Recommended oil filter brand and model

[Gromit]

What do other Beta owners recommend re a preferred premium quality oil filter for a 1979 2L Beta Coupe? My father has used Tecnocar Filtri in the past ( the larger filter with the anti drain back flap). The only Tecnocar filter that is listed for the 2L Beta engine in their online catalogue is R123:

http://www.sogefifilterdivision.com/catalogues/FO/scripts/cat_fich_filtre.php?zone=IT&catalogue=TEC&lang=GB&searchref=&old_marque=ALFA+ROMEO&ref_filtre=R123&valid=OK&marque=LANCIA

I was interested in getting some Mahle oil filters which are hard to source locally in Australia but can be purchased online from Europe. Is anyone using the Mahle oil filter? If yes can you confirm that they utilise an anti drain back flap?

There seem to be two suitable Mahle oil filters recommended for 2L Beta engines: OC 383 and OC 473

https://catalog.mahle-aftermarket.com/eu/vehicle.xhtml?subId=1046&eid=97255#divider

The two Mahle filter recommendations are slightly different in size with slightly different by pass valve opening pressures (1.0 bar for the OC383 and 1.2 bar for the OC 473):

https://catalog.mahle-aftermarket.com/eu/product.xhtml?eid=154622#divider

https://catalog.mahle-aftermarket.com/eu/product.xhtml?eid=212#divider

Does it matter which one is used? There is no mention of anti-drain back flaps in the specs.

Here are a few more options including details of the Mahle filters (in English):

https://www.rexbo.eu/lancia/beta-coupe-828-74/2000-6782/filters-100005

This Rexbo crowd have an additional 18% off list price for filters until 06-02-18 by the way (use code FLT18).

Any thoughts re quality air cleaners as well?

Rockauto.com in USA list these oil filters for the 2L Beta engine:

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/lancia,1979,beta,2.0l+l4,1186994,engine,oil+filter,5340

I came across this review of oil filters from a Fiat 124 Spider owner`s perspective in the USA:

http://dcfiats.org/tech/filter-B.pdf

There is also a new range (released in 2016) of premium "synthetic media" oil filters available from local brand Ryco which has been around for years and used to manufacture in Australia until they moved production off shore to China. They still maintain an R & D facility and filtration lab in Melbourne which they claim to be the only facility of its type in Australia.

http://www.rycofilters.com.au/products/syntec  

They are designed to last 15,000km service intervals for modern engines using synthetic oil but presumably would also perform well as a premium filter on older cars. They look to be well made in the pictures. The synthetic filter media is claimed to capture more smaller particles in the oil from initial installation as opposed to traditional cellulose based blends which seem to rely on getting partially blocked before they actually filter out the smaller particles in the oil (99.8% initial efficiency @ 25 microns vs around 83% @25 microns for standard Ryco filter media)!

This is the Ryco SynTec filter that fits the Beta 2L engine:

http://www.rycofilters.com.au/catalogue/part/index/part/Z89AST

We are using Shell HX7 15W-50 semi-synthetic engine oil which is supposedly formulated for "high mileage" vehicles (>100,000 km).

[peteracs]

Hi

I would go with a K & N air filter, you only need to ever buy one and they even perform well when dirty. There is a David Vizard video where he explains the reasoning behind it on YouTube. They claim you still get good filtration without restriction even with a layer of dust on the outside.

Peter

[Leo HPE 1979]

I am driving with a clean filter do232 and 15W40 mineral oil. HPE 2000 1979
This list gives you the equevalents.

A.P.: AP1140, Z1011, 2035, L17200, 4012, FB2070
BOSCH: 0451103029
CHAMPION: C102
CLEAN FILTERS: DO232
DELPHI: FX0019
FILTRON: OP520
FRAM: PH2809
HENGST FILTER: H10W13
KOLBENSCHMIDT: 003OS
MANN-FILTER: W914/5
PURFLUX: LS194
SOFIMA: S2330R
SOGEFIPRO: FT4883
TECNOCAR: R332
UFI: 2312700
MAHLE OC383

[rossocorsa]

Have a look on youtube at various people cutting open filters it's an eye opener. I think WIX seem pretty good they certainly feel substantial and well made. http://wixeurope.com/en  Not sure of the correct model for a '79 as I have a VX which uses a shorter filter.
It seems to be a universal opinion on YouTube that Fram are badly made, they are made by sogefi so I'd avoid any filler by that manufacturing group.

[Gromit]

Hi

I would go with a K & N air filter, you only need to ever buy one and they even perform well when dirty. There is a David Vizard video where he explains the reasoning behind it on YouTube. They claim you still get good filtration without restriction even with a layer of dust on the outside.

Peter

This professionally conducted air filtration test rated the K & N air filter relatively poorly in terms of dirt retention albeit with lower restriction to air flow:

http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html

[Gromit]

Have a look on youtube at various people cutting open filters it's an eye opener. I think WIX seem pretty good they certainly feel substantial and well made. http://wixeurope.com/en  Not sure of the correct model for a '79 as I have a VX which uses a shorter filter.
It seems to be a universal opinion on YouTube that Fram are badly made, they are made by sogefi so I'd avoid any filler by that manufacturing group.

Yes Fram oil filters have historically had a very bad reputation on forums. That seems to be largely back in the days when they were owned by Allied Signal eg:

http://www.austincc.edu/wkibbe/oilfilterstudy.htm

I have read that they have greatly improved their production line quality control and that their premium synthetic media oil filters are now very good. I will try to track down the supporting references to this effect that I have read.

Wix filters (Dana Corporation, USA) do seem to be well regarded across the board for all of their filtration products. This is the one listed for the 2L Beta engine by Rockauto (Wix 51189):

http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=360594&cc=1186994&jsn=331

[Gromit]

This relatively recent (2011) oil filter comparative study is an amateur one without professional testing equipment but seems to have been done quite well.

http://www.gmtruckcentral.com/articles/oilfilterstudy.html

Within the review you will find a comparative construction spreadsheet: http://www.gmtruckcentral.com/articles/oilfilter/filterconstruction.htm

There is also a subjective results ranking table or "grade sheet": http://www.gmtruckcentral.com/articles/oilfilter/gradesheet.htm

Most of the weighting to arrive at the final grade sheet score was based on an estimate of 30 micron particle retention filtration performance as derived from results in this table below and a subjective visual filter construction quality assessment (of the dismantled filters):

http://www.gmtruckcentral.com/articles/oilfilter/30um.htm

The Fram XG5 "Extended Guard" filter (since rebranded as Fram XG5 Ultra) was ranked the highest. Unfortunately (or maybe not if you still harbour doubts about Fram!) I don`t think Fram make a filter to fit Beta engines in this premium filter range.

Mobil 1 filters came in second, followed by Royal Purple, Amsol, K&N, and Wix (or their Napa clone) branded filters. Many of the European oil filter brands were not represented in the test although Bosch and Mann are represented.

The test criteria are limited and do not measure all filter performance characteristics so make of it what you will.

The Mobil 1 filter for a 2L Beta is the M1-204.

Bosch filter for Beta similar to one tested above Bosch 3402: http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1217135&cc=1186994

Bosch also make a premium long life filter Bosch D3402: http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=2233784&cc=1186994&jsn=335

[Gromit]

I am driving with a clean filter do232 and 15W40 mineral oil. HPE 2000 1979
This list gives you the equevalents.

A.P.: AP1140, Z1011, 2035, L17200, 4012, FB2070
BOSCH: 0451103029
CHAMPION: C102
CLEAN FILTERS: DO232
DELPHI: FX0019
FILTRON: OP520
FRAM: PH2809
HENGST FILTER: H10W13
KOLBENSCHMIDT: 003OS
MANN-FILTER: W914/5
PURFLUX: LS194
SOFIMA: S2330R
SOGEFIPRO: FT4883
TECNOCAR: R332
UFI: 2312700
MAHLE OC383

Thanks Leo. Very useful. Tecnocar R332 is the one we used to use I think. It has been replaced by Tecnocar R123 filter according to the Sogefi catalogue:

http://www.sogefifilterdivision.com/catalogues/FO/scripts/cat_rech_vehicules.php?zone=IT&catalogue=TEC&lang=RUFRAM&vehicule_marque=LANCIA&vehicule_modele=Beta+2.0%2C+HPE

[rossocorsa]

Hi

I would go with a K & N air filter, you only need to ever buy one and they even perform well when dirty. There is a David Vizard video where he explains the reasoning behind it on YouTube. They claim you still get good filtration without restriction even with a layer of dust on the outside.

Peter

This professionally conducted air filtration test rated the K & N air filter relatively poorly in terms of dirt retention albeit with lower restriction to air flow:

http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html

As always you very rarely get something for nothing! I would still think k&n is probably a good choice for a lightly used classic, less good for a day to day car.

[HFStuart]

FWIW I use a K&N oil filter too. Decent quality with the non return valve and also has a hex nut section stamped on the top so you can undo it with a spanner.

[WestonE]

I use Mahle QC383 in my highly tuned application. They have anti drain and filtration usefully beyond OE spec.
I run 10w-60 so bypass opening is not the treat it is with thicker oils in the warm up phase.

Eric

I prefer to change oil and filter annually regardless of mileage rather then risk long life filter designs.

[mangocrazy]

I prefer to change oil and filter annually regardless of mileage rather then risk long life filter designs.

Agree entirely - I've always followed that regime with all the bikes I've owned and will be doing the same to the Beta engine once it's been rebuilt. Far better for an angine to sit over winter in fresh oil, rather than oil potentially contaminated with sulphur.