oil filter FL910S/FL400S

[Radio Flyer]

Hello,
I purchased a 2011 Ranger with a 2.3L about 5 years ago. It came with a FL910S oil filter on it. I've always used that on it. I was at the Ford dealer on other business the other day, I asked the parts guy for oil and filter for it. he gave me a FL400S. When I questioned it, he pulled out the Motorcraft quick guide and pointed out that it was the right one.

I looked it up on Fordparts.com, it calls for the 910S, but Motorcraft calls for the 400S. Physically the o-ring and thread look to be the same, but I can't confirm that they are interchangeable.

Has anyone used the longer 400S in place of the 910S?

Thanks for the help

 

[Dirtman]

I tried to look into this a while ago and from what I found the 400 is just slightly bigger than the 910 which is not an issue on the ranger so ford just started using the 400 instead. On smaller cars it may matter but not on the ranger 2.3. Remeber the 2.3 was designed as a FWD car engine so the 910 was probably used for clearance issues and just carried over to the ranger.

I've used both filters on my 09 2.3 depending on which one I grab first. I truly do not think it matters AT ALL. When my engine was new it had a 910 on it though.

 

[adsm08]

The Ranger uses the 400, and I would use it as well since it is larger.

On a car like a Focus where it is low to the ground and the filter is vertical rather than horizontal, and at the front of the engine too, there exists the possibility of the longer filter getting caught on something and damaged.

 

[19Walt93]

Several filters have the same threads and base: FL1A, FL300, FL400, FL910, and the FL200 that used to be specced for 2.0 Zetecs. I searched Ford and Motorcraft info and even called our FSE looking for a chart with flow rates but couldn't come up with one. Napa lists flow rates for their filters but I wouldn't be confident enough to apply them to Motorcraft equivalents. An FL500 will screw on in place of an FL820 but without knowing the flow rate I wouldn't do it. When I started at the dealer in 1975 we had 2 oil filters: FL300 for V8 Mustang II's and Econolines, and FL1's for everything else. FL1 was replaced by FL1A which is 1/4" shorter. If you change your oil even twice a year an FL910 should be plenty big enough. Does anyone know if the flow rates are published now?

 

[Dirtman]

Several filters have the same threads and base: FL1A, FL300, FL400, FL910, and the FL200 that used to be specced for 2.0 Zetecs. I searched Ford and Motorcraft info and even called our FSE looking for a chart with flow rates but couldn't come up with one. Napa lists flow rates for their filters but I wouldn't be confident enough to apply them to Motorcraft equivalents. An FL500 will screw on in place of an FL820 but without knowing the flow rate I wouldn't do it. When I started at the dealer in 1975 we had 2 oil filters: FL300 for V8 Mustang II's and Econolines, and FL1's for everything else. FL1 was replaced by FL1A which is 1/4" shorter. If you change your oil even twice a year an FL910 should be plenty big enough. Does anyone know if the flow rates are published now?

I searched for this info a while ago and just found obscure internet info with no hard evidence that it came direct from ford or motorcraft. But what I found said the 400 has a higher micron rating but larger surface area so flow is the same. Take that with a grain of salt though since its "internet info".

However both filters are listed for use of the 2.3 duratec (and even the 2.3 ecoboost) depending on the vehicle. I've found that a few companies even sell amsoil kits for the 2.3 duratec/ecoboost that include the 400 filter listed as an "upgrade" to the factory 910 filter.

 

[Radio Flyer]

Thanks for the help. And yes there is little info on the motorcraft site as well as the internet.

It's a 2011 with 59,000 miles on it. My son used it for college, but is now a commuter car. 3 days a week to the train station (1.5 miles). Lately I've been switching with him every so often to get some real miles one it.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I just use what the parts catalog calls for... FL910S.

No real reason for me to deviate. When another filter number supersedes that part number... in a Ford parts catalog... I will use it.

 

[adsm08]

An FL500 will screw on in place of an FL820

No it won't. I saw someone do it once by forcing an FL820 onto a new 5.0. It cross threaded and we couldn't get the threaded adapter out of the filter.

 

[Dirtman]

No it won't. I saw someone do it once by forcing an FL820 onto a new 5.0. It cross threaded and we couldn't get the threaded adapter out of the filter.

It takes a real special kinda stupid to try forcing the wrong oil filter on so hard it strips the threads before you stop and say "hey something is wrong here".

 

[racsan]

I had a 93 taurus 3.0 and was able to put the bigger FL1A on instead of the smaller canister that was called for (cant recall the flter #) was a tight fit but doable. When I tried that on a 3.0 in a ranger chassis it wouldnt work though.

 

[adsm08]

It takes a real special kinda stupid to try forcing the wrong oil filter on so hard it strips the threads before you stop and say "hey something is wrong here".

It does.

The guy usually changed his own oil, and had owned previously owned an F-150 with a 5.4. I think what happened is that he bought his filters in bulk and when he traded his old truck on a new F-150 with "the V8" he just assumed it used the same filter as the old one.

 

[Plum Ranger XLT]

I have always wondered if the FL400S would work because the owner's manual for my 2008 Ranger says to use the FL400S oil filter and when I took my Ranger in for its first ever oil change after I bought it new, the service department at the dealer where I bought my Ranger put the FL910S oil filter on and when I started to change the oil myself, I put the FL910S on figuring that what was needed and thought is was a misprint in the owner's manual to use the FL400S. Now it looks like that I can use either one just in case if the parts store doesn't have one or the other.

 

[19Walt93]

I don't remember who told me the 500 and 820 would interchange. The obsolete FL200 was a finer filter than the FL1A and FL300 but Ford dropped it and superseded it with the FL300 that came out decades before.

 

[Dirtman]

I have always wondered if the FL400S would work because the owner's manual for my 2008 Ranger says to use the FL400S oil filter and when I took my Ranger in for its first ever oil change after I bought it new, the service department at the dealer where I bought my Ranger put the FL910S oil filter on and when I started to change the oil myself, I put the FL910S on figuring that what was needed and thought is was a misprint in the owner's manual to use the FL400S. Now it looks like that I can use either one just in case if the parts store doesn't have one or the other.

My owners manual on my 09 says fl910... so i guess even ford is confused on the matter.

 

[Dirtman]

In case anyone was curious... here's the two side by side.