Forester XT filter recommandation

[jbutch]

Hey bitog,

I'd like to hear what you guys think would be the best oil filter for my FA20DIT engine. I plan on 8000 kms OCI.

From what I read, the bypass valve for subarus is at 23 psi. The onli filter that meets that is the Wix filters but their XP filters is only 99% @ 35 microns...

Now the fram ultra would seem a good choice but it only have a bypass valve of 13 psi....

I live in Canada in very cold temps and I fear that a lower bypass pressure would result in being in bypass for extended time in cold temp.

What do you guys think?

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Napa Gold 7055

 

[FA_WRX]

Jbutch, why not run the OE tokyo roki filter and change at midway OCI point.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

I run the same Tokyo Roki 170 filter (speced for the WRX) as FA_WRX and like it a lot, but I was lucky in getting a big stash of them at a great price from a seller on Amazon...that source has dried up. Despite being a short and wide filter, it fits fine in the "cup" on my FXT...I'm not sure it would have fit in my daughter's Impreza and didn't try it. These filters are rock solid and I like the design of the seal (don't know whether to call it an O ring or a P ring?).
I am not a big fan of the Wix/NAPA Gold filters with the higher bypass pressure due to the square seal. I had one that just would not stop seeping oil no matter how gorilla I went on it...
There is some kind of racing filter from Fram with the right bypass pressure that will fit, but $$$.

I'm sure the Fram blue cans that the Subie dealers use are fine, but I didn't like that fact that the cases were so thin that I could feel them flexing when I was tightening them. I figured they must be some kind of composite and was dumbfounded when I scratched an old one up with a pick awl and saw it was actually metal.
I suppose I will end up using these once my stash of Tokyo Rokis runs out in a couple of years. I'm already using them in the Impreza as the TR 170 looked to be a bad fit for it with a narrower "cup".

 

[Donald]

I get the blue Subaru filters on Amazon by the 5 or 6 pack.

Not sure there is a need for some super filter for the Subaru engine..

 

[ARCOgraphite]

If that's top mounted inverted you are going to get a dry start every time after an hour of sitting.

Not much can be done. On my wifes current and previous FB the filter can was empty when unscrewd after about an hours sitting when I performed the oil changes,

 

[jbutch]

Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
I run the same Tokyo Roki 170 filter (speced for the WRX) as FA_WRX and like it a lot, but I was lucky in getting a big stash of them at a great price from a seller on Amazon...that source has dried up. Despite being a short and wide filter, it fits fine in the "cup" on my FXT...I'm not sure it would have fit in my daughter's Impreza and didn't try it. These filters are rock solid and I like the design of the seal (don't know whether to call it an O ring or a P ring?).
I am not a big fan of the Wix/NAPA Gold filters with the higher bypass pressure due to the square seal. I had one that just would not stop seeping oil no matter how gorilla I went on it...
There is some kind of racing filter from Fram with the right bypass pressure that will fit, but $$$.

I'm sure the Fram blue cans that the Subie dealers use are fine, but I didn't like that fact that the cases were so thin that I could feel them flexing when I was tightening them. I figured they must be some kind of composite and was dumbfounded when I scratched an old one up with a pick awl and saw it was actually metal.
I suppose I will end up using these once my stash of Tokyo Rokis runs out in a couple of years. I'm already using them in the Impreza as the TR 170 looked to be a bad fit for it with a narrower "cup".



I though about using the tokyo roki from the mazda rx8 when warranty is up. Is it better in efficiency than the blue subaru filter?

I've been using the 15a blue subaru for ever and I've bent the can once... didn't even put too much pressure, they do seem cheaply built.

The 170 wrx doesn't seem to have as much holding capacity but I could be wrong.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted by jbutch
Hey bitog,

I'd like to hear what you guys think would be the best oil filter for my FA20DIT engine. I plan on 8000 kms OCI.

From what I read, the bypass valve for subarus is at 23 psi. The onli filter that meets that is the Wix filters but their XP filters is only 99% @ 35 microns...

Now the fram ultra would seem a good choice but it only have a bypass valve of 13 psi....

I live in Canada in very cold temps and I fear that a lower bypass pressure would result in being in bypass for extended time in cold temp.

What do you guys think?

Actually 27 PSI bypass on all the new Subarus. 23 was for older models.

I think yours has an oil cooler for the filter mount, so it sits a bit taller?

As for a Tokyo Roki filter, it's just going to be OEM specs, which are not going to be high efficiency. I personally would have no problem using them.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
I run the same Tokyo Roki 170 filter (speced for the WRX) as FA_WRX and like it a lot, but I was lucky in getting a big stash of them at a great price from a seller on Amazon...that source has dried up. Despite being a short and wide filter, it fits fine in the "cup" on my FXT

If that filter is also used on the BRZ/FR-S, I've used the Toyota Denso equivalent on a friend's Forester with no issues at all. It's a 90915-YZZS1 filter. Made in Thailand with a blue ADBV.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4944326/used-toyota-denso-90915-yzzs1

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted by jbutch

I though about using the tokyo roki from the mazda rx8 when warranty is up. Is it better in efficiency than the blue subaru filter?
I've been using the 15a blue subaru for ever and I've bent the can once... didn't even put too much pressure, they do seem cheaply built.
The 170 wrx doesn't seem to have as much holding capacity but I could be wrong.

I bought a couple of those TR Mazda filters and they sure LOOKED to be the same as the Tokyo Roki 160 filters that come on Subies from Japan (I was able to compare it directly to the filter on my daughter's Impreza), but I didn't cut them open to examine the internals. I used one Mazda filter in my FXT and one in the Impreza. I have never seen any efficiency numbers for any of the TR filters, they might be buried in the huge oil filter info thread on subaruforester.org for at least some models.
Just going by eye, I think the TR 170 is similar in volume to the TR 160 and the Fram 15A...I have only seen pics of the TR 130 but it does look to be quite a bit larger!

Those Fram blue cans do freak me out a bit, it's not like I have grip strength like John Brzenk and I still feel that case flexing...ugh.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
If that's top mounted inverted you are going to get a dry start every time after an hour of sitting.
Not much can be done. On my wifes current and previous FB the filter can was empty when unscrewd after about an hours sitting when I performed the oil changes,

The only time we experienced anything that could have been related to that was when my wife took the Impreza for a cheapo oil change and my daughter complained that the car was hard to start the next day...I freaked out and ran over to check her oil level, which was fine. Later on at home, I opened the hood again and saw a really tiny no-brand oil filter...spun it off and replaced with the Tokyo Roki Mazda filter I mentioned above. Never had any complaints about the car starting again and I was able to verify with some help from BITOG folks that the cheapo filter had no ADBV.

 

[Loi]

Subaru OEM blue filter or Mazda Tokyo Roki would be the best filter to use.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Get the non-XP Wix

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Get the non-XP Wix

Which happens to be the Napa Gold 7055 for $3.50 each during Farm & Fleet sale, vs. $9 for the Wix at some place like O'Reilly's. Has Enhanced Cellulose media which Wix claims is 15 microns nominal. One of the better filtering Wix's, as most are rated at 21 or 35 microns.

Cut open virgin NG 7055

WIX 57055 Data

 

[y_p_w]

RockAuto has the 57055 for $3.83, but you'll need to justify the shipping cost with a bigger order with more filters or other stuff from the same warehouse.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/wix,57055,oil+filter,5340

I bought my Wix 57712 case from this place. It's $3.47 for the 57055. Not sure what shipping would be. Back when I bought my case in 2013 it was about $14.

http://www.discountfleetsupply.com/wix57055.html
http://www.discountfleetsupply.com/wix57055xp.html

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
If that's top mounted inverted you are going to get a dry start every time after an hour of sitting.
Not much can be done. On my wifes current and previous FB the filter can was empty when unscrewd after about an hours sitting when I performed the oil changes,

The only time we experienced anything that could have been related to that was when my wife took the Impreza for a cheapo oil change and my daughter complained that the car was hard to start the next day...I freaked out and ran over to check her oil level, which was fine. Later on at home, I opened the hood again and saw a really tiny no-brand oil filter...spun it off and replaced with the Tokyo Roki Mazda filter I mentioned above. Never had any complaints about the car starting again and I was able to verify with some help from BITOG folks that the cheapo filter had no ADBV.


Nothing like a Roki and real syn oil to keep the engine happy.

On the empty filter - every time i change the oil on an AF or FB the filter is empty.

Wife's Impreza has terrible startup racket. I dont recall that with the Roki and the factory synthetic oil.