funcrusher

Is there a big difference between the brands? I changed my oil today and used a Wix. I thought about going to the dealership for one but I know they charge a crazy price.

PFB

Not worth fooling around with other brands Oil Filters. Get the OEM one from Lexus. The price difference would be less than $5.00. You will be getting not only top quality, but also the right filter for your car. So why take a chance?

If your Lexus dealer is too far, than get it from a Toyota dealer. Buy 3-4 so that you don't have to drive every few months to buy a new one.

funcrusher

Hmm ill do that my next oil change. I won't be doing any damage with a Wix filter right? I'm using Mobile 1 synthetic oil. I might change it the next 3k miles, instead of waiting 5 so I can get a better filter under the hood.

DRACO A5OG

Wix is a very good Manufactuer. They also make filters for Napa their Gold line.

If you check the specs the gold has better filtration catching smaller microns of debris.

KLF

Anything but FRAM.

Timothyj

Why not Fram? Just asking, I don't use Fram. Lexus or Toyota has been doing my oil changes. 04 es. Nice cars you have KLF.

Lexmex

I like using an oversized filter. In this case I moved from the OEM-sized HP-1002 to the HP-2009 from K&N.

sethjon

Remember one thing. Toyota doesn't make anything. They buy it just like you do. Fram is as good as it gets and most major bvrands will do fine.

PFB

Although your statement is true in general, please remember that those parts are manufactured to Toyota/Lexus' own specification.

So in the case of Oil Filters for example, even though the Oil filter manufacturer may be selling his own branded Oil filter, and may also be making them for others under various brand names, the specifications, and quality of the ones that he makes for Toyota/Lexus under contract are manufactured to Toyota/Lexus' unique specs. And only Toyota/Lexus would be in the best position to determine what those specifications should be.

Not only that, the Quality Control would also be different, and most likely of a higher standard. So the chances of you ending up with a defective Oil Filter are extremely low.

KLF

I teach at a large university, in a program that offers classes in small engine repair and maintenance (I don't teach these classes, but a close associate does). A few years ago we gathered up a bunch of oil filters from many manufacturers, and carefully sliced them open on a lathe. This was not an exhaustive study, mostly something we did for fun. Truthfully unscientific, take it FWIW...

The only brand that stood out as being sub-standard was Fram. Terrible construction inside. We tried several, from the cheapest WalMart ones to the fancy ones with the grippy stuff on the end. As far as we could tell they were all the same quality inside, maybe with slightly different construction (the way the pleated paper was folded, for instance). Insufficient adhesive on the ends of the paper cartridge allows unfiltered oil to bypass the pleated section. No string around the pleated part, so if the paper started to get clogged, it would just rip. The anti-drainback valves were completely worthless, there is no way they could function in the way they were built, they were too small to cover the holes around the perimeter. The bypass valve also seemed kinda weak, although we didn't have a way to actually test it. They probably did this to keep the unrestrained pleats from coming apart.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised they are still the most popular filter brand on the market, proof that popularity has nothing to do with quality, it's all about marketing. There are countless other products that are in this position, but I won't offend by posting other examples.

Other than that brand, we really couldn't see any that we thought were poorly built and we wouldn't run. We tried Toyota, Honda, Ford, GM, Dodge, and a few other OEMs, as well as a bunch of generic brands. Wix looked well made, BTW.

I always run only Toyota OEM filters. If you get the correct source and buy them by the case, you can get them for ~$4 each (DON'T buy them from Lexus, they are waaay overpriced). But, even at $6-7 each, isn't your engine worth it? How much do some of you spend on coffee, beer, or cigarettes?

Coulter

The only oil filters I've heard to avoid are Fram's economy line because they use a cardboard bypass valve. Their higher end Fram lines are supposed to be much better. Some of the best filters are supposedly Napa's "Gold" line that is made by Wix.

Here is a "famous" site that cuts all the filters open and compares:
http://people.msoe.edu/~yoderw/oilfi...lterstudy.html

I bought some Toyota OEM filters from an online Lexus because I was buying some other parts for around $4 a piece, but I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to buy these filters at a local dealership, they're just rebranded parts store brands but at twice the price.

I honestly wouldn't put too much thought into it. Walmart is a great place to buy oil filters at a cheap price and they carry a lot of the upgraded Fram ones as well as other brands.

LeX2K

This is simply wrong, I wish people would do actual research before posting stuff like this. Toyota filters are excellent, one of the best out there (made by Denso, the best in the business).

See here.



The TRD filters are even better.

KLF

Interesting thread. We did not do a TRD filter, but I'm pretty sure we did all the others. Similar findings.

It's important to note on photo #4: the Fram was the only filter we looked at with cardboard ends on the filter cartridge. On both filters we looked at, there was not enough adhesive on these end caps to encapsulate the ends of the pleats, so it would be easy for unfiltered oil to around the pleats. All of the other filters had metal end caps, and ample adhesive holding the pleats in place.

The black rubber disc is the anti-drainback valve, what it is supposed to do is seal over that ring of holes in the base plate when the engine shuts off, holding the oil in the filter, less time to get the system primed the next time you start the engine. On both Frams we cut open, that rubber ring was too small to seal off those holes, there's no way it could work.

I'm surprised that none of those filters have a string around the pleated section as a safety to keep them from "balooning" out under high pressure, especially after the paper starts to get clogged. I guess maybe they found it unnecessary.

Not all Toyota OEM filters are the same, BTW. I've gone thru several revisions on my 22RE over the years, the really early ones were made in Japan and were great. Heavy rigid can, prelubed nitrile gasket with a little shrinkwrap cap on it, they were great. Then they switched to a USA model (YZZG1), which were not as good. No pre-lube, poor gasket, not as hefty. I have a bunch of YZZD1s in my stock now that are made in Thailand that I like as well, but I don't think I'll be able to get any more of them.

LeX2K

Interesting, I've never seen the USA made Denso filters, maybe not sold in the Canadian market. The ones I buy now are Thailand, they come with the plastic shrink wrap and pre-lubed gasket. I tried to buy a case of Japanese made at the dealer, they said what they have is what I get, can't special order certain ones.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I use NipponDenso for my oil filter. Great stuff, but I can't seem to find them anymore. Luckily I bought a case of 40 filters back then for $1.50 each