Subaru OEM filter opened - SOA 6351520815

[scurvy]

After recently opening a Wix 57055XP, i also decided to purchase some OEM filters to see what was doing in them. These are the newer blue filters on the market that do not say ENGINE on them, instead they have the part number, date code and Made in USA videojetted onto the end. I also uncrimped the double seam with Knipex pliers and I had more difficulty getting it started but eventually it came undone.

Comparing to the Wix, the ADBV is thinner and likely nitrile instead of silicone - however that is not important in this application because the filter is mounted vertically up in the engine bay.

Overall, the filter element seems to be a little shorter and smaller diameter with a plastic cage backing the media. The bypass spring seems much softer. Pleat spacing looked even and neat, with slightly tighter spacing than the Wix.

In my estimation this is certainly a fine filter for stock 6 month/6k OCIs but i think the Wix is better built at the same price. The tighter seam means nothing about filter construction tho, one can make a perfect seam that’s tighter or looser, larger or smaller - all depends on the seaming tool design.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Comparing to the Wix, the ADBV is thinner and likely nitrile instead of silicone - however that is not important in this application because the filter is mounted vertically up in the engine bay.

Do a burn test on it to see if it burns with white smoke (silicone) or black as coal smoke (nitrile). My bet too is that it's nitrile.

Also, just because a filter is mounted vertically with base up doesn't mean the ADBV is not important or needed. It will still keep all the oil in the galleries above the filter from draining down due to gravity.

Looks like a Fram date code (made on the 105th day of 2023 ... "3105" in the code).

 

[fantastic]

You don't want all the oil draining back into the oil pan regardless of the oil filters position on the engine. The Anti-drain back valve is still there to do the same job as any other orientation. Your engine would be subject to dry starts if there was not one in the oil filter.

This filter does look very good & I would wager they are good enough for the OLM interval. Thanks for sharing!

 

[scurvy]

Also, just because a filter is mounted vertically with base up doesn't mean the ADBV is not important or needed. It will still keep all the oil in the galleries above the filter from draining down due to gravity.

The filter is mounted high up in the engine bay - afaik there are no oil passages above it. My Impreza engine bay shown below.



As expected the black ADBV from this blue Subaru filter burned with black smoke and the red one from the Wix burned with white smoke.

 

[ZeeOSix]

The filter is mounted high up in the engine bay - afaik there are no oil passages above it. My Impreza engine bay shown below.

View attachment 170446

As expected the black ADBV from this blue Subaru filter burned with black smoke and the red one from the Wix burned with white smoke.

Ok, thought it was vertical on the bottom, inside the exhaust "ring of fire".

But in your case, the ADBV is needed to prevent the filter (and probably galleries) from draining.

The bottom line is an ADBV can prevent oil drainage from someplace in the oiling system regardless of where the filter is mounted.

 

[Soobs]

Seems to me these new "temporary" SOA filters aren't anything special and this sure has been a very long run for it being temporary. In fact I'm suspicious they're just the same product Champion Labs produces for SuperTech... SuperTech ST6607 vs. SOA6351520812 and ST7317 vs. SOA 6351520815. I'm not seeing any difference, but perhaps someone has done an in-depth side by side?

 

[scurvy]

Seems to me these new "temporary" SOA filters aren't anything special and this sure has been a very long run for it being temporary. In fact I'm suspicious they're just the same product Champion Labs produces for SuperTech... SuperTech ST6607 vs. SOA6351520812 and ST7317 vs. SOA 6351520815. I'm not seeing any difference, but perhaps someone has done an in-depth side by side?

I would loathe to darken the doorway of a Walmart but might grab both of those to pull apart…

 

[Bellavita]

Both of these filters for Subarus lack published performance specs at point of sale for efficiency and life and are sold at a premium price point of $12- $16

A Fram Tough Guard has a complete set of specs at point of sale that are at a high level of performance and costs $7.17 .

It is an interesting industry in that these products can co-exist.

 

[RevRider]

Both of these filters for Subarus lack published performance specs at point of sale for efficiency and life and are sold at a premium price point of $12- $16

A Fram Tough Guard has a complete set of specs at point of sale that are at a high level of performance and costs $7.17 .

It is an interesting industry in that these products can co-exist.

Excellent point, totally agree with you.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

So, Subaru's OE supplier Fram has trouble making enough filters with the correct Subaru-spec bypass, yet Purolator/Wix has no such trouble at all? Why doesn't Subaru just switch suppliers?

This SOA substitute filter looks like any other 7317 sized Ecore

 

[ARCOgraphite]

You don't want all the oil draining back into the oil pan regardless of the oil filters position on the engine. The Anti-drain back valve is still there to do the same job as any other orientation. Your engine would be subject to dry starts if there was not one in the oil filter.

This filter does look very good & I would wager they are good enough for the OLM interval. Thanks for sharing!

I just did an OCI on the Wife's 2023 crosstrek a month ago. I Used a Supertech MP which appears similar to the new subaru E-core part, but with the bonus of a silicone rubber adbv.

Every time I have performed an OCI on a Subaru FB engine in the past decade the filter was empty. Noisy dry starts every morning or afternoon after a couple hours sit.
- Ken

 

[ARCOgraphite]

So far I like the WIX XP on this engine (previous OCI) and the MP7317 second for 1/2 the price. I took a new Fram Ultra off due to excessive engine noise. I can cut open the MP, but why bother it's construction is quite obvious and familiar. - Ken

 

[fantastic]

So far I like the WIX XP on this engine (previous OCI) and the MP7317 second for 1/2 the price. I took a new Fram Ultra off due to excessive engine noise. I can cut open the MP, but why bother it's construction is quite obvious and familiar. - Ken

The Super Tech's do have a fan base so C & P are informative & amusing.

 

[Sayjac]

SOA shown sure looks like a Super Tech ST series ecore filter with nitrile adbv. No doubt for me also made by First Brands Champ Labs. 99% sure OP is correct, black adbv is nitrile. Only been one exception found to black being nitrile, the Toyota Thia Denso (not Denso FTF) filter. Iirc, the SOA FB/Fram made with fiber caps also used black nitrile. Does make one ponder if same filter as the equivalent Super Tech ST , but different color can.

As for no efficiency specs on SOA, OEM filters rarely if ever publish efficiency specs, so nothing new here. Honda OEM the same way. It would seem SOA would have to approve the change to ecore, temporary or otherwise.

 

[Bellavita]

I just did an OCI on the Wife's 2023 crosstrek a month ago. I Used a Supertech MP which appears similar to the new subaru E-core part, but with the bonus of a silicone rubber adbv.

Every time I have performed an OCI on a Subaru FB engine in the past decade the filter was empty. Noisy dry starts every morning or afternoon after a couple hours sit.
- Ken

Hi Ken,
I've had the opposite experience with my 2021 Subaru Limited; my oil filter is full when I remove it and have no noise at start up. I do cut my filters open to inspect them.
The filter I recently removed was a Purolator One and replaced it with a Fram ExtraGuard. I also use Fram Tough Guards. I've got 24,320 miles on the engine. This inconsistency is strange because our engines should be the same unless Subaru made a change in the last two years. Maybe we can get some other owners to comment.

I'm going to stay with the Fram brand because the performance specs are excellent, great pricing, the Fram filter is about a 1/4" taller than the Purolator and their availability at Walmart and other retailers makes it really easy to get them.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Hi Ken,
I've had the opposite experience with my 2021 Subaru Limited; my oil filter is full when I remove it and have no noise at start up. I do cut my filters open to inspect them.
The filter I recently removed was a Purolator One and replaced it with a Fram ExtraGuard. I also use Fram Tough Guards. I've got 24,320 miles on the engine. This inconsistency is strange because our engines should be the same unless Subaru made a change in the last two years. Maybe we can get some other owners to comment.

I'm going to stay with the Fram brand because the performance specs are excellent, great pricing, the Fram filter is about a 1/4" taller than the Purolator and their availability at Walmart and other retailers makes it really easy to get them.

Curious. Do you let it set for a couple hours or overnight before removing it?. If you had just ran it to warm the oil, it should likely hold oil for possibly an hour. My experience was on two early Forester FB2.5, a 2017 Crosstrek FB2.0, a 2021 D.I. FB2.5 Outback (wife hated that car) and our latest 2023 Crosstrek D.I. FB2.0

Does you forester have the new 2.4 engine?

 

[ARCOgraphite]

The Super Tech's do have a fan base so C & P are informative & amusing.

Are the plastic center tube "cages" still tearing the media or did they modify the cage to not have sharp edges? What I don't like about the ecore is the center tube is a larger diameter than champs old perf'd metal tube and that takes away from filter media area (sq .in.) - something that you cannot afford to lose in a hamster-sized filter can.

 

[Bellavita]

Curious. Do you let it set for a couple hours or overnight before removing it?. If you had just ran it to warm the oil, it should likely hold oil for possibly an hour. My experience was on two early Forester FB2.5, a 2017 Crosstrek FB2.0, a 2021 D.I. FB2.5 Outback (wife hated that car) and our latest 2023 Crosstrek D.I. FB2.0

Does you forester have the new 2.4 engine?

I have the FB2.5 with direct injection. The Purolator I took off was with the engine cold that had sat for 24 hours. I was just swapping out filters and not doing an oil change.

My wife loves the Forester. What did your wife not like about the Outback?

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I have the FB2.5 with direct injection. The Purolator I took off was with the engine cold that had sat for 24 hours. I was just swapping out filters and not doing an oil change.

My wife loves the Forester. What did your wife not like about the Outback?

Base model. Got it on sale for 25K (before trade) during epidemic.

HVAC controls on touch screen, seats, automatic, hard to get kayak on roof, problems with it chewing the inside edge completely off the back tires in 20k miles, coolant loss, vehicle too big and just not 'Bohemian' enough for her lifestyle, lol.

I would agree with her, the rear seats were terrible, subaru would do nothing about the incorrect rear wheel geometry, this touch HVAC was terrible. The JP crosstrek has a better rear seat - and just over all better built vehicle. I am "delegated to the rear seat" when we visit my Mother-in-Law once a month.

I will say it steered well, was powerful, had a good highway ride and got excellent fuel mileage - well over 30 mpg average.
The rear suspension issue on this Indiana-built vehicle was a major concern. Wonder if there is a TSB now.

And I was born in Indianapolis! - Ken

 

[fantastic]

Are the plastic center tube "cages" still tearing the media or did they modify the cage to not have sharp edges? What I don't like about the ecore is the center tube is a larger diameter than champs old perf'd metal tube and that takes away from filter media area (sq .in.) - something that you cannot afford to lose in a hamster-sized filter can.

From my reading here on BITOG It appeared there was an issue with what I would call "Wide Spacing" of the plastic grid & would allow the media to tear. From what I've seen with my Saturn Fram Tough Guard ecore's is that specific filter had smaller spacing of the grid & allowed more backbone support.

I believe they've done better with the spacing along with improvements of media I would say it's not much of an issue anymore. I know there was a lot of discouragement when they first came out b/c the metal tubes did an good job of supporting the media & keeping the media from tearing. If you can find an "Extended mile" version they'll typically come with media to hold up better than the standard ones but with the new updates across the board & the "Standard" filters now touting 10k you no longer need to spend a lot to get good protection. The only real way you could see if the "larger" diameter ecore vs metal core is to cut them open & lay out the material length. That would give you an answer as to which has more surface area. However, I've seen "Premium" filters use less media than their standard filters so perhaps what you're seeing is actually an upgrade from the old metal tube design.