Oil Filters: spin-on vs cartridge?

[Art Vandelay]

Which is better? I've noticed that newer cars are switching back to canister style oil filters. But why? Is it a cost-cutting measure, a way to get you to spend more money on dealership parts, a superior design, or some combination of the three?

Easy and fun:

Messy and evil:

[20V BUG]

My money is on making it harder for the do-it-yourself crowd to.... do it themselves.

It's real easy to find and remove a spin on filter, climb under the car and twist it off. To change a cartridge though you have to locate it, could be anywhere, and then have the right tool to open where it sits. I know on my friend's Cavalier it took an 1 1/4" socket to remove the cap to get to the filter.

How many people do you know that have one of those just hanging around?

[GoFaster]

The cartridge type is regarded as a better environmental choice. The steel parts in a spin-on can be recycled, but all of the other stuff inside is basically contamination of the steel.

[Fettes Brot]

Cartridge style is also easier & cheaper to ship. Boxes are smaller, & weigh much less.

[LuckyCharms]

Quote, originally posted by Fettes Brot »

Cartridge style is also easier & cheaper to ship. Boxes are smaller, & weigh much less.

My vote Along with easier to recycle.

[TooFitToQuit]

The cartridge is stupid and cannot be removed with a flathead and a hammer.

[Nicefeet]

The cartridge allows you to inspect the filter with out cutting open the can.

[GoFaster]

Quote, originally posted by iDance »

The cartridge is stupid and cannot be removed with a flathead and a hammer.

The cartridge design is less prone to the conditions that lead to having to do this to a spin-on filter ...

[BRealistic]

Can you install a remote filter kit on the canister type?

[BRealistic]

Quote, originally posted by GoFaster »

The cartridge design is less prone to the conditions that lead to having to do this to a spin-on filter ...

This may have something to do with the longer oil change intervals many vehicles have specified now. It's my understanding that the (Fram cardboard backing type) spin on oil filter issues have to do with filters left on for a long time.

[sunofernest]

My cartridge style allows me to drain the filter before removing it. You cant do that with a spin-on without a drill.

[mariok2006]

Cartridge allows to change filter and not oil, which some extended drain intervals call for.

Not saying it's not possible with a twist on, but it sure isn't as easy.

[eweu]

I just wish that all cartridge filters were located on the top. That makes oil changes a breeze.

My S4 had a top mounted filter. I didn't need to get under the car to do an oil change. My TT has a bottom mounted cartridge filter so I still have to crawl underneath. Ugh.

[08StreetBob]

Quote, originally posted by mariok2006 »

Cartridge allows to change filter and not oil, which some extended drain intervals call for. Not saying it's not possible with a twist on, but it sure isn't as easy.

Changing an under car cartridge filter spills just as much oil as an undercar spin on filter.

[pezzy84]

Quote, originally posted by 08StreetBob »

Changing an under car cartridge filter spills just as much oil as an undercar spin on filter.

Depends. On my Jetta 2.5 there is a simple to use drain which pretty much eliminates any possible mess.

[genjy]

Quote, originally posted by eweu »

My S4 had a top mounted filter. I didn't need to get under the car to do an oil change.

Yeah, my Volvo T5 has a top mounted (cartridge) filter as well... no mess.

I still have to go under the car to drain the oil, though.

[VDub2625]

I like the cartridge... you can drain the filter before taking it off thus avoiding a huge mess. Especially on a car where the canister filter is horizontal (Nissan )

I don't see how a cartridge would be any harder to locate... and at least the cars I've done it on still allow an oil filter wrench to remove the filter cap.

[StormChaser]

Quote, originally posted by genjy »

Yeah, my Volvo T5 has a top mounted (cartridge) filter as well... no mess. I still have to go under the car to drain the oil, though.

Yup, same with then HHR, easy peasy, no mess. But the engines on the boat are also cartridge-element style but are mounted on the bottom in a position where they dump all the oil out as you remove them...hugely messy...so it all depends on design.

[cityjohn]

With the housing on top (and using an oil extractor), a BMW oil change could not be easier. You don't even have to go under the car.

[genjy]

Quote, originally posted by StormChaser »

Yup, same with then HHR, easy peasy, no mess. But the engines on the boat are also cartridge-element style but are mounted on the bottom in a position where they dump all the oil out as you remove them...hugely messy...so it all depends on design.

Yeah, my Mazda5's 2.3L has the cartridge filter on the bottom... very messy. Just oil dripping everywhere and all over my hand and tools.

There's actually a canister filter conversion kit for that Mazda engine.

[Art Vandelay]

Quote, originally posted by genjy »

Yeah, my Mazda5's 2.3L has the cartridge filter on the bottom... very messy. Just oil dripping everywhere and all over my hand and tools. There's actually a canister filter conversion kit for that Mazda engine.

That's actually the exact reason I started this thread. I'm wondering if the conversion would be doing my car a disservice.

[dfischer1]

Quote, originally posted by cityjohn »

With the housing on top (and using an oil extractor), a BMW oil change could not be easier. You don't even have to go under the car.

[VDub2625]

Quote, originally posted by genjy »

Yeah, my Mazda5's 2.3L has the cartridge filter on the bottom... very messy. Just oil dripping everywhere and all over my hand and tools.

Interesting... the VW VR6 (and I'm assuming other VW models with the cartridge) have a drain plug in the filter just for that. I thought they all did.

[Lepsis3942]

WTF are you people hating on cartridges talking about?? I used a spin on on my Integra and while it wasn't a big pain, the oil change on my Bimmer could not be easier. The only disadvantage is you have to grab a hot cylinder with your hands, which is simply taken care of with gloves.

And it loads from the top, any excess oil spillage is taken care of by the container that should be under the car


Modified by Lepsis3942 at 5:02 PM 2/7/2010

[genjy]

Quote, originally posted by VDub2625 »

Interesting... the VW VR6 (and I'm assuming other VW models with the cartridge) have a drain plug in the filter just for that. I thought they all did.

I think there is a drain. The mess usually don't bother me enough to do that extra step (hey, I gotta clean up either way).

[tjl]

A top mount cartridge filter is the least mess.

For bottom mount designs, it would be less messy for cartridge filters if instead of removing just the cap of the housing, you removed the whole barrel housing (equivalent to the can of a can filter).

Can filters are least messy when mounted on the bottom with the opening facing up, though you still need to put a drip pan under the place where you removed it from. Side and angle mounted can filters pretty much guarantee spilling oil while removing them.

[chrissor]

Quote, originally posted by genjy »

Yeah, my Mazda5's 2.3L has the cartridge filter on the bottom... very messy. Just oil dripping everywhere and all over my hand and tools. There's actually a canister filter conversion kit for that Mazda engine.

its not a kit, its just the filter housing from the 2.0. "aftermarket" companies claim its a special kit. lies!