whitson01

iTrader: (2)

hey guys.. well this is my first post on here.. so dont flame me too bad. but i just wanted to pass this info along and try to get some feedback..
first a little about my back ground.. i use to own a 03 rsx type s which i was crazy about.. very nice car.. then i got a 04 sti. that was my power house, a beast it is (currently for sale).. now i got a 06 tsx auto.. which i love it, nice and comfy, gotta love the luxuary..
anyways, for all of my honda/acura's that i have owned ive always got and used the JDM hamp oil filters.. mainly cause they are made by toyo roki of japan.. they are high quality filters.. they make a lot of filters for oem cars (including subaru which is what i used on my sti), hell i think they even make the mugen filter.. anyways, i just ordered a couple off ebay.. when i got them in, guess what? they are made in the USA by some company called filtech!!!??? what the hell is this?
im assuming that there are still true jdm hamp oil filters out there but i just dont remember what part # i use to get for the rsx.. the part # that i got through ebay is h1540-rta-505.. now on the auction it was showing part #h1540-plc-505.. now the filter i got has a ton of japanese writing on it likes it jdm but its kinda funny to see in small letters "made in usa".. wow, nice marketing scheme honda.. man this really pisses me off.. all it is a huge rip off! they charge jdm prices and give us a usdm filter..
ok getting back to what i am wondering/wanting.. are there still true jdm hamp filters out there? on my usdm filter is has small letters that say HAMP that run verticaly.. i *think* the true jdm hamp filter by toyo roki will have HAMP in fat letters running horizontialy on the filter (i think part #h1540-plc-505).. can anyone varify?? know anywhere to get them? or even the blue jdm (toyo roki) honda filter will be fine but i dont know what part # to get or even if they still have them at honda dealers.. hell, i wonder if my subaru filter will work?? thanks guys!

moda_way

First off welcome!!!

We flame everyone who mentions an RSX.
Selling the STi... R U NUTS!!!!

As for oil filters, there are some JDM ones on ebay and I'm willing to bet our vendor here, MrHeelToe has them as well. However, I go to handa-accessories.com to get my filters. Good price, Honda OEM and the best part... they're blue!!!

Newplay1

Will check mines when I get home I have couple green filters around from last oil change.

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

the rsx was a nice little car.. great gas milage.. everyone tells me that about the sti.. but i needed more of a commuter car.. its like i wasnt using the sti what is built for..
anyways, the oem filters on handaaccessories.com you talk about, are they fram or toyo roki or filtech filters?

JTso

iTrader: (2)

This is what came with the TSX. However, most OEM oil filter they sell at the dealers are now by Honeywell.

15400-PLM-A01 FILTER, OIL (FILTECH TOYO ROKI)

PJS

Has Filtech bought Toyo Roki or vice versa?
If that's the case, then those "Made in USA" ones may (should?) still be Toyo Roki spec/design, just made locally since they're part of the same company.

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

i dont think that was the case (toyo roki being bought out).. especially by an american company, that just dont make sense to me.. i think that filtech just bought into the hamp name maybe or got some kind of contract with honda of america.. but i do know that toyo roki is still a company and hasnt been bought out cause they still (at least) make subaru filters..

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

again, i almost sure that filtech and toyo roki have no affiliation..

JTso

iTrader: (2)

Not sure about affiliation but that's how the parts catalog is listed for 04-07 TSX.

Parts List

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

wow, that is right.. interesting..

PJS

Looks like I was right - it seemed to make more sense than contract manufacturing.
Anyhoo.....

PJS

Further interesting reading:
http://preludeonline.com/showthread.php?p=2030271
http://www.preludeonline.com/showthread.php?t=172058
http://www.ntpog.org/reviews/filters/old_filters.shtml - this link may be already floating around here from previous discussions on oil filters.

Think I'll have a wee chat with Filtech tomorrow and sus out the HAMP set-up.
That 3rd link suggests the Honda OEM filter is better than the HAMP, which was/is a low-cost variant. I was always under the impression that the HAMP brand was a higher end product line.

MrChad

FYI Honeywell is the company that owns Fram, why buy a Honda filter when they are all basically Fram filters. Honeywell also owns the Bosch plug line if I recall and Bendex brake pads.

It was known for a long time on the old style large Honda filter with the canada part number and the A-zone fram filter when torn apart where the exact same filter.

MrChad

edit Honeywell site lists Autolite plugs...I had an ex-coworker that did some work at Honeywell, I swore I remember Bosch plug stories. Maybe I'm loosing it.

mav3556

whitson01, did your filter come in a box or was it just covered in shrink wrap? Bt the way who is the vendor on EBAY who is selling these flaky USDM HAMP Oil Fliters?

mav3556

which Hamp filter is the USDM ? h1540-rta-505 or h1540-plc-505

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

h1540-rta-505 are the ones i got and they are made by filtech (made in usa) i *think* the plc-505 are the made in japan (toyo roki) ones.. now im not saying they are flaky, as it may seem filtech may be owned by toyo roki.. which means they may be a good filter.. this is to be determined..

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

i always thought that the hamp line of filters are the higher quality/better performing filter..!!?? when was it ever a low cost variant of the toyo roki blue filter? it has always been marketed this way.. damn the whole aftermarket system

mav3556

Well, I just talked to my friend that is living in Japan and she said that Honda only as two kinds of Hamp filters now (as of 2/2007). The short HAMP Filter part# H1540-PFB-515 and the taller Hamp Filter part# H1540-RTA-505

The exterior of the filter doesn't have the large "HAMP" lettering anymore instead it's small vertical "HAMP" lettering.

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

ok 2 things then.
1 who makes them in japan? does it say toyo roki on them or does it say filtech?
2 what are the ones w/ part # h1540-plc-505? there are some on ebay right now.. the guy is telling me that they are true jdm hamp's..??

mav3556

The H1540-PLC-505 are the older filters from pre-2007. Filtech is just the sister company of Toyo Roki.

The other thing that my friend said was that, the New Hamp Oil Filters are a little different internally. The older models that were pre-2007 were more like one piece filters internally. The new ones are the opposite. Anyways the only way to really check these filters are to just cut them open, like a science project. Anyways their just as good as the old ones. Anways, I know that Spoon uses the HAMP Filters on their cars, so I'll just stick to what they use. Just don't use the Rebranded Fram/ Honda Oil Filters.

Newplay1

Just checked mines last night, says made in japan and has 505 part number.

crunktastic

the Honda s2000 filters 15400-PCX-004 used to be all Toyo Roki (Japan). But I went to get one the other day, and it's Filtech (Made in USA). I asked the parts guy about it, he said the Japanese made filters are all permanently exclusive to the Japan market now. He also said he'd use the Honda Filtech filters before ever considering the Honda Fram filters.

mav3556

Don't use the Honda rebranded Fram Oil filters their terrible. The Honda Filtech filters are a lot better but their very similar in design internally to the Japan Domestic Market Honda Filters.

mav3556

I don't want to be anal but I too would rather purchase a Honda HAMP Filter Made in Japan. The Honda (Blue) and the HAMP Oil Filters filter a lot better than the Rebranded Honda Filters.

mav3556

Whitson01, can you take a picture of the Hamp Filter(s) that you have.

MrChad

I challenge someone to show me engine oil particulate data that would suggest regular changes and a cheap fram filter will do noticable harm to the engine. Unless you are sending your oil to the lab it's darn near worthless to speculate the power of a particular filter.

There are likely 500,000mi Camry's and Accord's that have seen nothing but walmart frams since day one.

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

ok, but was that plc-505 or rta-505 or pfb-515? and does it say made by toyo roki?

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

i agree, fram sucks.. but i know that toyo roki still makes the subaru filters.. unless if that has changed in the last couple of weeks..???

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

im anal about stuff too.. that is why i started this thread to find out what happened.. it seems that the filtech's are good stuff afterall..

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

this really doesnt matter.. its a matter of preference.. i prefer a japanese made filter like the toyo roki cause they have a higher level of quality control than for example fram.. so that is why i prefer the toyo roki filter.. and if i had to guess i would say the toyo roki filter would show better lab results than fram.. but again, that doesnt matter to me..

rza49311

iTrader: (1)

^^ I bought a lot of 5 on ebay last year but don't see a single one on there now. I do see 15400-PLM-A02 though from the same guy i originally bought from.

MrChad

I'm anal, but in the lazy way (ask Moda_way) I'm trying to find the filter that fits the old style Honda wrench -- I just really liked that wrench. I've been b1tching about to him and some buddies for weeks now I'll go all Fram if it fits :P

I run syntec oil, and so far I'll go with any filter just so as long as it fits. But logic would state unless you plan to keep the car past 150,000mi what does it matter, studies have shown the average owner will never see the benefits of synthetic oil; the 2nd or 3rd owner actually might (if they keep using synthetic.)

My sister is the original owner since new of an Accord v6 as well, she uses plain jane 5w-20 crud and what ever fitler the dealer gives her. She's had bunches of Canada Honeywell-Fram Honda filters over the years. She has well past 150,000mi on her '02 going on 200k mi now. But she changes her oil every 5k or when the light comes on, and that is likely the most important part. Still the OE engine but tranny number 2, doh! Still running as good as day one.

I remeber once listening to click and clack, a caller was asking what oil or additive to use to achieve 1mil miles like the onwer of that 5th gen Accord guy did awhile back. That owner swore by Castrol Syntec. But click and clack said odds are that guy would have reached 1mil miles regardless of product, it was the owner not the oil that did the magic. 1mil mile cars get there because they have 1mil mile owners and there is likely some truth to that...

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

i normally use amsoil but i may start using castrol syntec 0w30 (which is made in germany).. it has actually shown way better results as compared to other syntec which is made in the states.. but that isnt what this thread is about either

vidgamer

Hey, can I go out on a limb and say that even though I like my made-in-Japan car, I think the US of A can make a decent filter if it has a mind to.

BTW, Amsoil makes some parts for the TSX, but they do not currently make an EAA (air filter) application. Read the brochure/web site about that one -- interesting tech. (Nano, that is.)

And whatever is said about the various filters, if the Prelude guys say it, I'll believe 'em.

whitson01

iTrader: (2)

ya, they make an oil filter that uses their nano technology but they are around $16 i think.. so i will probably use the hamp filters i got and then when there gone i will just go from there.. probably just ge the blue filters by honda/filtech..