Um you would know if they all were the same, they would all be the same size and have the same number as the one you put on the other item. My point is if you left the store with 4 different filter numbers all the same brand i doubt this will work for you.
Um, really? I'd have to be pretty dense to do what you stated and not figure out they were "different filters". I don't know why you think I bought 4 filters or assumed that whatever I bought was all the same brand but both assumptions are wrong. Your doubt that Reeds scenario will work for me may well be correct but I have to disagree with that logic based upon your reasoning alone and here is why and the reason Reeds post made me think about this and make a response in the first place.
I have never bought every filter I need for everything I have at one time....and didn't that day at Rural King. Most people might?...I don't. I did buy 2 filters of 2 different brands because availability forced me to. In fact I usually buy one filter...maybe two at a time. When I know something needs an oil change I stop at the farm store, NAPA, O'Reilly's, Wal Mart, Auto Zone or whoever else is closest to where I'm traveling and look up the filter and make my purchase depending on 2 factors -- Is it in stock? If it is and available in more than one brand I usually purchase it based on brand.
Reed posted he uses WIX 51334 for multiple needs and I thought wow, is that really the exact filter every one of those uses as the principal application? I looked it up...It is for his Sorrento, ZD326 but his VIO 27 ( assuming that's what you've still got Reed) the actual filter WIX lists for it is the 51365 but the VIO 30 uses the 51334 and although there is a difference between the physical dimensions of those 2 filters, the seal diameter measurements and all other specs are the same. Why couldn't that 51334 work on it? It seals correctly, is designed the same from that point inward, flows the same, etc. I know for fact the Kohler engine in my zero turn will accept (per Kohler) a number of different filter sizes/thus filter numbers...found that out accidentally while looking online one day. Prior to that it strongly appeared per J.Deere that I had basically 1 filter choice from each filter manufacturer...wrong. When I recently changed the filter on my Z71 I was shocked to see that the old one was huge in comparison to the one I purchased to replace it. I thought I had to have gotten the wrong (new) filter. I looked up both filters online and they were listed by their respective manufacturers as being compatible to the 5.3L chevy. So now I personally have 2 applications that I have discovered that size alone is not always a limiting OR determining factor in {exactly} which filter I have to use. I know you said same size/same brand....I'm just saying that when crossreferencing brands they can and sometime will be different size ( length is what I have seen to be the difference personally). If I can do some online crossreferencing between filters that may have slight variations from the quote-"
principal filter" but they have the same Seal face ,Thread Size, By-Pass Valve Setting, Anti-Drain Back Valve option, Beta Ratio,Burst Pressure, Max Flow Rate, Nominal Micron Rating, etc...but I would never know that because they are a few numbers different when you try to match them to the application, it is reasonable to believe there is no reason I couldn't safely use them on multiple applications. They do label them "principal".....doesn't say 'ONLY"and I do believe that is because they are the best choice for specific reasons which primrily appear to be diminsion when everything else is identical. So, unless the filter is just too big, etc this would allow me to do what makes the most sense.....buy the brand I most prefer, in bulk and save me from my bad habit of making trips to buy 1 or 2 filters at the last minute and save time, money and aggravation of looking up whatever filter I need based on wherever I happen to stop to get it etc. Maybe I won't be able to match up any? My whole point was to try based on what I've explained. Maybe I can match 2 or 3 or more and if I could only match half of what I use I'd be thrilled. If nothing comes of it other than it's made me realize I need to quit jacking around and when I stop at NAPA just get a half dozen of each of what I need and stop the madness of stopping here and there to get a filter I'd prefer not to have I'm money ahead already.
