Probably small chunks of carbon. Put them on a piece of white paper and grind them with your finger to see if they break up and leave marks on the paper.

you are a genius! dug into the garbage can and did exactly as you said and the small black chunks broke up just like chalk does

where is this carbon coming from? piston rings?

Such a clean filter is much more of an indication of the engine's overall condition and maintenance history rather than the quality of the filter you just took off of it. The car's owner should be getting kudos, not the filter. I don't know why some of you guys get all excited when you see something like this.

If this P1 was covered in lumpy black tar and metal shavings, you can bet that more than one person would chime in and say the filter wasn't doing its job, which makes no sense.

I had white chunks caused by a bad HG/coolant loss. On another the dark chunks were just cleanup from changing oils.

Bottom_Feeder, the key isn't that the filter is fairly clean, but that the filter appears to be in very good condition, media isn't falling apart, etc.

I just bought my first Pure One today. It seems very nice.

However, it has the yellow paint overspray you guys talk about, not too much.

Is it risky to use it with the paint overspray?

^As long as it's not past the rubber gasket and on the inside of the filter itself, I don't see ANY issues with a slight over spray. Define it.

Most of the ones I've used had a hair of overspray, but never on or past the gasket.

Well, on mine it's past the rubber gasket. There actually isn't much on the rubber gasket.

Mine is on the metal around the holes that let the oil into the filter. You have to hold it at an angle under the right light, and then you see the yellow dust.

Interesting, well that sucks. I don't know at what temp but I'm sure it will eventually simply get filters and then suspended by the oil. To what potentially harmful effect? I wouldn't think much of any real existence with oils with good base and ability to keep any crud suspended, it'll probably liquidate and boil off faster than the oil anyway(if it is water based paint and not oil based especially).

anyone know where those carbon pieces i found in the media came from?

Likely ring-land area.

I've ran into this on PureOnes. Simple fix. Remove the gasket from the base. Get some Q-tips and carb cleaner. Spray the Q-tip (NOT THE FILTER) with carb cleaner, then wipe off all the over spray with the Q-tip. Repeat as needed. The carb cleaner cuts it easily. Reinstall gasket ... done. Takes about 5 min tops.

Use same filter for my Honda and Acura, good to see it's fine. You know in the manual, it actually specifically say change filter every 2 oil change. Although I won't do it, but definitely curious if it's doable.

lemonade - Which manual? I'll have to check mine when I get home!