TINY oil filter for WRX!

[KHP]

Originally Posted By: Timothy Ferguson
According to my Wifes Forester 2011MY manual and validated subsequently following model years it states quote "Turbos must have the synthetic oil service done at least every 3,750 miles or 3 3/4 months." It only mentions 7,500 mile oil changes for N/A models which we own both 2009 and 2011 MY Foresters and the way my wife drives the [censored] out of hers I don't dare go that long.


Interesting... You may have not gotten the manual Errata/Addendum. I purchased my car right at the beginning of MY2011 rollout and it did say 3750mile service at that point. SOA then updated the manuals by sending two document revisions out via mail(One for the "Owners Manual" and another for "Maintenance and Warranty" booklet) updating service requirements.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: rg200amp
The oil filters for the WRX are by far, the smallest I have seen.

For a turbo 2.5L engine that has a sump of 4.4 qts and a OCI recommendation of 7500 miles, I would expect a larger filter.

I'm assuming this engine has a pretty high volume oil pump like many other Subarus. Just goes to show how much an oil filter can flow ... even a small one with a lot less media area. Could be one reason Subaru uses such a high bypass pressure setting, due to high flow rate and small filter, which could end up causing some pretty high delta-P across the filter.

You should cut open the used filter and measure the media area, and see what else you can see inside.

 

[threeputtpar]

Originally Posted By: rg200amp

Hey, this is a family forum! Keep that stuff to yourself!

At least the one in the background is wearing protection.

 

[Swarmlord]

Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
Originally Posted By: rg200amp

Hey, this is a family forum! Keep that stuff to yourself!

At least the one in the background is wearing protection.


HA!

 

[rrounds]

If you have the room Baldwin makes several filters that might work out for you.
B1431 O.D. 2 21/32" x Length: 4" with a 14 psid bypass

B161-S O.D. 3 1/32" x Length: 4 1/16" with a 20 psid bypass

B199 O.D. 3" x Length: 5 1/8" with a 8 psid bypass

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted By: rg200amp
My finger touching the base of the filter:

Ribbed, for his pleasure!

 

[ZeeOSix]

I hope not ...

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
Originally Posted By: rg200amp

Hey, this is a family forum! Keep that stuff to yourself!

At least the one in the background is wearing protection.


I'm pretty curmudgeonly when it comes to groaners, but that actually made me laugh.

 

[edwardh1]

3k was chosen by ifflube marketing persons

 

[dnewton3]

Gentlemen; avoid the RSP comments please.


As for the filter, I see nothing wrong with it.

First of all, before one jaunts off with a bucket load of suspicion, why not get some real facts?
Have you gathered UOAs? Are you seeing wear rates that indicates the filter is failing at its task?
Do you have PCs for this application? Do you have data that shows heavy loading is getting past the media?

Also, engines run much cleaner than they used to. Are you confident that your engine is just plain filthy running, and therefore truly "needs" a larger filter?


I seriously doubt there is anything wrong with that filter, even for 7.5k miles.

If you "want" a bigger filter, then just go get one. But at this point, you have no justifiable reason to suspect anything is wrong other than your gut emotion.

If you "need" a bigger filter, then the first thing to do is establish your current performance as a base line, because how can you judge "better" filtration without knowing if you improve a measurable or not????

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Gentlemen; avoid the RSP comments please.


As for the filter, I see nothing wrong with it.

First of all, before one jaunts off with a bucket load of suspicion, why not get some real facts?
Have you gathered UOAs? Are you seeing wear rates that indicates the filter is failing at its task?
Do you have PCs for this application? Do you have data that shows heavy loading is getting past the media?

Also, engines run much cleaner than they used to. Are you confident that your engine is just plain filthy running, and therefore truly "needs" a larger filter?


I seriously doubt there is anything wrong with that filter, even for 7.5k miles.

If you "want" a bigger filter, then just go get one. But at this point, you have no justifiable reason to suspect anything is wrong other than your gut emotion.

If you "need" a bigger filter, then the first thing to do is establish your current performance as a base line, because how can you judge "better" filtration without knowing if you improve a measurable or not????


I agree that there is nothing wrong with the filter in the picture, it should perform as intended for even 7500 miles OCI.

In the other hand, if two filters of the same brand can fit an engine, everything(flow rate, bypass setting, efficiency ...) are similar except that one is 30-40% longer(therefore more filter media) but both cost the same, which would you choose(assume that either will fit without problem) ?

I choose larger one all the time, since there is no negative effect on lager filter to the engine.

 

[sxg6]

Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
Was just looking at Purolator's site and they spec a soon to be #PL14615 for the 2012 Forester. I'm thinking this could be the "tall" filter with the factory bypass combo that many like to run.

Will have to wait and see..


Interesting, thanks for the heads up.

 

[dnewton3]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Gentlemen; avoid the RSP comments please.


As for the filter, I see nothing wrong with it.

First of all, before one jaunts off with a bucket load of suspicion, why not get some real facts?
Have you gathered UOAs? Are you seeing wear rates that indicates the filter is failing at its task?
Do you have PCs for this application? Do you have data that shows heavy loading is getting past the media?

Also, engines run much cleaner than they used to. Are you confident that your engine is just plain filthy running, and therefore truly "needs" a larger filter?


I seriously doubt there is anything wrong with that filter, even for 7.5k miles.

If you "want" a bigger filter, then just go get one. But at this point, you have no justifiable reason to suspect anything is wrong other than your gut emotion.

If you "need" a bigger filter, then the first thing to do is establish your current performance as a base line, because how can you judge "better" filtration without knowing if you improve a measurable or not????


I agree that there is nothing wrong with the filter in the picture, it should perform as intended for even 7500 miles OCI.

In the other hand, if two filters of the same brand can fit an engine, everything(flow rate, bypass setting, efficiency ...) are similar except that one is 30-40% longer(therefore more filter media) but both cost the same, which would you choose(assume that either will fit without problem) ?

I choose larger one all the time, since there is no negative effect on lager filter to the engine.


Combining garage stock is certainly a reason to move to a different filter; that can make sense. In fact, it's just about the only reason that makes sense.

Most folks want "bigger" because they perceive it to be "better", but they have no idea of how well (or not) their current filter works. And therefore they have no basis to judge any "improvement" whether real or just perceived.

OTOH - upsizing a filter for convenience of garage stock might put warranty at risk. Typically, only the "approved" filter will be honored in warranty. Very few filter makers approve more than one filter for any application. Even if your vehicle is out of warranty, the filter warranty is still in play, each time you put on a "new" filter.

Caveot Emptor.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Combining garage stock is certainly a reason to move to a different filter; that can make sense. In fact, it's just about the only reason that makes sense.

Most folks want "bigger" because they perceive it to be "better", but they have no idea of how well (or not) their current filter works. And therefore they have no basis to judge any "improvement" whether real or just perceived.

OTOH - upsizing a filter for convenience of garage stock might put warranty at risk. Typically, only the "approved" filter will be honored in warranty. Very few filter makers approve more than one filter for any application. Even if your vehicle is out of warranty, the filter warranty is still in play, each time you put on a "new" filter.

Caveot Emptor.

I agree that there is "no basis to judge any improvement" in using larger filter because there is no real life data to support that.

But perceived improvement or real with larger filter, the question still is: if everything else equal, what is/are negative of using larger filter beside possible warranty ?

Below are two Fram Extra Guard filters at same cost, which one do you choose if the longer fits without any problem ?

PH3593A
Gasket I.D. 2.13"
Gasket O.D. 2.42"
Gasket Thickness .2"
Product Height 3.39"
Product Diameter 3.02"
Thread 20mm x 1.5mm
Relief Valve Setting PSI 12

PH2849A
Gasket I.D. 2.47"
Gasket O.D. 2.75"
Gasket Thickness .19"
Product Height 4.92"
Product Diameter 2.98"
Thread 20mm x 1.5mm
Relief Valve Setting PSI 12

If OP wants to stay with Subaru filter, then OE filter is more than adequate for his application. If he wants to try aftermarket filter and if there is room for longer/larger filter, then I see no reason to stay OEM size.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Most folks want "bigger" because they perceive it to be "better", but they have no idea of how well (or not) their current filter works. And therefore they have no basis to judge any "improvement" whether real or just perceived.

Agreed. There's the perception that bigger filters will hold more dirt and ensure the flow is unimpeded for longer. That may be true, but does it matter? When will the little filter plug up? If it takes 4 consecutive oil changes (without filter changes) for a small filter to fail, would the larger one going to 8 or 12 OCIs be better?

 

[hardcore302]

Aww, so cute. I helped my buddy change the oil in his Subaru, and he told me that it's not the size... He opened himself up for the ensuing jokes. I then wiped the floor with his turbo subbie. And then made fun of his filter again.