Pentius extended life oil filters on Amazon for less than $6

[SC Maintenance]

I checked out the PLXL7317 on Amazon for my Subaru and passed on them for the following reasons:

1. They don't paint the filter as an assembly so the baseplate edge seam is unprotected.
2. The mileage life is not stated.
3. The filter media is not stated.
4. Pricing is $7.84
5. Made and shipped from South Korea, (15-30 days from manufacture to arrival in USA)

I'm staying with my Fram Tough Guard because I know exactly what I'm getting:

1. 15K mile life
2. 99% @20 microns
3. Cellulose/synthetic blend media
4. Silicone anti-drainback
5. Fiber endcaps (stronger more reliable adhesion with the media)
6. Great availability. Easily purchased at Walmart along with my motor oil
7. $7.17
8. Made in the USA.

I've taken the Tough Guard apart after use and they are appropriately named. And if one is on a tight budget the Extra Guard has excellent performance specs at $4.12.

You can't judge a book by its cover, but I bought one and its going on next. It looks much better than the Fram Ultras I have been using. Its heavier, has silicone gasket and ADBV, and the center tube has holes - not louvers like the new Ultra's. The threads are clean unlike the Fram. It also is 20um@99% and is cheaper.

I want to run it once before I buy any more. There is the other problem is I already have like 2 years worth of filters - maybe more.

 

[DannyM]

.
This looks to be the Pentius below which STP was apparently using as the mfg years ago .. This is 6 years ago with all components identical and shows made in Korea on the sticker.. This has 10,000 miles on it and looks like it could keep on going another 10k. . .. and he shows a new one as well..... both top level QC which is what you cannot ever count on from most others and no louvers which I just never feel as confident as wide open holes or the champ plastic core.

Regarding the media you can see on the close up at time 3:00 in the vid as the camera moves left to right the sparkling glitter which afaik always indicates the synthetic component.

That "master chart" of all the oil filters doesn't mean anything to me without taking into account CONSISTENT QC and components REMAINING the same as well as what the filter looks like after 6k to 15k .. With these 3 points Pentius XL and Premium Guard Extended pull to the top of the heap easily.

 

[fantastic]

^^ from what I've found out STP might be using Premium Gard on some of their filters now but did appear to be using Pentius before.

 

[tcp71]

While those oil filter savings don't translate to amazon.ca, I did get a couple of air filters for my truck. $20 each is cheap and 52% off the regular price:

 

[Bellavita]

You can't judge a book by its cover, but I bought one and its going on next. It looks much better than the Fram Ultras I have been using. Its heavier, has silicone gasket and ADBV, and the center tube has holes - not louvers like the new Ultra's. The threads are clean unlike the Fram. It also is 20um@99% and is cheaper.

I want to run it once before I buy any more. There is the other problem is I already have like 2 years worth of filters - maybe more.




View attachment 175690

Prudent to try one and see. Looking forward to a future C&P!

 

[ZeeOSix]

They don't paint the filter as an assembly so the baseplate edge seam is unprotected.

I'm wondering if the rolled seam is aluminum like the cover plate on the base plate (?) ... if so, there's no reason to paint it. Someone needs to check it with a magnet.

 

[Bellavita]

I'm wondering if the rolled seam is aluminum like the cover plate on the base plate (?) ... if so, there's no reason to paint it. Someone needs to check it with a magnet.

Its interesting . . . the Microgard brand of oil filters (made in Korea) is made the same way and I recall a BITOG thread with pics showing the seam rusting.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I'm wondering if the rolled seam is aluminum like the cover plate on the base plate (?) ... if so, there's no reason to paint it. Someone needs to check it with a magnet.

I will see if I can discern anything with a magnet when I get home. However here in sunny no salt South Carolina I could care less either way.

 

[Bellavita]

Its interesting . . . the Microgard brand of oil filters (made in Korea) is made the same way and I recall a BITOG thread with pics showing the seam rusting.

Found it!

Leaky Oil Filter Thoughts?

So, I recently discovered my truck being 2 quarts low and it has never done that before (thread for reference here: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/16-f150-5-0-first-time-oil-consumption.369994/ ) Agreed best plan is to go ahead and change the oil, start fresh, and closely watch over...

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[SC Maintenance]

Found it!

Leaky Oil Filter Thoughts?

So, I recently discovered my truck being 2 quarts low and it has never done that before (thread for reference here: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/16-f150-5-0-first-time-oil-consumption.369994/ ) Agreed best plan is to go ahead and change the oil, start fresh, and closely watch over...

bobistheoilguy.com

that one looks 10 times better than this rusty Fram.

Fram TG 9 months, 4k miles. Rust!

This TG filter came off a 2003 maxima. Was on for 9 months and about 4K. Filter was rusted pretty bad. I tried pushing on the body with a screwdriver curious if the rust was deep. Went right through pretty easy! You can see marks where I tried pushing in areas that were not rusting with the Same...

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[DannyM]

.
Nightmare !!!!.. Run Away fast !!!

9 months and 4k miles !!! .. Help !!!

 

[Bellavita]

that one looks 10 times better than this rusty Fram.

Fram TG 9 months, 4k miles. Rust!

This TG filter came off a 2003 maxima. Was on for 9 months and about 4K. Filter was rusted pretty bad. I tried pushing on the body with a screwdriver curious if the rust was deep. Went right through pretty easy! You can see marks where I tried pushing in areas that were not rusting with the Same...

bobistheoilguy.com

Incredible. I read the entire thread. Even though the filter appears to have sat outside in the elements, I think your comment at the end made sense of possibly attributing the cause to bad steel. Thanks for sharing!

Bad metal. No other explanation. Even crap non-galvanized 18 gauge steel with crap lacquer or early enamel paint in the 70's automobiles didn't rust through for years. An oil filter with no paint at all, covered in salt still shouldn't rust completely through in that short of time. OP verified it was a 2019 filter build date ran for 9 months.
Bad steel. In 2019 steel prices were high - my guess is Fram sourced from somewhere cheap and that part of the coil had a defect. It happens.
Yet one more argument for 6 month OCI minimum.

 

[pcf]

I took the plunge on a case of plxl4386 size for my Corolla. The slightly longer 4386 is getting scarce and it looks like there will be an eventual consolidation on the 4967 size.

Locally the TG4967s at Walmart still have black ADBVs, the Ultras and Endurance have a lot paint damage and I’m wary about how they were handled in transit.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I'm wondering if the rolled seam is aluminum like the cover plate on the base plate (?) ... if so, there's no reason to paint it. Someone needs to check it with a magnet.

So the unpainted lip is ferrous. Its part of the base plate I believe. Its quite thick - I can't see it rusting through unless you were to run it 5 Minnesota winters in a row

Its the same design as the Denso pictured below. Denso is likely one of if not they premier volume auto parts supplier on earth. If its good enough for them to put their name on, I am OK with this design. Surprisingly however the Toyota branded Denso filters I have that are the same design have a painted lip?

 

[ZeeOSix]

So the unpainted lip is ferrous. Its part of the base plate I believe. Its quite thick - I can't see it rusting through unless you were to run it 5 Minnesota winters in a row

Yes, if it's thick metal some surface rust won't hurt ... it will just look bad if it gets rusty.