I wondered the same thing. I know manufacturers change their packaging. But the main thing is the 'W'.

 

This observation came up over on the org lately with no conclusion either.

 

I was at the Ford dealer the other day and noticed the new boxes. Asked the same question yaly' are. They are good to go.

 

 

I don't think they are the same thing Bill. Did the dealership you visited actually say they had a FL2016W?

The Ford dealership system doesn't have the filter number with the "W" in their system from several places that I know of (recently asked). Fordparts.com doesn't have FL2016W in their system, but they do have FL2016. Same for AutoNation and Tasca Ford. See Tideman's posted link above for the FL2016, There are slight differences in the two packaging - in addition to the number difference.

 

 

The low priced retail shops can frequently get a lower quality also - even though the part is made at the same factory. This is how the Black Onyx head gasket ran into problems IMO. Made by the same company and the only difference was supposed to be the color ........... well, we know that didn't turn out well.

Not saying it isn't the same part, because it certainly could be. We probably won't ever know for sure, but I am pretty confident the Ford does not sell the FL2016W. I do know Walmart and Autozone do.

My last place of employment made plastic for MANY car companies. The top companies (and especially the Japanese companies) got the top tier product. Smaller companies got the material that didn't meet the top company specs. Sometimes it was only a color matching problem or labeling defects. Sometimes it was actual physical properties that were different (adhesive quality, temperature stabilizer additive issues, etc). One thing for sure - even the low quality stuff was going to be sold to "someone"!

 

I found the same thing here Mark. Stopped by the local dealership on my way home today to get a filter to replace the W one I installed over the weekend. I’m just not interested in saving a couple of bucks if the is a possibility of it being an inferior part somehow. Their computer didn’t see FL-2016W as a good part number or 3C3Z-6731-AB either. Not in the system. They only have the AA and couldn’t even order the other number if they wanted to.

I went to Motorcraft.com and learned Ford is offering aftermarket parts under an Omnicraft name, I wasn’t aware of that one or seen the name before. Maybe there is just some re-organizing going on at Ford. The website layout and colors do match the designs on the red box the W filters come in. You may also be right that these particular filters have been gigged by quality control for some small failing and sold as “seconds”. It is interesting the only difference I could find was lack of the MotorCraft and date stamp on the bottom of the W filter.

I think for now I’m just going to stick with the original FL2016 or white box Racor, I’m giving myself a headache

is it just me or is this website site getting more glitchy every day?