Rock Auto UltraPower Toyota filter copy? Cut open!

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: FlyNavyP3
...I can't find any indication of where it's made. The Beck Arnley filters that I have with the same cellophane sealing plastic are made in Korea, genuine Toyota filters of this size are made in Taiwan to the best of my knowledge. For all I know it's a knock off made in China, but upon dissection I'm comfortable using it.

I don't blame you for being comfortable using it, beyond a little excess glue overall looks to be a decently made filter. The coil type compression spring and cello wrapped base is fairly typical of many Asian aftermarket filters posted here. China could be the coo as you note, maybe Taiwan, S Korea maybe Japan. Hard to say without more information.

The Toyota oem Denso made in Thailand (not sure about in this size), uses a no end cap design and a leaf type spring, so knock off might be an appropriate term. Doesn't change that is looks ok and p type gasket is not something seen that often these type filters.

As an aside, if I were you I'd pretty much ignore the one poster with the media hyperbole and center tube type reference. It's same dude that once posted I only buy filters wrapped in plastic now. Based on that, I would have thought this filter would fill the bill.

I have to add after observing the RA Ultra Power category filters posted here recently, if Forrest Gump's mom ever read this board or received RA UP filters, Forrest might have said something a little different. Something like, Life's like a box of RA Ultra Power filters, ya never know what you're gonna get.

Thanks for pics and evaluation. Very nice effort.

 

[Kira]

We never hear about:
1) Rating of any spring used in the bypass circuit (so how do we know if it's in spec...or what that spec even is)
2) Assessment of media QUALITY. I've never seen an assortment of filter media swatches as one might find for fabrics.
3) Who makes the worlds ADBVs. One company molds the word FOMOCO on them and the other makes the rest (in black and red).
4) What difference slots vs. holes make in center tubes (just that some people get unnerved over slots).

Great post involving great effort, thanks. I'm just saying that it sounds funny when a population which extolls the virtues of oil analyses can look at a filters guts and say, "that looks good/bad". On what do we base our conclusions besides apparent build quality?

Hugs & kisses, Kira

 

[FlyNavyP3]

I wanted to purchase this filter and cut one as much to post up my results for the community to see and to generate discussion as much anything else. Do I wish that it was a CQ blue instead for the same price? Of course, who wouldn't. That being said I have 2 to put into use on future OCI for my 4Runner and I'll post the cut pics when that happens. For $1.42 it was fun to dissect and document it. As I indicted above, the remainder of the filters (other applications) are all Carquest Red/Blue which I have no reservations of using at all.

 

[marine65]

Originally Posted By: bvance554
Originally Posted By: marine65
Why in the world would you put a $1.42 unknown filter on your engine?
For $5 or $6 more you can get a filter of known quality.
I just don't get it.


Because the filter that costs $1.42 is just as good as the one you'd pay $5 or $6 for. I don't get that.


I said $5 or 6$ more
So for about $7 or $8 you can get a Fram Tough guard that has proven quality.

 

[FlyNavyP3]

Devil Dog,

I'm not here to cause waves and I absolutely agree that there are filters available of a known quality. However like I mentioned I gambled with a filter grab bag and 80% won with what I got. The Toyota filters, meh, they're nothing exciting, but they'll work. Also in addition it allowed some people to see inside what I bought allowing them to make an educated decision of their own. Will I purchase them again? No. Will I use them for a 3,000-5,000 oci without being worried, you betcha.

Semper Fi!

 

[goodtimes]

This is a "Nippon" oil filter for a Maxima made in Malaysia by Union Sangyo. It has some of the same Japanese characters on the can, "oil filter" only, and old factory Nissan part numbers instead of USA current numbers. They were good filters very sturdy and well made. They claimed to be OE suppliers in Japan I believe. On mine the media turned very orange over years and became unusable. FWIW as a guess to who made the one here.
To me, that spiral louvered center tube wasn't made by some knock off outfit in a garage, but a large company.

 

[FlyNavyP3]

Boy that sure looks familiar. Different style plastic seal on the end but the canister markings are identical. The filter material in mine is also quite orange. Lots of good information here!

 

[bvance554]

Originally Posted By: marine65
Originally Posted By: bvance554
Originally Posted By: marine65
Why in the world would you put a $1.42 unknown filter on your engine?
For $5 or $6 more you can get a filter of known quality.
I just don't get it.


Because the filter that costs $1.42 is just as good as the one you'd pay $5 or $6 for. I don't get that.


I said $5 or 6$ more
So for about $7 or $8 you can get a Fram Tough guard that has proven quality.


Even worse. Has anyone lost an engine due to an oil filter failure, or anything oil related? It your money, do what you want with it, I'm just saying that your extra $5-$6 makes no differnce in the real world, other than making you feel good about it.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: FlyNavyP3
.... Will I purchase them again? No. Will I use them for a 3,000-5,000 oci without being worried, you betcha.....

Sounds like a good and reasonable plan. I'd do similar if I had them.

Again thanks for c&p.

 

[FlyNavyP3]

Installed my first one of these today on a friends Mazda B2500 with the 2.5L SOHC 4 cylinder engine along with 5 quarts of Peak Conventional 10w30. If I do the next oil change for him I will do a cut and post of the used filter. I wrote out an oil change sticker for 5,000 miles for him.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: FlyNavyP3
If I do the next oil change for him I will do a cut and post of the used filter.


Sounds good!

 

[JustinH]

I purchased a denso filter from rockauto a few weeks back for our scion.

They are now made in china, the filter looks very similar to the one you had there, but has no japanese writing on the side of it. Just says made in china right on the filter now.

Previous denso filters were made in japan I believe.

 

[SilverC6]

Originally Posted By: bvance554

Even worse. Has anyone lost an engine due to an oil filter failure, or anything oil related? It your money, do what you want with it, I'm just saying that your extra $5-$6 makes no differnce in the real world, other than making you feel good about it.


It's been well over a decade ago but FRAM damaged some Cummins diesel engines and had to change their oil filter from a PH3976 to PH3976A for that application.

Dodge put out a service advisory at the time to not use the FRAM oil filters on the Cummins diesel.

 

[penataquit]

Originally Posted By: JustinH
I purchased a denso filter from rockauto a few weeks back for our scion.

They are now made in china, the filter looks very similar to the one you had there, but has no japanese writing on the side of it. Just says made in china right on the filter now.

Previous denso filters were made in japan I believe.

I was gonna post the same thing - this filter looks suspiciously like the new Densos, aside from the printing on the can of course. Thinking of cutting up one of the ones I just got to see how it compares internally.

 

[FlyNavyP3]

Have one of these in use on the GF's Lexus right now with PYB SAE 30. Rapidly approaching the next OCI and will post the C/P here as well. OCI on this filter will be ~5500 miles. So far so good, no start up rattle issues or any other things to indicate any issues. I only have a few of these filters but provided that it looks ok after 5,500 miles I'll use them up for 5k OCI's on her car.

 

[PimTac]

I'll bet they are counterfeits. It is not at all uncommon for counterfeiters to have connections to actual manufacturers where they can get parts like the center tube for their fake products. It is a huge industry and covers everything from automotive to food and drugs.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: PimTac
I'll bet they are counterfeits. It is not at all uncommon for counterfeiters to have connections to actual manufacturers where they can get parts like the center tube for their fake products. It is a huge industry and covers everything from automotive to food and drugs.



You betcha.
Big dollars to be made in saving a quarter or so on a part that retails for maybe five bucks.
Not!

 

[sw99]

Originally Posted By: marine65
Why in the world would you put a $1.42 unknown filter on your engine?
For $5 or $6 more you can get a filter of known quality.
I just don't get it.


The cold hard truth is that your car wont know the difference between our $1.42 filters and your $6 filter. Enjoy spending your money as you see fit...

 

[Gokhan]

This certainly looks like a counterfeit oil filter. It's interesting that RockAuto is selling it. However, the quality seems OK.

I've seen a lot of counterfeit Toyota oil filters on the Internet. They have the exact same paint job and boxes but will usually say "Genuine" instead of "Genuine Toyota" and "For Toyota" or "Use for Toyota" instead of "Toyota."

The genuine Toyota/Denso 90915-10001 OEM oil filters:

A few from the wide spectrum of counterfeit Toyota oil filters:

 

[BironDanmum]

Originally Posted By: bvance554


Even worse. Has anyone lost an engine due to an oil filter failure, or anything oil related? It your money, do what you want with it, I'm just saying that your extra $5-$6 makes no differnce in the real world, other than making you feel good about it.


•Dodge Cummins lost a few thousand motors from using Fram
•The NHTSA recalled Korean Frams that were popping off the sides of engines on motorcycles
•The CVMA banned on-OEM filters after Kyle Wyman's K&N exploded and caused his leg to burn
•AMA banned Frams (more exploding filters)
•CCS banned Frams (same)
•WERA banned Frams (you guessed it)
•In 1996 Fram was banned by the NHRA due to multiple explosions and bursts over the years
•Purolator is in the middle of a class-action lawsuit from VW Routan owners who say that the improper design of the #L36136 destroyed their engines
•Honda facing a class action lawsuit from their OEM filters that are catching fire under the hood
•John Deere recalls about 5,000 Gator ATVs due to faulty Fram-sourced oil filters that could potentially destroy engines
•Gismondi & Associates of Pennsylvania successfully sues for "A million-dollar recovery on behalf of the parents of a young man killed in a motorcycle accident caused by a defective oil filter on a Honda motorcycle."

So yes, there's numerous documented instances in which an oil filter has caused engine failure, and/or death. That's not counting the anecdotal evidence going back 60 years or the number of smaller race tracks, speedways, courses and dragstrips who have banned one filter or another (usually Fram) for accidents and incidents that have occurred onsite.