Which oil filter / part number to use?
 

I have a 1979 RX-7. It has a 12A engine in it. I think the engine may have came out of a later year car.

I'm changing the oil for the first time. I went to Part Source and told them I have a '79. They sold me a Fram PH2849A. The new filter is about 2.5 times as long and the rubber seal is a couple millimeters larger in diameter than the current filter on the engine.

I checked the Fram website ( http://cpgcatalog.honeywell.com/cpg/...ZDA&model=RX-7 ) and sure enough that is the part listed for the '79.

The filter I just took off of the engine says: "B6Y1-14-302A-CA" and "S21981". (The "81" on the end is a bit hard to read though.)

I googled a bit and it looks like the B6Y1-14-302A might be for a 13B. I'm told the engine in my car was street ported but I've never had it apart to see. Do people use different filters after porting?

Which oil filter should I replace mine with?

Thanks.

Just buy it from the dealer except all dealer oil filters are the short ones; half the size of the filters they used to sell til the last 90's.

Most of the guys will tell ya that fram is not that great. however, I didnt see any difference withthe fram and the dealer filters. I tested them using my RX-3 and FB years ago, cut the filters in half, and compared. But again, for a few cents more, go with the dealer filter. In fact, you can buy them in bulks from Dan Atkins.

Start here:

http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/oil_filter_study

Then go to this thread:

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...filters+flawed Read all posts in this thread, but pay particular attention to posts # 22, 31, 71 and 79.

(The following may start another filter war, so excuse me while I slip into a flak jacket and helmet):

In short, stay away from Fram, Canadian-sold Mazda OEM (aka: Fram), and Motomaster filters.

It's worth the extra couple of bucks to buy a better filter. Purolator makes one of the best for your money and conveniently enough, both the Quaker State and Valvoline filters available at Canadian Tire are actually manufactured by Purolator.

But get the Quaker State filter. It's every bit as good as the Valvoline but two bucks cheaper. The Valvoline's price has recently been jacked up to $10.

The part number for the Quaker State filter you need for your 12A is QS14461. Don't rely on the number listed in Canadian Tire's book that hangs by the filter shelf --- that number is WRONG. Instead, go to the parts counter and have them look up the correct number. It will be the one quoted above.

I bought my '79 brand new in May of 1978. I've heard a lot of talk about Fram filters not being very good, but the ONLY filter I have ever put on it has been a Fram PH2849A. I've never had a reason to pull the motor out. Granted, I only have 52,xxx miles on it, but the fact is I've never had a problem with Fram filters. I also use them in all of my other vehicles (including a 1992 Plymouth Grand Voyager I bought new, and have always used a Fram PH16 filter on, which has 140,000 miles on it), and have never had an engine failure.

Good luck!
Rich

PUREone Purolator!

I've been buying Mazda OEM filters from the dealership, assuming that they weren't FRAM.

Now I'm a little miffed.

fram is a long filter for the rotary wheather it be 12a or 13b. ac/delco and others are short filters. check ur local parts store and cross reference that part # with other brands. the filter mount will accept slight differences in "O" ring size, but it's the thread pitch that the filter screws on that's varies thru the different filters. if i remember correctly, all rotarys thru '85 used the same filter. the part # changed with the 2nd gen and was used on all engines after that. i haven't tried it but they probably all will fit reguardless of year, unless they, being mazda, changed the filter mount after '86. if u want the short filter, go with another brand. it's senseless to pay twice at the dealer what u'd pay for one at advanced or autozone unless u just like the look of an oem filter.

[QUOTE=64mgb]

I've never had a problem with Fram filters. I also use them in all of my other vehicles (including a 1992 Plymouth Grand Voyager I bought new, and have always used a Fram PH16 filter on, which has 140,000 miles on it), and have never had an engine failure.

Way back when I was young, trim and good-looking I used to sleep with countless sworn-to-fun-loyal-to-none college hotties and the occasional band slut --- and never got AIDS or even Herpies. So I've come to the conclusion that those types of girls are safe to ream without a condom.

All kidding aside, even the most poorly-constructed filters (ie: Fram) meet a minimum requirement, and the odds that the one you buy this weekend will be the one that comes apart and ruins your engine are very low. That's the good news.

The bad news is that it only has to happen once and when it does, the filter manufacturer will disavow any knowledge of the flaw and wash their hands of any responsibility. This is why I spring for the extra measily 2 bucks for a Purolator. :cool:

Thanks for the info. It was interesting to read the posted links.

Canadian Tire did have the Quaker State filter in stock but it was not on the shelf. Yes the book does not list that number (QS14461) but that is what the computer lists for an '80 RX-7.

The Quaker State filter was smaller than the Fram filter but it weighed more. The Fram filter was $10 where the QS filter was $7.

Finally http://www.atkinsrotary.com does seem to have some of the black Mazda filters ( B6Y1-14-302A I think) but I wasn't going to pay to have a couple of them couriered to me.

puralator, the blue one, is unarguably the best stock replacement oil filter...