Featured Test shows why you need to change oil often, if you use Toyota oil filters

We all have our ideas. I think I already explained why it makes all the difference, the rate. The real test talks about the rate they use.
If there isn’t the money, then there is the inaccurate result. It has to mimic the actual situation or it’s worthless. Them to not know what a combo bypass is in the delco made me lose faith in what they say. They even slapped a face like Delco made a mistake. There were a couple more things like that.

 

The video was adding 1.1g of dust in 250mL of oil over a minute to the reservoir tank of the test rig at a time. The dust was well mixed with the oil before adding; no clumps to prematurely clog the filter.

The goal is to measure how well the filter works under standardized conditions to allow repeatable results that can be compared. Not a test of how well the filter works on a car in service. That introduces a whole bunch of other variables. The rate that particles would need to be added will vary with the engine model and how it is operated.

An official lab isn't going to run a test rig for days to simulate a thousand miles driving when the results wanted are what particle sizes are trapped by the filter, and its capacity before failing.

 

One minute isn’t like an engine sees. It sees 1.1 gram over probably 20 hours, evenly metered. The official lab has to do something remotely close to average conditions. Most cars now run clean, good air filter, more or less sealed intake system.

 

It is into the reservoir tank, not directly injected to the line going to the filter. There is further dilution going on before the dust reaches the filter. The validation testing for the official test rig runs for just an hour.

The official lab does not have run something close to average conditions. The fact the official test is using that special oil is evidence of this. Oil in an operating engine is at 100C. There are practical and safety considerations in running test equipment at those temperatures. Then there is considerations for the test results as those temps could create more particles within the fluid. Some they use a fluid that is of the same viscosity at 40C as motor oil at 100C.

If the goal was to mimic exactly what is going on in the engine, they would be using dust alone. There would also be a liquid or gel that is insoluable to the oil added. That is what motor oil is breaking down into over engine operation, and is likely what is mostly clogging up the filter. Mixing that to provide a set spread of particle sizes would be impossible.

The test just needs to give repeat results of what the filter is capable of to allow selection by the engineers for the specific engine. They'll know the contamination and oil degradation rates for the engine from other testing. The EPA fuel economy testing in no way mimics current drive patterns, but the results allow direct comparison of different cars.

The testing done by the video also only covers one part of twelve in the ISO filter testing.

 

Interesting video. I've long suspected that the Toyota filters were little more than rock catchers. I recently did my first oil change on our 2017 Prius V at 51k miles. A Fram Endurance 10358 went in. The pleat spacing wasn't very impressive and the media itself was pure white as opposed to the pink as was found in Fram Ultras. What are folks here at PriusChat currently using for this application? Mobil1 M1C154? Wix 57064XP? Other?

If you follow BITOG you know that Fram Ultra had been a long time favorite because they specify filtering efficiency at 20 microns vs. 30 microns for the Mobil1. Wix is more evasive here. In any case I think either would be vastly more efficient than the OEM Toyota.

 

You haven't changed the oil for the entire mileage? 51 thousand?

 

No silly! Dealer service at recommended interval up until then.

 

Good.

Otherwise, talking about the quality of the filter would make no sense.

 

So what are your latest thoughts on filters? I wasn't impressed with the Fram Endurance that went in but would be more than willing to swap it out for something better after 5k.

 

Fram Endurance I can't say if this is a good filter or not.
On my car I use filters like TOYOTA 90915-10003

 

Why do my service providers keep saying I have to change my oil annually? I drive less then 3000 miles a year! I’m in Portland, Oregon so - mild weather. A dusting of snow for a few hours was all we got. Not nearly as hot as down South. My car is a 2010, still running great.

 

Very interesting tests especially seeing the Frams almost last for flow rates. I used Fram in my first car (Chevy Z-24) and she blew a rod after just 100,000 miles...I'm suspecting that filter was a primary cause.

 

Some degradation of the oil happens in the car while parked, with additives getting used up. Humidity levels are also a factor in addition to heat, with higher leading to faster aging of the oil.

Then one year is easier to keep track of for low driven cars using a mileage timer like Toyotas. GM has an oil wear calculator, and the Volt could go two years between changes with it.

Our old Sable was used about as often as your car. I stopped paying for synthetic oil for it, and just did an annual oil change no matter the miles. Toyota was okay with using 5w20 vs 0w20 in your year; they just wanted the oil changed sooner then.

 

After making the mistake of buying a 2006 Prius that did not get its oil changed on timely intervals and therefore has galled cylinders and needs the whole engine replaced, I would never buy another car that the previous owners didn't follow the manufacturer's oil change recommendations.

 

Specifically, because Toyota USA recommends to change the oil and filter, every 10,000 miles or yearly, whichever comes first.

At least once a year is a good ploy for any car, regardless of the miles. FWIW, for my Canadian spec 2010 Prius, the maintenance schedule stipulates every 8000 kilometers (roughly 5000 miles) or six months, whichever comes first.

I am in similar quandary with ours, even more extreme: for the past few years we've only been doing about 3000 kilometers (around 1800~1900 miles) per year. I considered all the factors, opted to change oil and filter yearly, in the spring, to hopefully flush out the humidity that tends to accumulate over winter.

What's the miles on your 2010?

 

As a kid of the 60s, neighbors w/ diesel ICE had cars with oil recommendations at 2K / 3K miles turning on environment. Changes over the decades may relate to better filtration tech, better oil tech, much higher tolerances Etc

 

I don't know about Toyota USA, but my manual has two schedules, one is that one, the other is every 5,000 miles or 6 months (whichever comes first).

Reading the fine print, the 10k or yearly oil change is for vehicles that basically live in warm weather all year and are only driven long distances on a flat freeway. The Prius I got had 10k mile or yearly oil changes (whichever came first) and it still damaged the engine.

If the car is used to drive down to the store and back it still should be changed every 6 months (or every 5,000 miles if driven that far before 6 months). Otherwise it's going too far between oil changes in my opinion and experience.

If the car resides in Arizona and is used for driving out to a vacation site a couple times a year, then yearly oil changes would be alright in my book.

My 1971 VW Super Beetle had oil change intervals from every 750 to 3,000 miles, depending on weather and use.

 

This is really no news. We have always known that Fram Ultra, Purolator Boss, etc. have higher filtering efficiency than OEM filters. You can also go oversize with them (longer or wider filters). If you go to the dealer for oil changes, it is a moot issue. If you are a DIY person, sure, throw in an extra ten dollars and there is a slight chance that your engine might last 1,100,000 miles instead of 1,000,000 miles if you are one of those people who like to keep your car until everything falls apart and it becomes obsolete.