I changed the oil on my '05 this morning and I noticed that the new batch of 2017-B oil filters that I have are a slightly different design. Not only are they now made in the U.S. but they also now have a plastic cage on the inside of the filter. It looks just like the spring-loaded "cage" that is on the inside of the oil filter canister. The one in the filter slides over the one on the canister.

I checked all of the old filters that I saved from all the oil changes I have done on both cars (16 old filters) and none of them had this feature.

Any thoughts?

 

Hey Ray

For the first time I found and picked up the Motorcraft FL-2017B filter at Walmart and a 5Qt jug of 5-20W Mobil 1 last week to do an oil change. I just checked and your right, the filter does have a new interior cage. Looks like it's to protect the element from collapse during shipping or something.

I also saved all my old filters until the warranty ran out on the engine at 36,000 miles. Ordered a new '09 FWD FEH in April and hope it uses the FL-2017B filter I can now get at Walmart. I remember when we first posted about our first oil change in our '05's. Ford sold the O-rings separately back then and I think we had to pay ~$13 for everything. Now we can get everything at Walmart for a little over $3.

GaryG

 

I'll have to check Wally around here for the filter kit. Last time I looked they didn't stock it but that was some time ago. I get the filters online for around $4 each plus shipping. I buy 10 at a time and also get air filters and other maintenance items at the same time so shipping is trivial. I get them at Millenium Ford (Y2K Ford) out of Washington State.

Congrats on the '09. I thought about it but I like my two so well that I'm sticking with them. I might list one on ebay just for kicks. I saw an '06 plain jane FWD FEH with 65k miles at a local dealer for $24k.....

See ya' around. I'm going back under my rock now.....