Any TECH info on the NEW oil filters?

[SVX_commuter]

I bought some new oil filters the other day from the dealer. I was told that Subaru was making the filters in Japan now, no more Puro. He said they had some kind of the problem with Puro. The new one does look smaller and comes with that plastic bug cover over the bottom.

 

Is there any tech info on this? Media type, Beta factor, pressure drop

 

I tried to search and came up empty. Endwrench has no tech info

 

Maybe ants were crawling into the filter from Puro:grin:

[Legacy777]

bump

[ferret]

Go to the www.pureone.com and search on PL14612. Then on the bottom of the page you can click on specifications. This is similar to the Subaru Factory Spec since Purolator DID make the newer smaller filter originally.

 

The reason for the change to the smaller filter was it does have a larger filter area in a smaller package which will fit on the turbocharged 2.5L engines. On these the exhaust from the left side is routed to the front and crosses over and wraps to meet the right side just by the filter, before going to the up-pipe to the turbo.

 

Subaru changed vendors ( Purolator to Denso ) after the Purolator version had a cold start outer seal failures where the engine would leak badly and lose the engine oil in cold climates. Denso apparently solved this problem first and I'm told was promised their future OEM business.

[SVX_commuter]

A better link is here:

http://www.pureoil.com/smartlink/?partnum=PL14612

Says:

Purolator PureONE - TOP RANKED in SAE Tests

PureONE is the cheapest insurance available for your car today. Does it make sense to spend hundreds, or thousands, of dollars on automobile insurance each year, and then turn around and save a buck or two by purchasing an oil filter with less quality?

 

PureONE offers several advantages over leading filter brands:

• Filtration Efficiency: PureONE is clearly superior to all other leading brands. With its exclusive MICRONIC® filtration system, PureONE captures 98% of all contaminants as measured by the Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE) #J806 Multiple Pass Test.
  
• More pleats: Provide more filter surface area to prevent oil restriction and allow an added measure of engine protection.
  
• Silicone anti-drainback valve: Retains oil in the filter providing quick lubrication to vital engine parts at start-up. (On models as required by the manufacturer.)
  
• PTFE coated sealing gasket: Reduces friction to assist in removal of the filter.

 

Then there is this from:

http://home.comcast.net/~robertivy/oilfilterstudy.htm

All of this information can be a bit overwhelming. When it comes down to it, all of the lower-priced filters ($5 or below) have their ups and downs. In reality, there are only four different manufacturers available. Here are the low-cost filters that I feel safe using, based on all this information (in alphabetical order): AC Delco, Purolator, and Wix. Here are my reasons for each:

I like the deep pleats of the AC Delco's filter element and the fact that it is not weak like the Champion. I also like the way that the anti-drainback valve diaphragm makes a positive seal to the filter cartridge and to the bypass valve, which sort of "snaps" into the diaphragm. The fact that the bypass valve seats against the backplate metal-to-metal is not a big deal. It probably doesn't leak anyway, but if it does, only clean oil can get back into the pan. In case you haven't noticed, I like this filter. :-) It is the best filter that you can buy for $3.

The Purolator is a very solid design. It seems to have the toughest paper filter element of them all and the bypass valve is built right into the cartridge. There are no internal sealing problems with this filter at all. I wish the inner diameter of the cartridge was smaller so that the pleats could be fewer and deeper. The Premium Plus version looks like it flows fine, but the Pure One or Motorcraft versions seem to be packed a bit too tightly. That assembly string still bothers me somewhat, but not enough to avoid these well-made filters completely. My '88 Shadow ES (as of 2/24/99) has a Purolator Premium Plus in it right now. I plan to cut it open and see how it holds up at the next oil change.

I don't care for the Champion filters. The filter elements are way too fragile to give me much confidence in them. That, along with the rusty backplates, makes me shy away from them. Some decent filter material and a little oil used during assembly would make this into a fine filter. Like the Purolator, I like how the bypass valve is built right into the filter cartridge. This filter has no internal sealing problems, either. Even so, I won't be using them.

The Wix filter is a very well made filter. My praise goes to Dana for putting some effort into it. Aside from being a stronger case, it also uses a much better filter element (about the same as the AC Delco). Like the AC Delco, it also has a minor internal sealing problem. In this case, the bypass valve has a metal-to-metal seal to the filter cartridge. It probably doesn't really leak either, but if it did, dirty oil could get to the clean side of the filter. Otherwise it is a good filter. Given the choice between the Wix and the AC Delco, I'd take the AC Delco. The Wix is also about twice the price.

If money is no object, I would go with the Mobil 1. Although it has Champion internals, it has a really tough synthetic fiber filter element, which is the Champion's only major downfall. The element is stronger and thicker than the Purolator, but they claim that it flows just as good as paper. As with the other Champion filters, it has no internal sealing problems. The $10 price tag is a bit steep, but it is the best filter you can buy retail. Watch for "Mobil 1 Oil Change" sales, which includes 5 quarts of Mobil 1 synthetic oil and a Mobil 1 filter. Granted, there are probably better filters available through mail order, but I haven't tested those yet...

I reserve the right to change my opinion at any time. It could easily change if another filter (or one of the filters I am waiting on) comes around and is better.

It should be clear that Mopar filters are really nothing special. Unless you are trying to have a perfect restoration and need that Mopar logo, there is no reason why you should be buying Mopar oil filters. Most of them seem to currently be Purolators or Champions, but that could change at any time.

See the AC Delco, Champion, Fram, Purolator, and Wix sections for information on how to identify these manufacturers by looking at the backplate. The tell-tale signs are always there.