Wix Oil Filter Cross Reference Chart: How to Find the Right Match for Your Vehicle

If you've ever stood in an auto parts aisle holding a Wix filter number and wondered whether it matches what your vehicle needs — or whether a competing brand's filter will work instead — you're dealing with an oil filter cross reference question. Here's how that process actually works.

What Is an Oil Filter Cross Reference?

An oil filter cross reference is a lookup tool that matches one manufacturer's filter part number to equivalent filters made by other brands. The idea is simple: dozens of companies make oil filters, but many of them are built to fit the same thread size, gasket diameter, bypass valve pressure, and engine specs.

When you cross reference a Wix filter number, you're asking: What other filters are dimensionally and functionally compatible with this one? The answer might be a Fram, Mobil 1, Purolator, AC Delco, Motorcraft, Bosch, or K&N equivalent — or the reverse, finding the Wix number that matches what your vehicle's manual specifies.

Wix filters are made by Filtration Group and are widely used in both consumer and commercial applications. Their numbering system is one of the most commonly used reference points in cross reference databases.

How Wix Filter Numbers Are Structured

Wix assigns each filter a numeric part number — such as 51516, 57356, or 57060. These numbers don't encode engine specs the way some systems do; they're catalog numbers. To use them correctly, you work backward from your vehicle's year, make, model, and engine displacement to find the right Wix number, or you use a known number to find equivalents in other brands.

The key specs that matter in any cross reference match include:

• Thread size and pitch (how the filter screws onto the engine)
• Gasket outer diameter
• Filter height and diameter
• Bypass valve opening pressure
• Anti-drainback valve (present or absent, depending on engine orientation)
• Micron rating and media type (standard cellulose vs. synthetic blend vs. full synthetic)

Two filters with matching thread specs but different bypass pressure ratings are not interchangeable without understanding the engine's requirements.

Where to Find a Wix Cross Reference Chart

Wix publishes its own cross reference lookup tool at wixfilters.com. You can search by:

• Your vehicle's year, make, model, and engine
• A competitor's part number (to find the Wix equivalent)
• The Wix part number itself (to see what it fits and what competes with it)

Beyond Wix's own tool, several third-party databases aggregate cross reference data across brands:

🔍 One important note: NAPA Gold oil filters are manufactured by Wix. The NAPA Gold number and the Wix number will often cross directly, making those two among the most straightforward comparisons in any chart.

Variables That Affect Which Filter Is Actually Right

A cross reference tells you what fits. It doesn't always tell you what's best for your application. Several factors shape that distinction:

Engine type and oil specification. Turbocharged engines, high-performance engines, and engines with variable valve timing (like many modern direct-injection motors) often benefit from filters with higher filtration efficiency and specific bypass valve pressures. A basic cellulose filter that cross references correctly may still be a downgrade for a turbo application.

Oil change interval. If you're running extended drain intervals — say, 7,500 to 10,000+ miles on full synthetic oil — a standard filter may not be rated for that service life. Wix's XP line (extended performance) is designed for longer intervals; its cross reference numbers differ from standard Wix filters.

Driving conditions. Severe-duty use (towing, off-road, dusty environments, short trips) can affect how quickly a filter loads up with contaminants. Some mechanics recommend upgrading filter quality under these conditions rather than simply matching the base cross reference.

Engine oil capacity and flow rate. Larger engines moving more oil at higher pressure may need filters with greater flow capacity. This is especially relevant when cross referencing into filters from brands with different internal designs.

🔄 How Cross Reference Charts Handle Filter "Equivalents"

The word equivalent in filter cross reference data means dimensionally and mechanically compatible — not identical in filtration performance. Two filters may thread onto the same housing and seal correctly while using different filter media, different pleat counts, and different construction quality.

This matters most when comparing budget cellulose filters against synthetic media filters at the same price point — both may "cross reference" to the same application, but their performance over time can differ meaningfully.

When using any cross reference chart, it helps to check:

• Whether the listed filter matches on all specs, not just thread size
• Whether the replacement is the same product tier (standard vs. extended performance)
• Whether the filter carries the correct certifications for your engine's warranty requirements

The Part of the Chart That Only You Can Fill In

A Wix cross reference chart tells you what fits a given application and what the mechanical equivalents are across brands. What it can't tell you is which option is right for your specific engine's age and condition, your oil type and brand, your driving pattern, or how long you plan to keep the vehicle.

The filter that works for a lightly used commuter running conventional oil on 5,000-mile intervals is a different conversation than the one for a high-mileage turbocharged engine running full synthetic on an 8,000-mile interval. Both might pull up the same cross reference result — but what you do with that result depends entirely on your setup.