Failed NAPA Gold oil filter -

[goodfellow]

My daughter’s 05 Highlander was getting close to its 5K oil change, hence I decided to change it for her this morning. The oil change itself is pretty straight forward but since the filter is side mounted on the left side of the engine block, there’s usually some spillage when removing the filter.

I was surprised to find no spillage and thought I was lucky until I looked at the inside of the filter. It was clean and dry. No oil ever circulated through this filter in almost 4.5k miles. I checked the part number of the filter on several online sites and it matches the application. I can only conclude that it’s a manufacturing defect and the bypass valve was stuck open from the onset.

Just to make sure it wasn’t an engine oil system fault i did the oil change, ran the car for a minute and then removed the new filter - it was full of oil and spilled oil in the usual manner when being unscrewed.

Conclusion - NAPA Gold filter is defective. I think that this line is manufactured for NAPA by WIX. Hence my concern -


 

[Uncle Buck]

Wow, I hope that was a fluke! I commonly choose Wix filters myself.

[goodfellow]

Wow, I hope that was a fluke! I commonly choose Wix filters myself.

Same thoughts here Herb. WIX is the go-to brand for most of the fleet. The replacement filter is a Purolator because NAPA was out of GOLD filters when I was restocking the shelves a few weeks ago.


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[bonneyman]

Wow, I hope that was a fluke! I commonly choose Wix filters myself.

I've been defaulting to Wix alot myself. With the price of filters going way up, I figured might as well spend a little extra and get a better Wix filter. Now I'm worrying a bit.

[Midnitemack]

Can you guys find Fleetguard  filters easily ? That’s always been my go to here for a quality filter , Fleetguard is owned by Cummins engines Co


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[slip knot]

I'm not sure I'd fault the filter just yet. That filter looks like it never got oil into it.

From way back in my auto mechanics days I seem to recall the oil pump/filter housing contained the bypass IIRC anything over a set PSI would be diverted from the filter. I think the filters just have a check valve type thing to keep the filter from draining back into the crankcase.

I have been out of the auto game for a number of years but I cant see an engine manufacturer relying on a 3rd party filter to control oil flow.

[goodfellow]

I'm not sure I'd fault the filter just yet. That filter looks like it never got oil into it.

From way back in my auto mechanics days I seem to recall the oil pump/filter housing contained the bypass IIRC anything over a set PSI would be diverted from the filter. I think the filters just have a check valve type thing to keep the filter from draining back into the crankcase.

I have been out of the auto game for a number of years but I cant see an engine manufacturer relying on a 3rd party filter to control oil flow.

I can see the logic in that reasoning. Just to be sure, after I installed the new filter and ran the car for a minute, I removed the new filter and it was functioning as intended. It was full of oil and spilled oil once I cracked the seal. So the oiling system on the car seems to function as intended with the new filter installed.


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[muddy]

Interesting. We use Napa Gold at work quite a bit, can't say we've ever had that problem. We have had some leak at the seam before.

Would be nice to cut it apart and see what exactly is defective on that one.

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[wantedabiggergarage]

Part of me wonders what happens if you put some oil in there and put it back on the car and run it for a minute? (see if it starts circulating if oil is in there)

[goodfellow]

Part of me wonders what happens if you put some oil in there and put it back on the car and run it for a minute? (see if it starts circulating if oil is in there)

The new filter is on and is working fine. My daughter left this afternoon and she needed the car to get her weekly shopping done because she has to be at work very early tomorrow. I couldn't ask her stick around while her old retired dad performed engine lubrication experiments on her daily driver. I kept the filter and will likely take it apart this week, but in reality unless something is grossly amiss in that housing, I don't really know what I'm looking for once I have it apart.

[goodfellow]

Can you guys find Fleetguard  filters easily ? That’s always been my go to here for a quality filter , Fleetguard is owned by Cummins engines Co


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I've seen them on Amazon, but aside from heavy machinery offerings, they sell a line of light and commercial duty truck filters. Another search on their website suggests that they don't offer passenger car filters in the US.

[bonneyman]

If you're going to cut it apart, Ray, you should see the filter membrane wet with oil. If it's bone dry, I'd be taking it back to point of purchase and complain to the manager. It should be easy enough to show.

He should at least provide you a replacement filter or a refund.

[stokester]

Interesting...  NAPA Gold filters have always been regarded as a step above the standard fare.

[bonneyman]

It's funny - now that I think about it - that for years I used Fram oil filters. Then there was a whole lot of talk about how bad they were, and the local parts places dropped them as their main line. But I never once had an issue with them.

[wantedabiggergarage]

It's funny - now that I think about it - that for years I used Fram oil filters. Then there was a whole lot of talk about how bad they were, and the local parts places dropped them as their main line. But I never once had an issue with them.

Agree.  For me they were readily available and that meant you didn't put off changing your oil, which was more important (learned that later via others).
Then again a lot of people when I was a kid, had a VW with no oil filter somewhere.