BROADVIEW, Ill. – Purolator says it has a product that really does make a technician’s job easier — the line of oil filters from Group 7 by Purolator being distributed first to auto repair shops through traditional WDs and jobbers in the U.S. and Mexico.
The genius of this new oil filter design, according to Purolator, lies in the innovative media design, materials and construction, which allow substantial increases in oil filter performance – all in filters that are noticeably smaller than the filters they replace, the company says. In fact, Purolator notes, these new oil filters offer an average 12 percent improvement in a filter that’s much smaller than previous designs.
The original equipment (OE) trend has been moving toward smaller oil filters and other components, in the quest for lighter vehicles and the resulting improvements in fuel economy. But in the process, both newer and older model vehicles often provide only limited access to the oil filter, complicating removal and installation, and therefore cutting into technician productivity, according to Purolator.
With these redesigned oil filters from Group 7 by Purolator, access is improved with most filters having a diameter of the standard 3 inches, which technicians have come to know from many popular import applications. In addition, many of these filters are 0.50 inches shorter than the filters they replace, for domestic as well as for import applications, the company says.
Purolator says it believes technicians using strap-type oil filter wrenches will appreciate the added “swing room” offered by these filters, while being able to continue using an existing wrench from their tool box. And those who prefer to use a cup-type oil filter wrench with a ratchet and (usually) an extension – either 3/8-inch drive or ½-inch drive – will appreciate the fact that their current selection of three or four cups will fit virtually every spin-on oil filter in the Group 7 by Purolator lineup.
Regardless of the type of oil filter being used, technicians will especially appreciate the extra access afforded by these new filters, the company says, since oil filter removal and installation around often-hot exhaust manifolds and pipes, as well as other too-hot-to-touch engine compartment parts can burn hands and forearms. The smaller size of these filters will help prevent injuries as well as “down time” often allocated to allow engines to cool enough to allow safe oil filter removal and installation.
“These new oil filters in our Group 7 by Purolator line offer three distinct benefits,” said Chuck Kerrigan, director, product management for Purolator. “They filter better than the filters they replace, on an average of 12 percent, providing better performance and value for the motorist and his vehicle. And, as noted, they help make service technicians safer, happier, and more productive.
“But,” Kerrigan added, “they also contribute to bottom-line profits. You see, the smaller size of these filters allows selected part numbers to replace both larger and filter configurations that share a common thread size and gasket location. As a result, these part numbers fit multiple applications, reducing the inventory (and inventory cost) needed for comparable coverage. So it is more likely that a needed filter will be in stock, avoiding possible lost sales.”
“Group7 by Purolator filters represent a win-win situation for everyone,” said Kerrigan. “The motorist gets a better filter, the technician’s job is easier and more efficient, and the shop owner enjoys more sales with fewer parts on the shelf. We’re pleased to be the first in the industry to offer this line, and we’re pleased to offer it first to professional installers.”
