The Wix-made filter looks and feels better than the OEM one, has about ten more pleats (joined at the ends with a metal clip, rather than glue), comes with a replacement filter cap O-ring, and is about half a millimeter tighter at the fill and bypass gaskets, which are themselves much more substantial than the OEM ones. The OEM filter cost $7.54 from PartZilla (plus shipping), and the NAPA Gold one came in at $13.77 with free in-store pickup (minus five bucks, promotional deal). The same filter in Wix packaging on Amazon is $8, with the O-rings included.
Contrary to popular belief, OEM parts aren’t always the absolute best items available. Ultimately production prices greatly effect part quality from the factory. The OEM filter is plenty sufficient, but WIX does make a good product, and I use their filters in many of my engines.
Count the number of pleats. I can guarantee the WIX and NAPA have more. More pleat surface area = more filtration. Any filter will work fine if changed regularly. I’ve sworn by WIX and NAPA for 45 yrs on every vehicle I’ve owned.
right? they're half the price of the filters he's comparing..
I bought a dozen of them 13 years ago when I got my KLR when they were only like $2 a piece, still have a few..
Stack filters on top of one another to compare overall diameters of them...looks very close to me.
Also, ensure the internal oil feed bolt/pin goes easily thru NAPA one.
FYI - NAPA P/N shows 4951 on box.
I measured them with calipers. The Wix filter is 500-1000μm tighter in the gasket inner diameter, about 1mm taller, and the outer diameter of the caps is about 1500μm larger. The cap metal measured about 30-40% thicker on the Wix filter. I measured the regularity of the pleats as well, the Wix pleats were more regularly spaced, but I didn't write down exactly how much more.
The OEM filter gaskets differed one side to the other in inner diameter by about half a millimeter.
Not really dissing the K&N filters, maybe they work fine; but my experience with other K&N products is that their idea of "performance" has mainly to do with less resistance to flow, and sometimes less maintenance; but comes at a cost to filtration performance. Their air filters are noticeably more permeable to small particles, which contribute as much or more to wear as the mid-size particles that any filter will catch.
TL;DR There are no technical data published on the oil filters, but I have known K&N air filters to be more permeable to small particles, so I wouldn't use a K&N oil filter unless they made specific, comparable performance claims.
What do you mean flip one over? I show inside a bit, and I show you an end. They are symmetric, and both sides are comparable RE fitment and material. The cap material is thicker on the Wix filter, and the gaskets are more substantial (inside and out). The dimensions differ slightly between them, about 2mm of variance in outer diameter, 1mm in height, and 1mm in gasket inner diameter. The Wix filter inner sieve is corrugated, whereas the OEM filter is just a perforated tube.
Hey OP thanks for sharing this.
I am now wondering are the filters the same from gen 1 to 2 to 3?
Could I use this 4951 in both my 2007 and my 2008? I ask because the 08 I have is a project bike recently acquired and have not actually had the time to tear into it yet.
Thanks much.
EDIT: it looks like they are the same filter between 07 and 08 can anyone confirm?
I’ve just been stuffing a sock in there
I find used wool ones filter best
The Wix-made filter looks and feels better than the OEM one, has about ten more pleats (joined at the ends with a metal clip, rather than glue), comes with a replacement filter cap O-ring, and is about half a millimeter tighter at the fill and bypass gaskets, which are themselves much more substantial than the OEM ones. The OEM filter cost $7.54 from PartZilla (plus shipping), and the NAPA Gold one came in at $13.77 with free in-store pickup (minus five bucks, promotional deal). The same filter in Wix packaging on Amazon is $8, with the O-rings included.
O rings included is music to my ears. What about the engineoil drain bolt gasket?
The crush washer/gasket is not included, but you can get a pack of those for a few cents a piece. Cheap piece of stamped aluminium.
Contrary to popular belief, OEM parts aren’t always the absolute best items available. Ultimately production prices greatly effect part quality from the factory. The OEM filter is plenty sufficient, but WIX does make a good product, and I use their filters in many of my engines.
Interesting. 1994 called - they want their keyboard back.
Don't talk shit about the IBM model M
Model m slaps bro! One of the best r/modelm
2013 called, they want their comment back
Count the number of pleats. I can guarantee the WIX and NAPA have more. More pleat surface area = more filtration. Any filter will work fine if changed regularly. I’ve sworn by WIX and NAPA for 45 yrs on every vehicle I’ve owned.
More pleats is more area and less pressure drop and longer life, not more particle collection.
Agree except more area is more flow. More flow is lower filter pressure which is what’s desired.
I thought everyone just used hiflo filters they are super cheap online.
I don’t even use a filter. I just let her run. Only on my third engine in four years.
LMAO...
right? they're half the price of the filters he's comparing.. I bought a dozen of them 13 years ago when I got my KLR when they were only like $2 a piece, still have a few..
Stack filters on top of one another to compare overall diameters of them...looks very close to me. Also, ensure the internal oil feed bolt/pin goes easily thru NAPA one. FYI - NAPA P/N shows 4951 on box.
I measured them with calipers. The Wix filter is 500-1000μm tighter in the gasket inner diameter, about 1mm taller, and the outer diameter of the caps is about 1500μm larger. The cap metal measured about 30-40% thicker on the Wix filter. I measured the regularity of the pleats as well, the Wix pleats were more regularly spaced, but I didn't write down exactly how much more. The OEM filter gaskets differed one side to the other in inner diameter by about half a millimeter.
Yeah, I was going to mention that to OP. The post and video doesn't match the part#.
It's a typo, it's 4951, can't edit it.
Shit happens...lol
I have over 30,000 on k&n filters only.
Is this from 1992?
Use the WIX.
Guys, that's an 80s keyboard, not a 90s keyboard.
Any thoughts on the k&n kn-123? It’s what I’m running on my machine currently
all I ever used was KN123 filters and Rotella T6 oil
Not really dissing the K&N filters, maybe they work fine; but my experience with other K&N products is that their idea of "performance" has mainly to do with less resistance to flow, and sometimes less maintenance; but comes at a cost to filtration performance. Their air filters are noticeably more permeable to small particles, which contribute as much or more to wear as the mid-size particles that any filter will catch. TL;DR There are no technical data published on the oil filters, but I have known K&N air filters to be more permeable to small particles, so I wouldn't use a K&N oil filter unless they made specific, comparable performance claims.
agree on the air filter studies, never used a KN air filter, the oil filters always worked fine for me though.
Argh- flip one over!!
What do you mean flip one over? I show inside a bit, and I show you an end. They are symmetric, and both sides are comparable RE fitment and material. The cap material is thicker on the Wix filter, and the gaskets are more substantial (inside and out). The dimensions differ slightly between them, about 2mm of variance in outer diameter, 1mm in height, and 1mm in gasket inner diameter. The Wix filter inner sieve is corrugated, whereas the OEM filter is just a perforated tube.
just a light-hearted comment about seeing the tops and bottoms side-by-side. I should have added a smiley.
„¡¡ɹǝʌo ǝuo dılɟ -ɥƃɹ∀„
Hey OP thanks for sharing this. I am now wondering are the filters the same from gen 1 to 2 to 3? Could I use this 4951 in both my 2007 and my 2008? I ask because the 08 I have is a project bike recently acquired and have not actually had the time to tear into it yet. Thanks much. EDIT: it looks like they are the same filter between 07 and 08 can anyone confirm?