Volvo B230 Oil Filter Cursory Comparison

I changed the oil in the Volvo for the first time in 19 months. To be clear, after 19 months and 3000 miles. In the future I will just use synthetic oil, not necessarily the expensive Mobil1.

I also took a moment to compare oil filters, since the replacement I had on hand was a Mann, and the filter I was pulling out was a Fram.

Everybody hates on Fram oil filters. It's a wrench junky past time. Search for your personal brand of car, and Fram is likely to be at or near the bottom of the list of oil filters that anybody lists. This finding raises my doubts about using Fram filters, but in many stores, they are the dominant or only filter available, especially for my aging pile of rust buckets.

Worse, and more confusing, there is little verifiable oil filter performance data available. What size particles are removed? How many particles can the filter carry before it clogs? Does it have (or need?) a bipass filter? Does it create excessive back pressure for the oil pump?  A table of SAE J1858 results for each oil filter on the market would be very useful.

The volvo dorks all say Mann or nothing. There are even claims that the Fram filters don't fit the B230F volvo engine without hitting the frame (patently untrue!).

Without any real solid facts to go on, I use oil filters that I can easily make handy in time to change oil. Last time I did the volvo's oil, I ordered a bunch of parts from rock-auto, and the filter came out as Fram. This last time, I capped an order from IPD with a Mann.

It is obvious that they are not the same filter. They both have a bypass valve in the back, though the assembly is different. The Mann has 4 large vent holes around the threaded center hole, while the Fram has 8 smaller holes.  The Frams threaded plate puckers in a little. The Mann puckers out. The Fram has a nice grippy rubber coating, while the enamel on the Mann makes getting it truly hand tight a bit of a challenge.