Filter changes during the break-in period

[UncleDave]

Or the Toyota OEM seen to be around 51% @ 20u. Hard to say what the Toyota OEM would be at 99% without seeing the efficiency curve, but I'd bet it's similar to the Boss and XP, as Wix once claimed the XP was 50% @ 20u before they made it a "proprietary" efficiency. Back when these ISO 4548-12 tests were done, the Honda A02 came in better than the Toyota.

View attachment 280444

I know a couple of companies made Ao2's

Was this the fram built version which is some weird cross of a tough guard and extra guard?

Hard to beat my OG Fru's Im running in my rig, between that and a filter mag I figure Im scrubbing that juice pretty well.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I know a couple of companies made Ao2's

Was this the fram built version which is some weird cross of a tough guard and extra guard?

Don't know ... whoever was making the A02s back around 2011. Of course as most know, oil filters change like the wind so who knows what the current OEMs filters are doing these days.

 

[Hohn]

Right, all we know about any OEM filter is that they passed PPAP and presumably meet or exceed all OEM requirements.

Honestly since we know many, many Honda and Toyota engines have gone a long time on OEM filters, we can legitimately question the importance of super efficient oil filtration.

As much as we bash the BOSS, maybe it’s perfectly sufficient for 300k or even 400k miles?

 

[UncleDave]

Right, all we know about any OEM filter is that they passed PPAP and presumably meet or exceed all OEM requirements.

Honestly since we know many, many Honda and Toyota engines have gone a long time on OEM filters, we can legitimately question the importance of super efficient oil filtration.

As much as we bash the BOSS, maybe it’s perfectly sufficient for 300k or even 400k miles?

For sure.

Engines can run a long time on factory components, and most autos are so lightly loaded that it isnt going to matter a lot.

Almost any engine can attain high miles, but the detail is how tight is it at that mileage and the tell tale sign is the leakdown test. Claim of mileage are meaningless if its a leaky sieve or gross polluter I cant get smogged engines do wear out.

A naturally aspirated truck that tows often under load, can easily have twice the revolutions on the rotating assembly as a sedan traveling the same mileage. This starts to matter more.


Still t...he most important filter on that vehicle is the engines air filter.

 

[ZeeOSix]

My use choice of oil and filters (and many other things in life) is all about headroom in the functions they are meant to perform.

 

[Plawan]

Context: I have a new vehicle, Honda Ridgeline with a J35y8 NA GDI engine, and I changed the oil out at around 600 miles. I also changed the stock Honda filter to a Purolator Boss at that time. I plan on changing the oil 2 more times before the free dealer-provided service: once at 1,500 and again at 3000.

Question: Would you personally find it worth the cost and effort to change the oil filter during either of those two planned oil changes given that the engine is still breaking in and probably shedding metallic wear particles? Cost is less the issue than effort - anyone who's changed the oil filter on their Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline or Odyssey knows how annoying it is. I am committed to doing these early oil changes, though, and if wimping out on changing the oil filter would nullify those benefits then I'll do it.

No I would not find it worth the cost and effort to change the Boss filter early. You’re not gonna overload that filter in 3k miles. Not even during break in.
Most people do the very first oil/filter change at the recommended interval from either their dealership or the manual. So the dealer will probably say it needs changed a little bit earlier for revenue but still probably not before 5k ish.

 

[rstcso]

It's my understanding break-in oils are no longer a thing, mainly due to high auto lease rates, where proper-care-and-feeding of a new car, and/or customer's laziness to getting an early oil change, are part of the reason manufacturers are not using a break-in oil. A break-in oil is only good for a relatively short period of time before it starts doing more harm than good.

 

[Fair enough]

I don't think break in oils were a thing for car makers after about 1958? In the US that would have been largely US makers. There were a few european makes, and next to zero Japanese makes imported. The Toyopet was a rare car in the US. Changing the oil early was to get the machining and first wear metals out using regular oils for a very long time.

 

[Eulogium7]

Yesterday I changed my oil at a little over 2K miles, and swapped out the Boss with a Pentius filter. Thank y'all for your guidance and suggestions!

 

[carl2591]

fram ultra shows great number on microns,,, might be the best of the best right now

 

[rstcso]

I just pulled-the-trigger on a case of Pentius UXFL PLXL7317s for the Pilot. Switched from OEM to Amsoil SS & EA15K13 filter at 600 miles, then changed a second time at 4k. Have a case of Amsoil SS and two more of their filters on the shelf, then will make the switch to HPL PPPCMO, purchased during this weekend's sale, and the Pentius filters. I had planned on staying with the Amsoil filters with the HPL, but after reading many threads, decided the Pentius UXFLs would be more than sufficient, some might even say better, at less than half the cost.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

So when you changed that filter at 600 miles was there anything visible in it?

 

[rstcso]

So when you changed that filter at 600 miles was there anything visible in it?

Minimal. Here's a thread with a picture I took of the pleats.

 

[Glenda W.]

I just pulled-the-trigger on a case of Pentius UXFL PLXL7317s for the Pilot. Switched from OEM to Amsoil SS & EA15K13 filter at 600 miles, then changed a second time at 4k. Have a case of Amsoil SS and two more of their filters on the shelf, then will make the switch to HPL PPPCMO, purchased during this weekend's sale, and the Pentius filters. I had planned on staying with the Amsoil filters with the HPL, but after reading many threads, decided the Pentius UXFLs would be more than sufficient, some might even say better, at less than half the cost.

Great choice!

I posted a c&p from a 5k mile oci 3.5L Acura.

Thread 'Pentius PLXL 7317 C&P 5k miles'

Jul 1, 2025

2016 Acura RDX 132k miles. 5154 mile oci.

Out: M1 ESP 0w-30
Off: Pentius PLXL 7317

In: M1 ESP 0w-30
On: Carquest Premium 84356

• Glenda W.
• Replies: 35
• Forum: Engine Oil Filters

• 
• 
• 

 

[rstcso]

Great choice!

I posted a c&p from a 5k mile oci 3.5L Acura.

Thread 'Pentius PLXL 7317 C&P 5k miles'

Jul 1, 2025

2016 Acura RDX 132k miles. 5154 mile oci.

Out: M1 ESP 0w-30
Off: Pentius PLXL 7317

In: M1 ESP 0w-30
On: Carquest Premium 84356

• Glenda W.
• Replies: 35
• Forum: Engine Oil Filters

• 
• 
• 

That thread, and others which you've commented, gave me the confidence this filter was of a quality which I would not be disappointed. The price of the Microguard Select is twice of the Pentius, and virtually the same filter. Also, it appears the Amsoil filter may have some shortcomings due to the construction of the bypass valve and how it's integrated into the filter assembly.

 

[Eulogium7]

Just wanted to give an update - I had been running the Pentius filter with Valvoline EP 0w-20 for a couple thousand miles and everything was good. Went to the dealership for the free oil change and tire rotation and immediately took a 4 hour roadtrip. Things seemed fine until the last 30 minutes or so, whereupon I noticed a drop in fuel economy and the truck took a lot more revs to accelerate from a stop than it used to.

I took a look at the undercarriage. Even though the maintenance minder didn't call for a new oil filter, they swapped out the old Pentius with a Honda one anyway, and I suspected that was the cause. I changed it out for another Pentius today and noticed that the engine doesn't have to work so hard to get up to speed anymore. Will report back with findings about fuel economy.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I also changed the stock Honda filter to a Purolator Boss at that time.

^^^ From your post 1 ... so did you tell a difference when the Boss was used after the OEM Honda filter? Hard to believe the filter was causing what you described in post 56 above, unless there is something majorly wrong with the filter that's causing a major lack of oil from getting to the engine. Should cut it open and inspect it for anything abnormal looking.

 

[Wireman1987]

Context: I have a new vehicle, Honda Ridgeline with a J35y8 NA GDI engine, and I changed the oil out at around 600 miles. I also changed the stock Honda filter to a Purolator Boss at that time. I plan on changing the oil 2 more times before the free dealer-provided service: once at 1,500 and again at 3000.

Question: Would you personally find it worth the cost and effort to change the oil filter during either of those two planned oil changes given that the engine is still breaking in and probably shedding metallic wear particles? Cost is less the issue than effort - anyone who's changed the oil filter on their Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline or Odyssey knows how annoying it is. I am committed to doing these early oil changes, though, and if wimping out on changing the oil filter would nullify those benefits then I'll do it.

I would have went the factory break-in period of Honda’s 1st recommended oil change. Not going to call it break-in oil we are in “2025” but the extra additives and moly that is in the factory fill is worth the run. Since you’re into it now why not just run your short regime of oil changes through microgards or fram eg’s until Honda takes over the oil changes.

 

[Eulogium7]

^^^ From your post 1 ... so did you tell a difference when the Boss was used after the OEM Honda filter? Hard to believe the filter was causing what you described in post 56 above, unless there is something majorly wrong with the filter that's causing a major lack of oil from getting to the engine. Should cut it open and inspect it for anything abnormal looking.

I had the boss for such a short period of time that I couldn't tell you. I'm still keeping an eye on it since it could very well be a fouled PCV valve, dirty injectors or (god forbid) a faulty torque converter. Given that it's under 9,000 miles it shouldn't be anything quite that drastic. Air filter looks perfectly fine, so it's not that.

 

[Eulogium7]

I would have went the factory break-in period of Honda’s 1st recommended oil change. Not going to call it break-in oil we are in “2025” but the extra additives and moly that is in the factory fill is worth the run. Since you’re into it now why not just run your short regime of oil changes through microgards or fram eg’s until Honda takes over the oil changes.

Yeah from here on out, I'm doing 5-6k mile OCIs with the Pentius filters which are like Microgard Selects but made in Korea.