So we went to the dealer(200 miles away, but we were in the neighborhood on other business) and picked up two oil filters-$11 each w/tax. Ouch! I checked online for a better price and found several different filters listed, at various prices. What are the real differences? What's the best for my money? Where is the best source? Car in question is an '88 740 Turbo wagon, 75k on a rebuild, runs like a dream, want to keep it that way. TIA.

Thanks for the advice!! I will be using the Manns. Defintiely buying them online, though. Thanks for the groton link.

The Volvo oil filters have a spring loaded bypass that closes when the engine shuts off to prevent dirty oil from getting back into the engine. Bosch is probably the best of these, but Volvo in my opinion is a better bet. they cost about $9.00. You only save about $4.00 if you get fram purolator, or bosch. Where I am mann filters, which are volvo, cost about the same as the volvo ones from the dealer. Think abou tit though, most of us will need four or five a year. what's an extra 40./year for keeping the engine clean and acid free? K&N probably makes the best filters, but they cost about $16.00 That being said though, i used purolator and fram in my honda, which i just sold with 479,000kms in it!

Every make of spin oil filter which I am aware of has a built in check valve. Some brands have check valves which are notorious for being ineffective. Hastings used to have that reputation, and I experienced it. You would start the engine and get to listen to several seconds of rod knock as the oil pump re-filled the filter and oil galleys.

"The Volvo oil filters have a spring loaded bypass that closes when the engine shuts off to prevent dirty oil from getting back into the engine. Bosch is probably the best of these,..."

Simply not true. It appears you are confusing the bypass device with the backflow device (ABDV). The abdv is not spring loaded in the Mann, nor any other commonly available oil filter that know of. The ABDV is a rubber or silicon flapper that slows the reverse flow of oil after shutdown. The bypass device on the other hand IS spring loaded (coil or sheet metal) to allow (at a preset pressure delta) to allow oil to by-pass the filter element.
--
http://www.fidalgo.net/~brook4/oilslubesfilters.html

11 bucks huh? You must have gone to the volvo dealer near where I live but on second thought, he'd have charged you 20 bucks and made up some song and dance, hogwash story about why they were worth it (gold plated pressure relief valve). As the others have said, go with the Mann filters from Groton. Nice folks to do business with. Just my 2 cents which is worth every penny.

bl

WOW that IS spendy - MORE than an Amsoil filter!!

Mann filters are indeed Volvo OEM. I think the real beauty of a Mann is flow. Volvo engines depend on flow...more so than some other designs.

Mobil1 and Amsoil filters filter great, but Mobil1 filters don't flow that great. K&N's flow great but are even more expensive.

All of the above are of good construction. Some filters not mentioned here are crappily contructed.

Bottom line: do a google.com search or a ebay.com for: Volvo Mann and buy a case.

Would you like Amsoil with that? :)
--
http://www.fidalgo.net/~brook4/oilslubesfilters.html

I like Mobil 1 filters. But they are kinda $$.
--
1988 760Tic - 155,550 1966 M-B 230 sedan - 98,000 - Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us. - Bill Watterson

I second the suggestion for Mann filters. They ARE Volvo OEM, without the rediculous price. They're $3.95 at FCP Groton (that's the price of a crappy Fram filter at the parts store) http://www.fcpgroton.com/volvo700tuneup.htm

The next time you place a parts order, include 3 or 4 filters. The difference in shipping, if any, will be a few cents.

And as I like to mention from time to time: The sponsors of this site are in part responsible for the valuable information we all get here. Be good to them, they'll be good to you. Besides, in my experience, Groton usually has the best prices anywhere.

Jeff Pierce
--
'92 Mercedes 190E (my daily driver), '93 945 Turbo (a kickass family car), '53 Willys-Overland Pickup (my snow-plow truck/conversation piece)

Probally the best, in terms of value for money and quality, is the MANN filter, which is the Volvo OEM filter sold under the MANN brand name.

While it's not "that" cheap, it is cheaper than many others, and better than most.
--
My 85 760Ti, and her name is Veronica...