I had posted a few UOA's here: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2504849#Post2504849 (scroll down for a more readable version of the UOA report).
The Silicon, Aluminum, and Iron numbers were troubling to me. During the first interval, I chucked out my K&N washable and installed a Mann filter, which I understood to be pretty well regarded, and had therefore bought 3 of, very cheaply, on Rockauto.com.
Well, after the latest UOA, I decided that I had an air filtration problem. Pulled the PCV out and it looked fine. Checked all hoses and connections. And I was left stumped. I pulled the first Mann filter out of there and put in a new one after
Well, I went over the media section of that filter with a fine-toothed comb and could find no imperfection whatsoever. The other day, however, I decided to take a second look.
What I noticed was that the rubber gasket on the strange plastic frame-surrounded filter was cheap and junky. It didn't have as flexible and thick a rubber material as the Fram filter I had taken a peek at last time I was in the local Wal-mart.
I can't figure out why I didn't think of doing so sooner, but I searched Amazon for all the filters available for my car and found that other people have made this same complaint about this model of Mann filters. Surprisingly, the Wix filter for this application has significantly less media and is also not well liked. The Fram (which is not in any way orange), has a perfect 4-star rating.
Of course, the logical thing to do would be to buy the Fram filter at Wal-mart for $12, print the $2 rebate form off Amazon, and solve the entire problem for $10 even. Of course that's not what I did, but rather I ordered a Denso model that costs over 3 times that much. I can't wait until it comes so I can replace it and feel like I've alleviated this issue. I'm only about 1000 miles into the current OCI, so I hope there hasn't been too much accumulation of dirt as yet.
The morals of the story are twofold: If your car has a non-standard filter with a weird extended plastic frame like this one, don't rely on general "Brand X is good, Brand Y is bad" logic, but do the research. And secondly, never trust me to make a logical decision over an emotional one when it comes to maintaining my Civic. (That Denso filter better do my taxes and clip my toenails for the premium I paid for it over the Fram). Hopefully, by the time the Denso filter needs to get changed, I'll be better able to swallow my pride and use a product with the name Fram on it with confidence.
The Silicon, Aluminum, and Iron numbers were troubling to me. During the first interval, I chucked out my K&N washable and installed a Mann filter, which I understood to be pretty well regarded, and had therefore bought 3 of, very cheaply, on Rockauto.com.
Well, after the latest UOA, I decided that I had an air filtration problem. Pulled the PCV out and it looked fine. Checked all hoses and connections. And I was left stumped. I pulled the first Mann filter out of there and put in a new one after
Well, I went over the media section of that filter with a fine-toothed comb and could find no imperfection whatsoever. The other day, however, I decided to take a second look.
What I noticed was that the rubber gasket on the strange plastic frame-surrounded filter was cheap and junky. It didn't have as flexible and thick a rubber material as the Fram filter I had taken a peek at last time I was in the local Wal-mart.
I can't figure out why I didn't think of doing so sooner, but I searched Amazon for all the filters available for my car and found that other people have made this same complaint about this model of Mann filters. Surprisingly, the Wix filter for this application has significantly less media and is also not well liked. The Fram (which is not in any way orange), has a perfect 4-star rating.
Of course, the logical thing to do would be to buy the Fram filter at Wal-mart for $12, print the $2 rebate form off Amazon, and solve the entire problem for $10 even. Of course that's not what I did, but rather I ordered a Denso model that costs over 3 times that much. I can't wait until it comes so I can replace it and feel like I've alleviated this issue. I'm only about 1000 miles into the current OCI, so I hope there hasn't been too much accumulation of dirt as yet.
The morals of the story are twofold: If your car has a non-standard filter with a weird extended plastic frame like this one, don't rely on general "Brand X is good, Brand Y is bad" logic, but do the research. And secondly, never trust me to make a logical decision over an emotional one when it comes to maintaining my Civic. (That Denso filter better do my taxes and clip my toenails for the premium I paid for it over the Fram). Hopefully, by the time the Denso filter needs to get changed, I'll be better able to swallow my pride and use a product with the name Fram on it with confidence.