Mazda 1WPE-14-302 Design

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Nov 12, 2018
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Location
Washington
I'm not totally sold on the design of the Thailand-made Roki Mazda filter, 1WPE-14-302.

The thing that bothers me is the possibility of leaks between the outside chamber and the inner core.

The shiny areas on the top and bottom of the media where the filter element interfaces with the steel structure are quite hard, like cured urethane. If those hard surfaces don't conform perfectly with the shapes of the metal pieces they contact, some unfiltered oil will seep across, due to the pressure difference between the outer and inner chambers of the filter.

If you look closely at the photograph of the inside of the top plate, you'll notice the circumferential thin dark line that traces the interface between the filter and the top plate is incomplete. That suggests a gap between the filter and the plate in the area where the line is missing.

At the other end of the filter the hard urethane-like area on the media presses against a stamped steel structure that holds the bypass valve. For the filter I cut open, the marks on this stamped steel piece show evidence of good, continuous contact with the element, at least in the area that is visible in the photo.

Perhaps those hard, shiny areas on the ends of the filter media are somewhat pliable when the filters are assembled, allowing the interfaces to fully seal. I hope that's the case.

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If the base end had a rubber ADBV then it would provide a good seal - but this filter doesn't have the ADBV. The bypass valve end, probably not so much if there is just metal-to-metal sealing. Is the metal center core tube sticking up above the end cap on both ends?

Can't tell for sure, but does the metal base plate and the metal leaf spring touch the metal center core circumference, or touch the clear ring on the end caps?
 
The ends of the metal core are very slightly recessed from the clear, hard ring of whatever material is on the ends of the element. That material is quite hard, and very slightly textured. The texture makes me a bit skeptical that it is soft and pliable (and thus able to form a good seal against the metal) when the filter is assembled. Or, I suppose the texture could be a consequence of pressing against the steel, which not being polished, has a tiny bit of texture itself.

Here's a picture of the bypass end of the element.

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The ends of the metal core are very slightly recessed from the clear, hard ring of whatever material is on the ends of the element. That material is quite hard, and very slightly textured. The texture makes me a bit skeptical that it is soft and pliable (and thus able to form a good seal against the metal) when the filter is assembled. Or, I suppose the texture could be a consequence of pressing against the steel, which not being polished, has a tiny bit of texture itself.

If the hard ring on the end caps is pretty flat and has some flexibility, then the seal may be adequate. Maybe you could put some kind of dye or a super fine film of grease or similar on the hard ring, then press the parts that contact them with some force to see if they conform and seal.
 
I squeeze them together with a c clamp to about what the load would be. I use the plastic bar clamp new kind. Clean the oil off and try looking at that scenario, the seal imo is one of the best out there. Laying it together isn’t like how it is made.The center tube floats, at least in the Denso. I have taken them out with my fingers. It’s an excellent design. This sure looks like a Denso product.
I notice the pleats look thinner and spread out so much more than the other one posted on here, regardless of the placement under the holes.
 
I mentioned this in another thread a while back but either Mazda is switching to Denso to keep things in the Toyota family structure or Denso and Roki are running the same factory out of Thailand.

I haven’t seen anything that confirms this.
 
... either Mazda is switching to Denso to keep things in the Toyota family structure or Denso and Roki are running the same factory out of Thailand.

In my initial post, I shouldn't have referred to it as a Roki filter. I don't think there's a brand name on it or the box (other than Mazda), but it is clearly labeled as being made in Thailand.
 
In my initial post, I shouldn't have referred to it as a Roki filter. I don't think there's a brand name on it or the box (other than Mazda), but it is clearly labeled as being made in Thailand.


I can’t remember where it is. It might be on the box. Then again maybe it has changed? It’s been a while since I changed my oil.
 
This is why I order my PE01-14-302B filters off of eBay even though they are shipped halfway around the world !
It is worth it.
 
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