R and Z oil filters?!?!?!?

Who makes R and Z oil filters? Wix, NAPA, Baldwin, Car Quest, and AGCO all tell me this is obsolete! Do I have to part my Z"s and my R?

I buy my Z filters at our local Car Quest.

Yes, it's obsolete. I found this out a month or so ago and bought any filter that I could find in MN. Wix did make them #51108 and NAPA sold it as #1108. I had Auto Value transfer in any they found on their computer. I only found 5 that I shared with my cousin. If NAPA doesn't sell any for 3 or 4 months, they would pull them off the shelf and send them back to the wharehouse. I'm sure there are some still floating around out there. Wix claims that they are not discontinued but, why would they stop making them just to change the number. Locally, AGCO said that they could order one but I haven't tried. They may not know for sure until they try to order any.

You could try to find the cotton packing that used to be an alternative to a store bought filter.

I would say you can't buy any more. Some one will have to buy a run of them from a manufacture. But I can't beleive that all wharhouses are empty.

I can"t believe they would discontinue it! I found an older metal can Hastings filter at an old farm store today, but what to do for the next oil change????? I still farm with a ZAU, a ZTU, and a RTU! I feel sorry for whatever moron made that call!

Same problem getting the WIX51108 for my JT. wix emailed me that it went obselete and they have no replacement. Napa got me an 1108 last week saying it was the last one in stock anywhere in the country.

The Cross numbers (probably many obselete) for the 51108 I got from my local Implement dealer are:
Agco RE5599
International 134707H1 (also Hough)
Baldwin T51M
Fleetguard LF573
Fram C151A
Purolater T-19
Mopar 104
Luber Finer LP5004
Filter Mart 28-609
Main Filter Group MF0076666

These also cross to Filter Mart 28-609 who I contacted and they called with it is available Min order of 12 at 22.19 each. The description appears to be (or be like) the Fleetguard LF573 which is a wound cotton element that looks like it would work but I am 2000 miles away from my JT and cannot check it.

The MAIN Filter Group website crosses The Agco RE5599,International,Baldwin to their MF0076666 and their Internet prices shows $10.90 each. I did not contact them for availability.


Does anyone out there know if the Fleetguard LF573 does fit? Also please let me know if you have success with any of this info.

I too have been on a mission to restock my shelf with filters for the 'R' and 'Z' tractors. The results have been dismal. I normally only buy filters after I am down to my last few cases. I had not bought any Wix 51108 filters for two years and my jobber told me he had no stock, but he ordered me a pallet load from the factory. It took a week for the bad news to get back to me.

Wix has not really made this filter for several years. Apparently Baldwin has been suppling everyone with this filter for a very long time, under a lot of different names and colors. I tried to order a production run of filters factory direct, and was told that was no problem. Now there is a problem. I was told the tooling has been scrapped. No matter who tells you that they can get you engine oil filters; they are just selling off odds, ends, and leftovers. This is a good example of cherry picking, and reality showing those big teeth. There is only so much room in a factory and you have to make a profit. There was no real profit in that filter and it had to go.

Unfortunately the tooling was gone before someone like me could try to buy it. This is also what happened to the water pump seals for this same tractor series. The volume was not there and the several manufacturers just let it go away.

I am in the process of testing an adapter to use the modern spin on filters. Making them fit properly on the old canister base is getting to be a headache. A big problem is making something that is both economical and reliable. The first prototype worked great. Unfortunately no one is going to pay for an hour of milling machine time and a lot of lathe turned parts.

I have changed the RE5599 filter in a lot of 'new to me' tractors this year. Most of the old filters were 'Hot Line' branded original Moline filters from the days when Minneapolis-Moline was still around. The old filters were packed in a solid layer of crud that filled three quarters of the filter canister. I sometimes wonder if most 'Z' and 'R' owners know there is an oil filter in their engine. I see a lot of these tractors, at tractor pulls and shows. It seems funny that the filter canister, and air cleaner cup, are normally sealed in grease that has been painted over. I also see a lot of coolant coming from the weep holes too. Do I really want to bother with making more water pump seals, to just sit around and collect dust? Does anyone really want an adapter to switch filters? Fortunately There is one guy that will use this stuff. I get to see him in the mirror every morning.

I wonder what costs more these days; a filter and a few quarts of oil, or a new engine. Recently I have bought a lot of blown engines that had tar for oil and the filter was last changed by Daniel Boone. Thankfully three or four old ones yield enough pieces to start building a new one.

Happy motoring.
Charlie

We've made a dozen filter adapters. Seem to work just fine. Have access to a screw machine. Still doing testing.

Lester Wenzel has them, I just bought two

Been aware of problem awhile. I was told that I was last one to get one from Napa. Ordered two from out west, only got one! Keep me in mind on those adapters. Would rather use orig pump is possible. They are saying later 206 engines with spin on will bolt up also. On an adapter...why can"t just ends for diff element be made, or just one end even, using a shorter element, instead of actually making spin on adapter? Something of billet alum or even stamped tin if able to make, that could slip over ends of some other filter?

Has anyone looked at the oil filter conversions for the ford NAA or the 2000-4000 series? It looks like we need something similar for our MM tractors.

I AM EMPLOYED AT AN AGCO DEALERSHIP. AS OF 6/28/2008 AGCO PART NUMBER RE5599 HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. AS OF 8/15/08 THESE ARE THE DEALER STOCK RESULTS FOR THAT PART NUMBER.

HERE IS THE INFO, QUANITIES ON HAND AND PHONE #'S FOR THESE DEALERS

TOWN & COUNTRY CO-OP
ASHLAND, OH
QTY-1
(419)-281-7820

CARD BROTHERS
CHESANING, MI
QTY-2
(989)-845-7370

KNOTT AND GEISBERT INC
FREDRICK, MD
QTY-2
(301)-662-3800

AFFOLDER IMP SALES
BERNE, IN
QTY-1
(260)-589-2964

LAKER FARM IMP.
RUSHVILLE, IN
QTY-1
(765)-932-5521

MILLER EQUIP.
BECHTELSVILLE, PA
QTY-1
(610)-845-2911

SCRAUFNAGEL IMP
LOMIRA, WI
QTY-2
(920)-269-4307

TATE FARM EQUIP.
STEWARDSON, IL
QTY-1
(217)682-3838

ROHLF'S IMP.
HARTSBURG, IL
QTY-1
(217)642-5215

DEE IMP.
WAUKON, IA
QTY-3
(563)-568-4511

KRUSEMAN IMP.
SULLY, IA
QTY-1
(641)594-3702

HOPE THIS HELPS YOU ALL IN YOUR SEARCHES! HAPPY HUNTING