Originally Posted By: Built_Well
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
I actually see those metal shavings with every brand of oil filter, be it Purolator, Supertech, Napa/Wix, etc. I just wipe them off until there's no more residue on my finger and call it good.
That's interesting. I've never seen metal shavings or loose paint chips on the Denso YZZF1 filter, but I really never looked closely either. So just now, I closely inspected an oversized Mobil 1 filter that I have handy (the M1-209), and didn't see anything out of the ordinary.
I was happy to see that the Mobil 1's metal threads seem to be smoother than the last time I felt them a couple years ago--one of the reasons I stuck with the Denso two years ago. But today the Mobil 1's threads don't seem as rough as they were 2 years ago--don't know if it's just my imagination.
I also have an STP handy (the S4967). No metal shavings, paint, or cardboard pieces to speak of. Did have a Night Gallery experience though. When I removed the rubber-like gasket, I saw between 5 and 10 super-small bugs crawling around inside the metal groove where the gasket fits! The bugs must have been a millimeter or less in length and slightly brown in color. One bug was especially small like it was a youngster. Maybe these bugs have an unusual life cycle, living and giving birth inside the filter's groove, between the metal and the rubber gasket? Very weird to see. I wonder what they eat? The rubber?
I bought both the buggy STP filter and the nice Mobil 1 filter from AutoZone less than a month ago. The STP bugs stayed inside the groove. They didn't venture out even after I lifted the gasket, although they were scurrying around like they knew they'd been spotted.
One thing I don't like about this STP filter is the box says "Change your oil filter every 3 months or 3,000 miles."
I wonder if the bugs might lead to an elevated protein count in a used oil analysis
I think when I wrote that, I worded it poorly. It's not necessarily shavings per se but rather a very fine metallic powder. Try wiping your finger on the threads of a filter you have once and see if you notice any residue on your finger.