I just returned from the dealer where I had my oil changed. I brought my own Mobil 1 oil AND filter (in the trunk). When it was completed, I noticed that the Mobil 1 oil filter was still in the trunk. The service writer told me that she forgot to tell the tech that I had a filter also and would be willing to swap it if I wanted, but that the Acura filter was a better filter due to it's "release valve" only requires 7 lbs of oil pressure to open while aftermarket filters need 14-16 lbs. She told me that this affects lubrication at start up and aftermarket filters require a few more seconds of pressure to be built up for oil to be pumped to the top end. Has anyone ever heard that before? I'm not very oil filter literate ( I DO know that Mobil 1 makes a good oil ) and was hoping that someone, who knows this kind of stuff, could confirm or deny this.

By the way, I did a search and found no specifics about oil pressure/oil filter..

 

I think they are giving you bs. As long as you change the filter each time you change the oil any major brand of filter will be fine.

 

Seems like total BS.... Not every after market filter is better than Honda filter, but Mobil1 is one damn good filter...
In fact, I was reading that Honda filters suck based on someone's filter study

 

personally, i would take either mobil 1 or fram.

 

no filter to my knowledge made for the tlhas the bypass valve that i know of but i could be wrong. if i am can someone please tell me which brand makes it and how much they go for?

 

thanks for the replys...Yeah, I was thinking that it was BS also...However, when you starting quote 7lbs of pressure, I have to admit that I was impressed with her knowledge ( I guess I was even more impressed since she was female...not trying to be chauvinistic...I'm just going on past experience)...I think I'll leave the Acura filter in this time and switch back to Mobil 1 next time...I wonder where I can find out what the release valve pressure is needed for the Mobil 1 filter(I'm sure somebody knows the specs on it)...Give me a shout if anyone knows...I'm just curious so I can throw a number back at her... Thanks

 

I have a 16-year old Nissan that have used different brands of oil and oil filter. I think it is more important to do regular oil + oil filter changes than using the OEM oil filter.

 

Just about every filter has a bypass valve (except for REALLY cheap ones). The fact is - you DON'T want it to open. When it does, it allows oil to circulate without going through the filter media. It's used to protect the engine from a clogged filter.

Total BS on her part.

 

Ok, so she basically didn't want to own up to her mistake...Now, I'm a little smarter...thanks for the info, fla

 

Just as matter of curiosity...How much did Acura charge you for labor since you brought your own oil and filter in ?

 

Acutally HONDA OEM oil filters are one of the best. Compared to other aftermarket filters, the OEM has a higher surface area then most. There are 3 different types of HONDA OEM filter, the HONDA JDM OEM filter, the US/Canada OEM filter and the HONDA JDM OEM HAMP filter (Performance filter).

Ranking from Best to Good
1.JDM HAMP
2.JDM OEM
3.US OEM
And this is also the ranking from Expensive to Affordable
1. ~ $12
2. ~ $9
3. ~ $6

About her BS, that is not BS, she was telling the truth. I don't know the exact spec on how many lbs. but different filiters will activate the release valve at different values. It's been stated that increase in oil pressure will have less fluctuation during VTEC operation.

The good thing about honda is that they use the same oil filter for almost all their cars. Execpt the RSX and 01 Civics, they are the exact same size as all the other honda filters, but their release valve is different, it produces a higher oil pressure. Some tuners wanting the higher oil pressure could use a RSX filter on a TL and it would work fine.

Here's a picture of a HONDA JDM OEM HAMP filter. Notice the number of pleads.



I don't doubt that MOBIL 1 oil filters aren't good, they are, and the quality very close to HONDA OEM, i rather pay $6 instead of $10

Fram filters....if you ask most ppl on this board what they think about fram filters, they will tell you it's a POS.

OEM release valve is design to work with HONDA/ACURA. Aftermarket is designed for a universal size not designed spec for release valve.

There is 4 things that i stick with OEM

1. OEM oil Filter
2. OEM Brake Fuild
3. OEM Transmision oil
4. OEM Power steering

Unlike DOT3,4 or DEXII, DEX III fluids where you can use on any car...HONDA fluids are DIFFERENT and are not compatible with other cars.

Everything else I go aftermarket, air filter, coolent, etc.

 

AndySara: According the the receipt, the charge is $9 labor if you bring your own oil and filter...however, my charge is $0 for the first year on oil changes and rotate/balance...I probably should be using OEM filters at least for the first year, since it's free...

AcuraTLFan: Hey, thanks for the info...I knew this forum wouldn't let me down...there are people here that know more than most of the Acura technicians and service writers (not all, but most from my experience)...I don't know what you do for a living, but you truly know your stuff:wow: ...thanks again for the help

 

The OEM filters that we here in the US can get from the dealer are not even close to the best filter you can get, some are no better than the POS Frams. Like TLFAN said there is more than 1 manufacturer for the OEM filter, and it seems like the US doesnt get the choice stuff, we get the crapp with cardboard end plates (surprise, surprise), and the high qulaity stuff is kept in Japan. Someone with a prelude and s2000 actually dissected OEM filters and posted his results. Check it out for yourself. Personally I use an oversized purolator pure one filter; bigger is better.

http://www.ntpog.org/reviews/filters/filters.shtml

 

Thanks for the link Mr. Hyde...that was very in depth...I'm going to print it out and take it to the dealer and show it to her (this should be fun)... ...I like being smarter than the dealer...after all, I'm the one that told them about the 7/100 tranny warranty before they had even heard about it...

 

Amsoil is a pretty good oil filter I heard.

 

K&N is good too.

 

when a service writer comes up with technical specs that in depth, its your first clue that its total bs. most technicians wont even know that much information.

 

http://www.ntpog.org/reviews/filters/filters.shtml [/B][/QUOTE]

I donated the Amsoil filter to the above analysis, for the record I use a oversize Amsoil filter sdf44 and change it every 5k. By oil analysis my Amsoil oil is changed every 10k, the analysis reports to use it longer but every 10k changes are ok by me. If you use a "true" synthetic oil ie Mobil1 or Amsoil you can change it less often.

 

Fender: I agree that you can go longer with a FULL synthetic, but aren't you supposed your filter twice as often as the oil then? ie...10k for synthetic oil change...5k for filter change...Or can you really go 10k without changing anything and still keep these engines for 200k miles ??

 

Hey Mr. Hyde, you said you used an oversized purolator pureOne filter, what is the model # on that one? I'd like to give it a try.
Also, the link suggested that STP seemed to be good. I went out there and bought a STP (#S2808) for our car and guess what, the by-pass valve is GONE (spring loaded thing) as described in the link. I guess STP is going cheap on their stuffs? I'm thinking of returning it and settle for something else....

 

Just the quote I've been waiting for. I meant to order the Amsoil SDF20 for quite some time now, but the news of an oversized Amsoil sounds very promising. What cars do you normally use the SDF44 for just to cross reference?

 

Purolator Pure One(24458)

 

My first test was to go from 22k miles to 33k miles on one Amsoil filter and 5w30 Amsoil oil. I had the oil analyzed at the lab, results showed the oil was good but they suggested I change the filter because I have a higher than normal iron content. The next 10k I ran 0w30 and changed the filter at the first 5k mark both filters were a oversize sdf44. I didn't have the oil analyzed this time, I'm waiting for the 53k mark in about another 4 months. I did prove to myself that with proper filter and oil 10k changes are realistic. BUT my driving is 90 mile RT at mostly 65 -75 mph. Amsoil tests their filters and state they are good for 13k or one year. I change at 5k because I'm still a little anal from old habit of 3k changes.

 

Another board member told me about the sdf44,, if you had to cross reference it I guess it would fit any car that requires a sdf20,,, the 44 is fatter so it's just a clearence issue.

 

What I meant was if SFD20 = stock size and SDF44 = oversized...what cars do the oversized filters normally go on...so say in the future, if I can't get Amsoil SDF44, I can just go out to my local auto store and buy say a filter that would fit a specific SUV/Truck and know it would fit, but just oversized.

P.S.
Most people just list the filter #'s like Mobil1(M105) and the Purolator listed above...but what I want to know is that what cars do they normally go on, where these filters are not considered oversized?

 

search here and find a car that takes sdf44,,, http://amsoil2.cpinternet.com/ select Light cars,,, sorry but the last time I looked there is 1032 diff car models,, although the engine families will narrow the choice down to a couple of hundred,, have fun

 

I did that already...that's why I figured I should ask. You enter in the car THEN they give you the corresponding filter...NOT the other way around. I just figured you knew a faster way...but I guess not thanks anyways.

 

Ive been using the Purolator Pure One 24458.