Originally Posted by
onehundred80
The Polyester filters called fleece filters were called for when the 7,000 mile oil change was introduced, before that paper filters were OK.
I would guess that the polyester filters were more efficient at catching particles at the higher mileages and probably were less likely to fall apart. The Chinese filters are probably made from old newspapers. ☹️
When I purchased my new 2004 Limited the dealer gave me two paper filters., I tossed them and have used ‘fleece’ filters ever since even though my yearly mileage has only been 2,300 miles on average. I change the oil and filter yearly without fail except last year when I only did < 400 miles.
Anyone remember the ads for oil filters made from toilet rolls, probably found in Practical Mechanics magazines in the sixties? A friend of mine had a Chevy Bel Air with no oil filter, it was an optional extra, the rocker shaft was filled solid with a dry deposit and the rocker bearings were worn through. The holes where the pushrods went were filled with only enough room for the pushrods to move in.
They do not build them like they did. Thankfully.
Yup, I did go with the Mann Fleece filter on my oil change and future oil changes going forward. Because the same price, why not, it's what continues to be recommended for this motor by the manufacturer.
That being said, the Wix (Mann) paper element on the box does state for 7,500 - 10,000 intervals. That filter, based on the oil analysis was impressive during an 8,000 mile interval, with strong filtering performance. It was in solid condition during my teardown and inspection. If I couldn't get the fleece filters for some reason, I wouldn't hesitate to use the Wix paper filter again.
But with that being said as well, I would avoid any other paper element that wasn't vetted, especially some off-brand Chinese filter that is half the price.