Ford getting cheap on the Motorcraft FA-1745 filter!

['03BlkMM]

I recently purchased a new Motorcraft FA-1745 filter to install in my '03 MM. When I got it out of the box I thought the pleats looked not as tightly pressed together as the one in the car. It says "Marauder" on the side of it, so it should be the right one. I got home and pulled the old filter out and I could tell right away that the new one didn't have anywhere near the same number of pleats. I counted up the pleats on the old one and there were 100 of them. Counted the pleats on the new one and there are only 80 of them. I'm pretty sure my car had the original filter in it, it had 17k mi on it when I bought it and the filter was looking pretty nasty. So I guess Ford decided to save a few pennies and cut back on the number of pleats, nobody will ever notice that RIGHT?

[Sactown]

I recently purchased a new Motorcraft FA-1745 filter to install in my '03 MM. When I got it out of the box I thought the pleats looked not as tightly pressed together as the one in the car. It says "Marauder" on the side of it, so it should be the right one. I got home and pulled the old filter out and I could tell right away that the new one didn't have anywhere near the same number of pleats. I counted up the pleats on the old one and there were 100 of them. Counted the pleats on the new one and there are only 80 of them. I'm pretty sure my car had the original filter in it, it had 17k mi on it when I bought it and the filter was looking pretty nasty. So I guess Ford decided to save a few pennies and cut back on the number of pleats, nobody will ever notice that RIGHT?
Very observant of you. That is a big drop in surface area of the filter. Of all the places to save $0.10, they pick engine protection.

[jgc61sr2002]

Typical FMC. The probably found a vendor to produce the cheaper. Probably made outside the U.S.

[hitchhiker]

I going down to Autozone to look for old stock.:D

['03BlkMM]

I going down to Autozone to look for old stock.:D
Let me know what you find!

[fastblackmerc]

Let me know what you find!
Or use a K&N air filter.

[texascorvette]

Damn. Do you take the oil filters apart, too?



I recently purchased a new Motorcraft FA-1745 filter to install in my '03 MM. When I got it out of the box I thought the pleats looked not as tightly pressed together as the one in the car. It says "Marauder" on the side of it, so it should be the right one. I got home and pulled the old filter out and I could tell right away that the new one didn't have anywhere near the same number of pleats. I counted up the pleats on the old one and there were 100 of them. Counted the pleats on the new one and there are only 80 of them. I'm pretty sure my car had the original filter in it, it had 17k mi on it when I bought it and the filter was looking pretty nasty. So I guess Ford decided to save a few pennies and cut back on the number of pleats, nobody will ever notice that RIGHT?

['03BlkMM]

Damn. Do you take the oil filters apart, too?

Hmmm, good idea! :D

[Sactown]

Or use a K&N air filter.
Ditto That! :up: