Basket_case Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Pardon my ignorance of anything Subaru. And I do believe that there are indeed dumb questions, but I'll ask anyway so bear with me. I just got a new-to-me '98 Legacy GT and while I was ordering parts form Rock Auto for my other cars, I thought I would get a few oil filters for the Subaru. I got the Denso 150-2002 (or 1502002, seen it both ways). I figured if it's Japanese, it should be good. Right? Well, this small box shows up on my doorstep and I wondered where my oil filters were. When I opened the box, the filters were in there and I couldn't believe how small those filters are. I've seen bigger filters on 12 hp lawn tractors. I've never gotten the wrong part from Rock Auto. I cross-checked with other sites that also say the Denso 150-2002 is for my Subaru. Are the OEM filters really this small or is this Denso something smaller that just happens to fit? Has anybody used the Denso? I don't believe in extended oil change intervals so this thing won't be on there for long if I use it. It just seems so dang tiny as to be the wrong filter. The filter on my Accord is gargantuan in comparison. Please note that I do not intend to start a debate on which is the best oil and/or filter to use. I know where that will go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Yes the newer filters are this small. No it is not generally a problem. Denso filters are garbage. Amsoil, K&N, and Royal Purple filters are all quite good. I believe all are made by champion labs. WIX is a distant last resort. At least it has an up-front bypass. Still a cellulose filter and pretty poor filtration. The OEM Subaru (Of America) filters are made by Honeywell/Fram and are pretty worthless other than having a really high DP valve to force oil through the crappy element. You get, at most, exactly what you pay for with virtually every filter out there. They are built to a price, and if you are buying to a price you are inevitably sorting $hit products in a race to the bottom. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_freddo Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 So are you saying avoid the genuine subaru oil filters? I've just found them to be a few dollars cheaper than the ryco aftermarket units at local retailers here. I thought OEM was better quality than anything aftermarket. Cheers Bennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 (edited) No, there garbage if they are same blue junk that Subaru of America has made in Canada. Edited August 31, 2018 by GeneralDisorder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carfreak85 Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 2 hours ago, GeneralDisorder said: No, there garbage. Not the case if you've stockpiled the old, black Tokyo Roki filters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 54 minutes ago, carfreak85 said: Not the case if you've stockpiled the old, black Tokyo Roki filters! I haven't tested those specifically, but I would guess they are probably quite a bit better. The impetus for switching was the obvious cost savings in using a domestically produced (Canada IIRC) filter over huge numbers of shipping containers full of bulky, lightweight oil filters being shipped here constantly from Japan at high cost plus shipping. What's really telling about this situation is that Subaru of Japan has not certified the "blue" filters for use on the FA's yet. The dealers are required to use the fat Tokyo Roki filters for those models. I imagine eventually they will get some blue garbage for them instead so the dealers can make fat profits off the cheap blue Fram. GD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bork Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 GD, how do you test them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Well I have occasion to cut open filters almost daily so I see their construction and effectiveness or lack thereof quite often. The guys joke that filter cutting is my favorite task. Really I just enjoy failure analysis.... and who doesn't enjoy some really awful carnage to take pics of. It's like watching a train wreck. Horrible, sure - but you can't look away. I have all the gear to check differential pressure across the filter and data log it also. At some point I will tabulate all the data on different filters and when/how long/how often the bypass valve opens. GD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somick Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Napa Platinum is a very good filter. However I still do not know if we need it for regular driving style. The filter is more expensive though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_freddo Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Our filters I think are white. I'll have to check out the last one I put on my sister's liberty as I can't remember what colour that one was. These filters cost about $20AU. Cheers Bennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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