Is the Prius oil filter as bad as this one?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by pasadena_commut, Jun 9, 2025 at 2:09 PM.

  1. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    Ran into this video today:



    where they test some OEM oil filters. The Toyota filter tested was 90915-YZZD1, whereas the one for the Prius is 90915-YZZN1. In short, the Toyota filter tested has a very high flow rate and abysmal filtering. Is the N1 variant the same construction, with similar performance?

    Key points in the video:

    0:26 - picture of the filter - the last 2 digits cannot be read but the link in the text is to the YZZD1.
    5:56 - table showing filtering results for various size particles
    8:29 - tear down of the filter
    9:29 - comparison of filter scores with a variety of other filters

    They did buy the Toyota filter from Amazon, which is often a bad choice, but it appears that the seller is Amazon itself, so unlikely to be a fake. As Amazon links never work, go there and enter B0044AVLF0.

    I did wonder if they got a bad filter, but what are the odds that the only one they buy is bad unless broken units are extremely common?

    EDIT: added the 5:56 time point
     
    #1 pasadena_commut, Jun 9, 2025 at 2:09 PM
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2025 at 7:52 PM
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yeah I don't know this oil filter debacle has been going on since the eighties. I use a fram or wix mid line call it done . Oil goes on very light tan color comes out almost coffee colored . Whatever the mileage . It's worked almost 50 years for me . Never any engine failures yet .
     
    #2 Tombukt2, Jun 9, 2025 at 3:19 PM
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Abysmal? I’m clueless, but have read it’s a balancing act, flow rate versus filtering.
     
    #3 Mendel Leisk, Jun 9, 2025 at 3:34 PM
  4. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    Filtering more than 100X worse than the Bosch, 5-10X worse than the Motorcraft (the 2nd worst filter in this set of 4). Worst filtering in 16 filters, worse than Fram.
     
    #4 pasadena_commut, Jun 9, 2025 at 7:52 PM
  5. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    I use the Fram Ultra on mine. Better filtering, but sacrificing a bit of flow when compared to the Toyota OEM. Oil is a very light brown when I do my annual oil changes; always in the neighborhood of 10K, sometimes a bit over. I'm averaging around 130mpg; since I'm about 70% EV. This car and engine doesn't seem to turn my oil coffee brown; like my other cars. My old diesel turned the oil black/brown within 50 miles of changing it.
     
    #5 BiomedO1, Jun 9, 2025 at 8:20 PM
  6. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    If you buy Toyota OE grade off of Amazon, make sure that it sold through a Toyota dealer.

    I also use a Walmart branded Super Tech spin on, since I have the spin on conversion. It is made in USA and is high quality.

    A more restrictive oil flow may cause overheating or starvation of the variable valve timing system, which becomes worse with sludge if the oil is left too long in the engine.

    More important than the brand of oil filter is a frequent oil change to remove detritus, contamination and sludge.
     
    #6 Georgina Rudkus, Jun 9, 2025 at 8:40 PM
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