Toyota Oil Filter Efficiency

The data we don't have is how many Toyota models and examples they tried to get a result that low. You MAY be generalizing from an example chosen from dozens to show off how poor the opponents product could be. I am willing to bet the Amsoil product was not chosen because it was the worst they found.

Toyota Filters - Oil Filters Revealed - MiniMopar Resources

 

For those new to this board, there's also a TRD oil filter available for the Prius, part number PTR43-52090, retailing for about $14.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...y-you-insist-trd-oil-filters.html#post1071266

 

I'd imagine they had to find a way to make it more efficient since they make them capable to last the 15k or 25k life rated oils they sell. However, you are right that at $16/each, that it is indeed expensive. However, if using their oil and filter allowed you to effectively double your oil change interval for less than 50% price increase, would you do it? I personally don't drive enough to make full use of their 25k interval so I'm at the 10-12 month interval instead. I also have a stock pile of about 5 or 6 toyota filters in my garage right now. Also, keep in mind that they just recently released that filter for the Prius, so its cost could be higher due to that reason. I use their filters on my motorcycles, and their prices are in line with what Harley charges (haven't compared for the Suzuki yet, though).

As for me, I haven't considered better oil filtration because I'm following the Toyota intervals. I have confidence that their filter works just fine for this, but if I were to extend those intervals (which would require a change in driving habits and daily commute) then I would probably look into it.

 

We also saw that comparison chart and it raised a red flag. We use Amsoil filters in all our other vehicles than the Prius. And that's only because no premium filters are really available except for the TRD which we haven't been able to find out any MEANINGFUL information on.

We prefer filters with synthetic filtration material because of their superior filtration ( shown by UOA's which include particle counts ) and flow. The extra cost is worth it to us. All a matter of personal preference.

While the Toyota cartridge filter appears to be "adequate", we too question just just "how adequate" and plan to compare it to a TRD which allegedly has synthetic filtration material. We've run enough OCI's with the Toyota filter to have UOA's with particle count baseline and we'll run a few OCI's with the TRD filter to see how they compare. There dpn't appear to be any other premium filters available for the Prius application.

The Fram cartridge filter we've used appeared to perform about the same as the Toyota filter. Both have cellulose filtration material.

 

The question I always ask is -- what are you filtering?

On most of our cars we use regular oil and they are changed in the 5.5k to 7.5k range depending on the age and model. Most of the time the oil is so clean at 5-6k -- I don't think there is much to filter.

We simple can't manage the oil changes any other way then to go to the quick change places for the fleet cars -- so they are not using "high end" filters. The engines run forever - we get over 200k using regular oil -- the engines are alway fine when they leave us.

On the cars that are used less and have longer intervals we stick with the OE filters -- The Lexus filters are noticeably heavier and a higher quality than most of the aftermarket products. I do this only because most of the aftermarket filters are paper and have been shown to degrade after extended service - plus the OE all tend to have a proper bypass. Some of our cars use a fleece filter and the aftermarket ones are paper.

 

I did a blackstone analysis. Wiyh 9400 miles, the amsoil 0w20 wiyh trd filter still has about 2500 of lifr on it.

 

At some point, there is diminishing returns.

With Prius being so easy on the engine, having an engine specially configured for efficient starts, and using 0W-20 synthetic oil, that in itself causes a pause for thought. Then of course, there's the fact that most data is from canister-type filters rather than the cartridge-type used in Prius.

It's does make you wonder what you get verses what you actually need.
.

 

The very same has been stated in UOA analysis for Toyota 0W20 oil excepting the TRD filter

 

I presume 'efficiency' is used here as a relative term of filtration fraction ? That is one number to consider, but it should be checked towards the next oil change interval. A better metric would be particulate concentrations before the next oil change, and data correlating particulate concentration to engine wear.

And just to muddy the waters, I'm willing to bet that particulate *size* is more important than concentration alone. You cannot use the result in the OP to answer this question: how much longer can the filter go before replacement compared to Toyota OEM and show equivalent engine wear ?


Amsoil's data always strikes me as cherry picking for marketing, so I ignore it.

Addendum: From the world of medicine, an example of how removal data can be skewed for marketing purposes--
I often read adverts of soap 'A' being 3 TIMES BETTER than soap 'B'. The statement is based on the bug residual concentration after cleaning with 'B' being 1/3x the concentration after soap 'A'. The marketers of course fail to mention that residual concentrations of bugs then fall in the 10^11 bugs/volume instead of 10^12 bugs/volume range, and no clinical differences are seen at those contaminant levels unless it is a surgeon washing hands.

 

Just to be clear -- I have no direct knowledge of this particular filter used in this engine ... I'm just going by past experience with many different makes.

With Mercedes vehicles I always get the OE cartridge filter from the dealer - as I know it will have all the proper "O" rings and I know I will be the correct filter material. Some of the aftermarket filters have a different look and more unsettling different "O" rings. Surprisingly - On Porsche vehicles the aftermarket Mann filter is a fraction of the dealer price and is the exact same filter -- and in the same box material...... not surprising because Mann makes it for Porsche and almost every Porsche uses the same filter. So it is widely available and identical.

I was always told that cartridge filters are used because of pressure and flow rates -- so having the correct "O" rings and construction would seem to be more important ...

I don't see the upside to and alternate filter ... so I will stick with the OE filter.

 

You presume correctly that "efficiency" is used as a term of filtration ability. The problem is that most of the oil filter manufacturers provide scant information or meaningless information on that "efficiency."

Some state "efficiency" for example, as "96% efficient" with no reference to micron size, some state "efficiency" in just single pass percentages, and just a few, such as Amsoil, Purolator and a couple of others reference "efficiency" including micron size. Unlike PDS availabilty for engine oils, specs for oil filters leave a lot to be desired.

Both particulate size AND quantity are important considerations. Studies ( by GM ) have shown that a great deal of wear can be caused by particulates 20 microns and under, hence the increasing concerns by many owners of just how good i.e. "efficient" their oil filters are in both filtration ability and capacity to hold contaminants.

In addition to filtration and capacity, oil flow is important also, most especially in cold starts where the majority of engine wear occurs.

You may chose to ignore Amsoils information, that's certainly your prerogative, but to our knowledge, they provide more information about their filtration products than any others we're familiar with, and that's quite a few.

 

I don’t contest any of the filtration data that’s been presented but IMHO any differences are moot, since I don’t see any indication whatsoever of Prius ICE wear issues in this forum. What might be more important is strictly adhering to the oil specifications (0w20 or 5W20) since the Prius filter cartridge is so small that using a more viscous oil like 10W30 might result in complete filter bypass in a cold start. This type of filtration “failure†trumps all others.

 

It's not the size of a filter that will cause bypassing the filter in a cold start. It's thick oil and the activation of the bypass valve until the oil warms and thins enough to flow better.

Since synthetic media filters, filter better and flow better, they are an optimum choice for oil filtration.

 

Size, or more specifically, surface area does indeed make a difference since the velocity of the oil through the filter is directly related to surface area, whatever the media. Also. the bypass is not expected to be activated under normal circumstances. This valve is just there as a last resort to prevent total oil starvation.

 

For cartridge filters the bypass is usually built into the engine. If there were no bypass the cartridge could rupture -- the worst of all circumstances. Still, rupture would probably only occur from complete neglect and not from low-temperature, viscous oil.

For spin-on filters, the bypass is usually in the filter itself.

 

For cartridge filters the bypass is usually built into the engine. If there were no bypass the cartridge could rupture -- the worst of all circumstances. Still, rupture would probably only occur from complete neglect and not from low-temperature, viscous oil.

For spin-on filters, the bypass is usually in the filter itself.