 times cheaper...

 

Im not sure if K&N really worth its price, but last time I got it I think I got it for like 8 something 9 bux each

Its ok I think, if its WiX its about 6 bux each, Mazda OEM about 4 something bux

I wouldnt trust FRAM, too many bad press about them.

 

I use the K&N (Hp-1008) and it works nicely. I too like the nut on top, but it's pricy for a filter. However, I'll still probably keep using them.

 

planetperformance.com sells them for aroung $8 and they offer free shipping plus they will beat any advertised online price, just click on the price match button on the item description page and provide a link to get the new lowered price.
I bought a dozen last year and plan on doing the same thing when it's time to replenish the stock.

 

Thanks for the info! I'll definitely do that next time I order.

 

their best price was 12 for $113.99 = $9.50 each

 

HP-1010 is higher capacity and fits like the HP-1008.

 

I found a site that sells them for $8 something and they beat the price by a few cents... free shipping too!

 

Yes, the orginal Beetle, iirc, sold more cars than any other in history, had a simple metal strainer.

My favorite bit was the air cleaner. A box full of (horsehair?) that sat inside another box with motor oil. So when you did an oil change on the engine you'd just change the oil in the air cleaner too.

Another bit of Beetle trivia -- during their production peak, VW engine production consumed 25% of the world's production of Magnesium!

 

Here is an older test on the Pre-Tennax built Mazda OEM filter. Remember there are only really two Mazda Oil filters the below 2.2 engine size and the above 2.2 engine size. The Miata and RX-7/RX-8 all use the same below 2.2 engine size filter.

http://www.teammiata.com/libs/oil-filters.htm

Bear/bare in mind that none of the tests really rate how many particles are captured in the first pass and what size (so the filter itself really is not rated... just the design of the filters) but it does give you something to look at.

 

Im using the K&N atm. no issues thus far.

Since K&N is a fairly reputable brand (minus the K&N typhoon type I [which they fixed anyway]), I would at least think that a reasonable amount of research and development went into the making of it.

 

K&N HP-1010 ...best price I've seen so far, I used planetperformance.com's price match deal + plus free shipping =D

 

Yea, but shipping is $13 flat-rate (under $100 order), so you would have to stock up to take advantage of the price.