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MG MGB Technical - Mann W917 Oil Filter

Good Morning Folks!


In reading through the archives, I see that many of you prefer the Mann W917 oil filter. I thought I would try these and found that there is a listing for a Mann W917 and a Mann W 917A filter.

Could someone who uses these tell me which one I should purchase. I will need to purchase over the web as there are no local distributors in my area. We do have a Volvo dealer, but I have read that the Volo dealers charge much more for the filters.

Thanks in advance,

Jeff
J Delk

Jeff, many independent auto parts places can get these. I live south of Atlanta, and Williams Imported Auto Parts in Riverdale usually has them in stock, or can get them the same day if you order before 10am. I think I paid about $5. I a W917 without the "a" the time I used one, but I'm sure someone will tell you exactly which one.

John
John English

Jeff. I was not aware that there is a W917a Mann filter. I have been using the Mann W917 filter since Bob Wilson first recommended them six or seven years ago. Hence, I know that will work properly. Do not know how the "a" suffix affects the basic filter design and performance.

Have you tried to find a Mann website and see what differences are listed? When in doubt, we know the W917 has worked well, for many people, for many years.

Les
Les Bengtson

Donīt know about the price at your place, but if you ask your Volvo dealer for Volvo filter no.3517857-3 I believe you will get the right one. It is used on every 4 cylinder rear wheel drive Volvo from 1962 on. In my country there is not such a big price difference between this and the various filters you buy in other shops. And you will save the shipping costs that you have to pay when you buy on the web.

Tore
Tore

What's inside:-

http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=837181

Where to get? EvilBay:-

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CASE-OF-10-NEW-Volvo-Mann-Oil-Filters-W917_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33661QQihZ015QQitemZ250089832424QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Googling doesn't turn up anything for a "WIX 917a".
Derek Nicholson

Thanks for the info. I will buy the Mann W917 filter from a place in Atlanta and will not worry about the W917A filters that I saw listed on the Mann Website.

Thanks again for the links and advice
J Delk

That's a typical big industry website, lots of links, crap, impossible to find real info. The only MG is MGB 71-79 4 cyl FI - got any of them? and a listing for 80, which I did not pursue.
W917 is Volvo, as we know. There is a listing for W917/1, but no application. I couldn't find W917A.
No listing for Spridget. Since I have a box of filters of unknown origin, that look like A-series spin on ones, I looked it up W712. There are about 20 W712/*, but no apps for plain W712, even if it is in the list. I surrender!
FRM
FR Millmore

Some filter manufacturers put an A after the part number to designate that it came in a box of ten or more. So if you order one with an A you get a whole box. Its more a dealer type order. Denis
DENIS H

So why do we use filters in the first place??
Why to filter the oil and keep the bad stuff out of the engine.
Right?

AMSOIL Ea Oil Filter
EAO96

Oil Filters & By-Pass

Cellulose and blended medias found in most oil filters have larger fibers than the synthetic and synthetic nanofibers found in the EaO Filters. They also have larger spaces between their fibers. This causes contaminants to load in the depth of the media and plug the air-flow path, resulting in higher restriction and less capacity. The smaller fibers in synthetic media also have a controlled size and shape. This results in greater efficiency and capacity than cellulose filters, as well as better durability. AMSOIL Ea Oil Filters provide a higher level of engine protection and extended filter change intervals.
$16.65

So why would we not use the best product?
SF
Dwight


DCM McCullough

There are several filters that will fit on the late MGB. The Volvo models are quite short. The models for the late 70's and 80's chrysler V8s are much larger. I like the idea of a larger filter. The chances of catching some junk in a large slower flowing filter is better -plus- there is more capacity for junk.

Back in the days of by-pass filters, there used to be the toilet roll filter that (as a by pass filter) took almost every bit of carbon etc out of the oil and was inexpensive to replace.

The new filter systems are full flow. Perhaps a good compromise would be to have both.

Barry
Barry Parkinson

Hey Barry, I looked at those [years ago] - Franz Oil cleaner -
They actually worked!

But now you can buy the synthetic fibre, nano tech filters from Amsoil....
They filter down to 15 microns.......
And flow very well........
And are warranteed for a full year/25,000 miles.......

SF
Dwight
DCM McCullough


Hi Jeff,

I buy the Mann filters from fcpgroton.com for my Volvos (same filter up to '98 for their 5 cylinder engines). They're the same ones that fit the MG. If memory serves you can get a case of 10 for $35. Go onto their site, click Volvo parts, then 240 tuneup parts. They're listed under that category.

Dave
David Plantz

Dwight
Toilet filters are cheaper. They are the only filters I've seen that in 1,000 miles can take black oil and clear it up.

Of course the oil may be clean to see, but be lacking or low on the various necessary additives. Even with synthetic oil, changing the oil periodically is important.

The most comprehensive test I've seen was posted on the web a few years back and may still be out there. The took various cars and tested synthetic against ordinary and found advantages, but still found it necessary to change the oil periodically to replace the additives. With an older Camero V8 they found it used a quart of oil about every 6,000 miles as I recall - part of that was changing the filter too. Replacing that lost quart with Mobil 1, was adequate to keep the additive levels in the oil up to acceptable levels and appeared to permit indefinite use of the oil. The stopped the test after about a year & 1/2 and 30k miles.

Barry
Barry Parkinson

Like I said the "A" means that you get a box of filters.
DENIS H

Barry

A friend of mine worked in a service station back when the toilet paper filters were in vogue. This was when a service station attendent would check your oil. He checked one car and when he wiped the dipstick on the rag the dye in the rag changed color. They sent a sample in to be tested and received a response that recommended the IMMEDIATE draining and refill of the oil.

To paraphrase what you said, what you can see is only part of the picture. And the problem may not be just what is no longer there.

FWIW

Larry
Larry Hallanger

The red mechanics rags were treated with a dye that turned the rag blue if it contacted acid. I always thought it was to identify rags that had gotten battery acid on them and would fall apart when washed - The blue rags were rejected when picked up by the service for cleaning and the shop was charged for the damaged rag.

The oil must have been very acid.

Barry
Barry Parkinson

Barry

You have it. One point of the story was that the toilet paper filters kept the oil LOOKING spotlessly clean but did not control the acid buildup. There are the physical and the chemical properties of the oil, and BOTH are important.

Larry
Larry Hallanger

Larry
A 30,000 mile test on a Chevy v8 with Mobil one found that adding a quart about every 7000 miles kept the additives up and the oil was still in spec after 30,000 miles. Those buffers and other additives that are absorbed, or volatile need to be refreshed periodically. The buffers and additives aren't necessarily lubricants, there is only so much that can be added to extend the life of the oil, before you have all additives and no oil in the can.

Modern cars are running much better rings with amazing oil and blow-by control which along with cleaner fuels permits oil changes to be far less frequent than only a few years ago.

A "B" engine without valve guide seals will lose enough oil and require replacement oil frequently enough that you could probably go a very long time without changing oil and not harm the engine. A filter change would probably be more important than changing the oil.

Barry
Barry Parkinson

There are big trucks and other diesels running in excess of 1 million miles and counting, on the original oil fill. They are using full flow filters, toilet paper bypass filters, and regular oil analysis. Additives are sufficiently replenished by the make up oil required at filter changes. Filter changes at 25k I think. Naturally, I found this out AFTER I quit truckin'! When I had mine, I was up past 30,000 between changes with standard full and bypass filters, and the lab said to keep running it. Being raised on frequent changes, I was having a bit of trouble accepting it, but if I had had it analyzed before I changed it instead of being pigheaded, I could have saved many thousands of shekels and a lot of hours and dino juice over my million miles. 12 gallons per change.
The analysis labs are really on the ball; mine once found traces of anti-freeze from a cracked aftercooler, and they notified me by mail, but phoned in addition, as soon as the result hit the tech's desk, one day after I mailed it in. They also supplied precise instructions on what to do for antifreeze contamination. That was very scary = bad chemicals that will remove chrome plate - "do not run the engine indoors as it will remove all the chrome on the truck", not that I had any chrome. I didn't do it, since I wound up changing all the bearings while replacing the cylinder liners scratched by the debris from the aftercooler failure.
FRM
FR Millmore

Barry

Just bought a 72 BGT for a daily driver. As soon as I get a few details worked out it will be "on the road" as intended. Also just got a box of 10 Mann W917 filter from eBay. Plan to go to with Mobile 1 15-50 with the next (my first) oil change. Will keep the filter change interval fairly short until I get any crud cleaned out of the engine.

Larry
Larry Hallanger

Thanks for all of the responses. I have to ask a stupid question - I have no idea what a toilet paper filter is - never heard of them...what are they?

Jeff
J Delk

Jeff. They were a two piece unit that attached to the normal oil filter fitting, similar to a cartridge type oil filter assembly as used on the earlier MGBs. The assembly could be opened up and the filtering medium, a roll of toilet paper, replaced as necessary.

Les
Les Bengtson

Les and all-
It is critical to understand that the toilet paper filters are bypass units, not under any circumstance to be used to replace the full flow filters used on most cars today. They do not (now) go where the "normal" oil filter fitting is. That was the case in earlier times, when such cars as had filters had bypass units only. If the TP filter were fitted in a full flow location, it would not filter at all, and oil flow would be severely restricted as all oil would be bypassing the element.
FRM
FR Millmore

Fletcher. I remember them as one of the "snake oil" products sold by J.C. Whitney back in the 60s. Not something I would want to try, even back in the days of my youth.

Les
Les Bengtson

I had never seen those - even in my J C Whitney days!
J Delk



OK I'll look it up!
This is a company which makes something a bit more complex - the toilet paper is in a single wide roll sold as an element. Lots of extra info on site.
http://www.gulfcoastfilters.com/1,000,000%20MILES.htm

This is the actual TP filters, and may in fact be the same unit sold by JCW all those years ago.
http://www.bypassfilter.com/index.htm
He seems to be using material from Gulf Coast - who knows if he has permission? I originally found Gulf Coast through this site.
In any event, these are the units you can or should be putting on your cars.
FRM
FR Millmore

You could hook the filter up to a "T" fitting where the oil pressure sensor or line (depending upon year and type of guage) is connected at the rear of the engine behind the distributor.

Punch a hole in the valve cover and use a self threading fitting to drain the filtered oil back into the engine.

Barry
Barry Parkinson

Yes, Barry is correct. The early Magnette used a bypass filter, changed to full flow later in the ZA production. It was in the same location and looks very similar to the full flow, but internal plumbing was different; the revision is why the big oil pipe fitting at the rear of the block has a "snout" on it - that directs all the oil to the filter instead of to the main gallery. The oil then goes into the main gallery backwards to the original flow after passing through the filter.
I have a 47 Jeep that returns the oil from the bypass filter to a hole that lets it dribble over the timing gears, not a bad idea.
FRM
FR Millmore

This thread was discussed between 03/03/2007 and 23/03/2007

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