What filters to use?

Post by **Ocelot** » 20 Nov 2018, 06:36

Searching through this forum, I've found a message from the user Broken850 and it goes like this:

"How many times do I need to repeat to never use non OEM parts for anything. Poor man always pays twice and sometimes loses everything. Many aftermarket parts are scams to steal your money. The parts, the material they are made of may not even be tested. They are not made to any standard. They have unpredictable life span. They are made to look the same and not to fail right away. One day it may be illegal to fix your own car because people install these questionable parts and make their cars dangerous to other drivers sharing the same road. Fortunately very few people work on their cars. If you are fixing your own car. Do your research to learn who the OEM supplier is and buy that if you want to save money and not want to buy Volvo OE blue box that costs more. For those who go cheap, the failure serves them right. Another problem is that those poorly repaired cars are often sold to an unsuspecting buyer. Continental OEM timing belt is only about $29 or less. The OP saved maybe $10 buying something else. That decision cost him his car. Proper research before the repair and purchasing OEM parts for the best price takes 10 times more time and effort than the actual repair. Those who don't do that research often regret it later."

I'm cheap. There it is. But, I'm not a dumb cheap person (yeah, they exist haha). Can anyone here tell me what brand of filters to use on my 1998 S70? I've looked on YouTube and that question gets very different answers. One person claims to only use Mahle. Another one suggests Mann. And then comes the next person saying only to use OEM-filters. And then some persons saying Bosch filters are total crap without validating suchs claims.

I'm cheap, but I'm not dumb. If someone can give me good advice on buying (air, fuel, pollen, oil)filters for my S70, I would take that advice very seriously (if you can state your claims, not saying things like: I think this brand is the best because I think so).

WhatAmIDoing · Post by **WhatAmIDoing** » 20 Nov 2018, 08:17

In NA, Volvo uses Mann filters, which can be bought for cheap from FCP. I like Mann filters, they seem to do a good job (oil and air). The fuel system is Bosch, so I have a Bosch fuel filter. Bosch is a reputable company that's a major supplier for all European cars, so i trust them. For the cabin (pollen) filter, I use whatever I can get for cheap. It just has to keep particulates out of the blower. As long as it doesn't look super sketchy, then it should be fine.

Post by **jimmy57** » 20 Nov 2018, 09:00

There is no one rule.
If you live 30 miles down a fine silt dust dirt raod and you follow a lot of traffic then you need the BEST oil filter with the finest particle capture you could find. The air filter will let some fine particle pass and that dust gets into oil via being left on cylinder walls and then is scraped down by the rings. so the filter relief valve (bypass valve) allows the oil to go an alternate path so the oil doesn't collapse the paper. BUT a finer capture filter will get a larger percentage of oil bypassing it for a longer period of time from cold start. The oil is too thick to pass readily through the filter. If the filter doen't fall apart and has similar particle size capture as the OE filter then use it. The OE filter meets the specs and is provided to the manufacturer due to being a good price. There are better filters in many cases to be had. The bypass. I have been in the car biz over 40 years and the only filters I have seen cause engine damage were Fram. It has been a while since I saw the last one with my own eyes but cut open testing you can find around here and there still tells me Fram's most popular filter line is still a lot of glue and paper end caps. The better ones they make cost more than OE filter at full retail+ at a dealer ($9.25 +/-). Air filters can be better. There are some filters brands that make their filters with more paper surface area so the specific soiling of the paper is reduced giving that filter a longer period of time before it gets restricted. I think WIX is one of the brands like this but Denso may be on the list too now. Not a fan of oiled paper re-useable ones as I see more dirt down the air cleaner to turbo or throttle hose when those are used. If oiled too much then the MAF sensor gets oily vapors and collect the fine silt and causes signal reduction. Use a good fuel filter. If you have a a newer model (P2 or newer) then you may not have a serviceable filter and if you do have a changeable one, it will go 150K before the brush particles from fuel pump get it restricted. The in-tank strainer on fuel pump bottom does the bulk of filtering. If you replace the filter and get a load of crap fuel the next day the new filter won't have made any difference. You are dropping tank and cleaning it and probably changing the pump unit. Totally agree about particle filters. No big deal but change them more often if you find yours with lots of stuff in it. The air that goes through it varies widely so intervals are going to be different for you from the next guy. The expensive activated charcoal ones sound like a such a great idea but who knows if those can absorb hydrocarbons from the foul running car in front of you for 8 minutes or 8 months. I will either pass that car or turn off and go another way.

WhatAmIDoing · Post by **WhatAmIDoing** » 20 Nov 2018, 09:36

I'm running a Fram activated charcoal cabin filter (it was on sale). It seems to filter out some smells, but it won't stop the rich running car in front of you, or the smell of burning oil, or help at all if you drive past a dairy farm. I think the activated charcoal is more of a gimmick than anything.

brunocerous · Post by **brunocerous** » 20 Nov 2018, 12:48

My understanding is that Volvo uses Mann and Mahle oil filters as OE equipment, depending on your model/year. Bosch is also well regarded. I'd probably stick with the same for air filters and fuel filters but go for whatever cabin air filter is on sale!

brunocerous · Post by **brunocerous** » 20 Nov 2018, 12:49

WhatAmIDoing wrote: 20 Nov 2018, 09:36 I'm running a Fram activated charcoal cabin filter (it was on sale). It seems to filter out some smells, but it won't stop the rich running car in front of you, or the smell of burning oil, or help at all if you drive past a dairy farm. I think the activated charcoal is more of a gimmick than anything.

Good to know! I'd been thinking about trying out an activated charcoal cabin air filter the next time around.

Post by **Ocelot** » 21 Nov 2018, 01:55

Thanks for your sharing your experiences and advice! It helps me out, a lot. In the Netherlands we have all sorts of online carparts stores and they have so many brands (along with the common brands as Mann, Mahle, Purflux, Bosch, etc) that it sometimes is overwhelming to make a good choice (or to seperate the good from the bad). So, from what I've read here, I'll stick to Mann and/or Mahle for the oil and airfilter, and Bosch for the fuelfilter.

Funny sidenote: a good friend of mine who drives a S80 adviced me the following webshop: (no, I don't know the guys and I'm not advertising anything) www.parts4swedes.nl It sells OEM Volvo stuff for good prices, the OEM spark plugs for my S70 are even cheaper than their Bosch/NGK aftermarket parts.

vovo850 · Post by **vovo850** » 21 Nov 2018, 13:08

mann mahle wix motorcraft if they make them for our cars, in that order. Wouldn't use anything else for an oil filter.

Post by **precopster** » 22 Nov 2018, 05:29

I've had the Bosch yellow series (Made IN USA I may add) cartridge filters actually break apart and get holes well within the service interval. I documented this in the maintenance log here on MVS for my 2002 XC70.

I like K& N oil filters for the 1992-1998 engines because they are bigger (longer by about 15mm) and allow the wrench to access it far more easily. Does this mean it filters better? Who knows, but if you believe the marketing hype they produce they are a very good filter.

Post by **Ocelot** » 22 Nov 2018, 05:35

precopster wrote: 22 Nov 2018, 05:29 I've had the Bosch yellow series (Made IN USA I may add) cartridge filters actually break apart and get holes well within the service interval. I documented this in the maintenance log here on MVS for my 2002 XC70.

I like K& N for the 1992-1998 engines because they are bigger (longer by about 15mm) and allow the wrench to access it far more easily. Does this mean it filters better? Who knows, but if you believe the marketing hype they produce they are a very good filter.

This happended also with my previous owned car, an Opel Astra G coupe with the 2.2 ecotec engine (originally designed for the US market, but Americans aren't so fond of 4-cylinder engines so it got placed in many European GM cars). I placed a Bosch Yellow series oilfilter and within 15.000 kilometers, I've changed it. Well, that was a hassle. The plastic clips on the filter were broken off inside the oilfilterhouse. Never saw that in my life before.