CHOOSING AN OIL FILTER
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Written by: Robyn Landers rblanders@math.uwaterloo.ca
Last revised: April 2003, with more links to oil filter stuff
Last revised: March 2000, with links to oil filter research
Previously revised: September 1997, adding part number for larger Honda filter
Copyright: may be freely copied as long as you include this header.
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A common practice to save some money on motorcycle
maintenance is the use of aftermarket oil filters. FRAM,
NAPA, Emgo, and others make filters that are "compatible"
with the OEM Honda part. But are they really?
[NOTE: the following paragraph applied in 1995! It is not current!]
First off, if you are reading this any time around
April 1995, you MUST refer to the accompanying article
about a serious flaw in a recent lot of FRAM oil filters
that has led to several crashes and serious injuries.
FRAM has recalled specific lots of their V4-compatible filter
(along with a couple other models) and is shipping replacements.
If you have a FRAM for your bike, be very very careful!
Second, there is some interesting home-made
research on oil filters on the World Wide Web.
For a casual examination of several motorcycle oil filters
(including Honda's OEM one), visit this web page:
http://home.att.net/~creek/oil_filters.html
For a slightly more in-depth examination of a large number
of car oil filters, visit this web page:
http://minimopar.simplenet.com/oilfilterstudy.html
Both support the conclusion that FRAM filters are pretty poor,
and the first page shows how high-quality the Honda filter is.
Now, what filter should you use? Some say that
the aftermarket filters are just as good or better than
the OEM filter. But there's more to it than simply
whether or not it is the same size and fits on the mounting
threads. There are important considerations such as flow
capacity and bypass valve characteristics for which it is hard
for the casual observer to verify compatibility with OEM
specifications.
Some say that auto/motorcycle makers source their
filters from some other company, and it's unlikely that this
other company would bother with the expense of making several
different quality levels for the same part in order to
supply end product for retail at different price points.
Doesn't matter if you're paying $10 at the Honda dealer
or $3 at Wal-Mart, it's the identical product by the
identical manufacturer.
I can't prove it one way or the other. But I don't
believe this argument. For example, there are only a handful
of manufacturers of guitar strings in the world, and they
supply strings under many different labels. And there
are most definitely differences among these strings.
The manufacturer makes them to the specifications that
their client wants.
Similarly, I have no trouble believing that
Filter Company X may make filters to higher specifications
for the Honda label, while at the same time they make
"compatible" filters to lower specifications at a lower
price for other retail brand names.
Here's what Paul Laskowski (plaskows@hns.com)
reports about his investigation, in response to someone's
observation that the Honda Accord and the Honda VF1000R
use the same size filter, for which NAPA claims their
1334 model is equivalent.
"Car oil filters have lower bypass valve pressure settings.
The bypass valve is for when a filter clogs up, the pressure
builds and the valve opens up allowing unfiltered pressurized
oil to the bearings. I spoke to American Honda about this
once (considering the $8-10 cost of Honda OEM oil filters)
in using a Fram Honda Prelude oil filter that matched the
threads and seal dimensions. The Honda rep explained that
most bypass valves on car oil filters are set around 60-90PSI,
while bikes typically operate in that region (at high revs).
Most bike oil filters have their bypass valves around
90 to 120 PSI."
Elsewhere in my V4 files, you'll find a recommendation
by another author for the NAPA 1334. Is it "safe" to use?
I don't know for sure. Personally, when I weigh the costs and
compare the advantages and disadvantages, my vote goes with the
OEM Honda oil filter every time.
Honda makes them in two sizes. The Sabre and Magna
(and others) originally came with the larger of the two,
formerly part number 15410-MB0-00x (for some x) and now
part number 15410-MJ0-004. Because I have the Tierney-Hollen oil
kit installed on my bike, I now use the smaller of the two.
The part number for this filter is 15410-MM9-003. My opinion
is "accept no substitutes". Your mileage, as they say, may vary.
And now here are more URLs for more web pages about oil filters.
I make no claims as to their accuracy, trustworthiness, etc.
http://www.micapeak.com/bike/ST/ST1300/Oils.html
http://www.twocreeks.net/toby/oil_filters.shtml