When we bought our Toyota Sienna new in 2004, the salesman told up to use Toyota filters. It didn’t matter about getting the oil changed at the dealership. But there is something about Toyota oil filters and the way they keep oil available to the engine.
If non-Toyota filters are used apparently when the vehicle first starts there is a momentary lag in oil provided to the engine which over time causes extra wear and noise. Whereas with a Toyota filter it keeps oil right there available.
Just wanted to hear if that was valid or not.
Thanks much.
Have a Great Day,
Jim
Not valid. They’re talking about an anti-drainback valve. Non-Toyota flters abe built to meet the same specifications as the Toyota filters…as long as it’s a brand name filter.
I’m a long term Toyotaphile, and I’ve always used store brand filters, and in 40 years I’ve never worn out an engine. Even after hundreds of thousands of miles…338,000 in one case.
Of course he told you this. He’s trying to get you to buy the stuff that HE sells.
I hope they said you needed a filter designed for your Toyota.
You can use any oil filter designed for your specific Toyota. Likely it needs a filter with an anti-drain back feature. They are not hard to find and you can get it at any auto parts store.
They may have been trying to warn you not to frequent a quick oil change place as they are the last place you should take your car and I would not be surprised if they don't bother stocking the right filters.I have always bought the top grade filter at whichever store, such as Wal-mart. I have one of them with me in Mexico in case of filter failure, it is a PH3614
Fram Extra Guard, I think that is used on certain Dodge Caravan models, which means I could find one here.
Then, my brother’s girl friend was driving her Camry one day, and called him, the oil light had come on, and she stopped the car. He discovered the oil filter had come off. So he put it back on and topped the oil off. A block later, it blew off again. He went to the store and bought a new one, put it on and no more problems.
I thought about it, and started buying them at Toyota. Logically, I know that was a one in a million long shot, and that probably the Toyota filter has exactly the same odds of that sort of failure. I do it because emotionally I want too avoid that brand of filter.
It’s like people running to a place that sold the big winning lottery ticket. Odds are the same everywhere, but it makes them feel good to try the winning place.
OP, I am agreeing with them that any good filter will be the same. I changed for emotional reasons. Any brand might have failed like that, in a one in a million odds of tolerance error.
If I pay $2 more for a filter, at 7,000 miles oil change with EP Mobil-1, that is an increased $30 every 100,000 miles, on a $30,000 car. Do what makes you feel better.
Once a year or so, I go to Toyota dealer, tell them I want 3 filters for my car, give the cashier my credit card, and take them home. They give really nice plastic bags which I use for other stuff! Then, I change the oil myself.
Despite the claims of no drain back mine always have. I park the car at night then change it in the morning before starting so the filter is empty, and I don’t spill lots of oil on my car parts. The filter is a horizontal mount, and it makes a mess. I do not ever hear engine noise when it starts empty, and it is only an instant before the oil light goes out.
I fell for that and used only toyota oil filters, In my truck, the work was done by a shop called toyota specialists, the Toyota filter was their filter of choice and for 2 bucks it was fine with me. Something about some kind of valve or another. For 2 bucks it gave me peace of mind. Wow, here is the next millionaire making 2 bucks on a filter. He got my 2 bucks, was it worth it?
Also, Toyota doesn’t make oil filters-- they buy 'em from a company that makes oil filters, just like the rest of us. Chances are you can buy the exact same filter at any auto parts store with the only difference being what’s printed on the outside.
My problem with aftermarket is you go to say auto zone and ask a pimple face kid “does this filter have a anti drain valve in it and he says uh…ya sure it does”??
How do you know for sure?
$2 or so extra is worth piece of mind to me.
the only difference being what’s printed on the outside.
and the price.
Frankly you are not 100% sure when you buy from the dealer. Find out what # filter you need and buy it by the number to be sure you get what you need.The above reply about Autozone implies that they sell some oil filter brands which can cause damage to an engine. Can you elaborate on this?
I hope they said you needed a filter designed for your Toyota.
Why would anyone buy a filter NOT designed for their car??
I hate to tell you this…but Toyota does NOT make their filters. They are made for them by companies like Denso, Purolator and Fram.
Any reputable filter company will be designed to have the exact same features the OEM filter does. If the engine/manufacturer calls for a anti-drainback valve then the aftermarket filter will have one too.
You won’t have a problem using ANY decent aftermarket filter…or the OEM filter (which is made by one of the decent aftermarket filter companies).
All I am saying is some auto part stores sell toyota filters without check valve and all filters at dealer have them.
This is just an example, Toyota goes to fram and says build me a filter model number 333 for 4 cyl 2.0 with check valve and 15 paper layers to filter oil.
Auto zone or others goes to fram and says I want you to make a filter model nu 333 for toyota 4cly 2.0. fram say its $1 apiece with valve and 15 layers of filter or 63 cents for no valve and 10 layers of filter. It is same size and model 333.
So you go and buy store brand and you wonder why it raddles when it starts.
No they all do not do it but how can you be sure?
I don’t believe that Fram, or any other name brand filter maker would do this. In the event of engine failure due to lack of valve, they would be lawyered to death. If the filter is spec’d to your car, it will have all necessary feaures.
hd72mm-how do you know this about Fram (or any other maker)?
My brother inlaw has been a certifed repair man and he tore apart a filter and showed me.
the names I used were examples.
Alternators are another thing he showed me say napa tells rebuilders they must put out so many volts, cheaper parts stores have lower standards this is also true with starters.
ask any older repair man and he will say do not by starters from so and so because 1 3rd of them fail.
Auto zone or others goes to fram and says I want you to make a filter model nu 333 for toyota 4cly 2.0. fram say its $1 apiece with valve and 15 layers of filter or 63 cents for no valve and 10 layers of filter. It is same size and model 333.
You have it completely wrong…that is NOT the way it works.
Autozone or NAPA or PepBoys make no specifications to ANY auto parts they sell. These specifications ALL COME FROM THE MANUFACTURER. When Fram makes a Filter for a Toyota they get these specifications from Toyota…Autozone has no say what-so-ever. Then Fram sells those filters to Autozone…All Autozone does is sell the filter. Fram may put the Autozone name on it for them…but that’s it…Autozone has 0% input into how the filter was made…let me repeat…0% INPUT.
I agree with MikeInNH on this one. Whether you buy a Fram filter from Walmart, Autozone, PepBoys, or NAPA, it’s made to the specs defined by the auto manufacturer.
My brother inlaw has been a certifed repair man
When he goes to college and gets his engineering degree let me know.
he tore apart a filter and showed me.
What did he show you??? Did he actually know what he was looking for?? I’ve seen this crap before. In fact it was Wix (a company I highly respect)…showing how the Fram filter didn’t have the anti-drain back valve…What Wix had done was open up a PH-25 which is for a GM V8 where the filter is mounted upside down…thus NOT NEEDING a anti-drain-back valve. Open up a filter designed for a vehicle that needs a anti-drain-back valve and I guarantee you it will have one.
Alternators are another thing he showed me say napa tells rebuilders they must put out so many volts, cheaper parts stores have lower standards this is also true with starters.
I agree some companies make better rebuilds then others…but I guarantee you that the parts stores have 0% say into how that alternator or starter is rebuilt. Places like Auto-zone and Pepboys may use Vendor A, while a Napa may use Vendor B. Napa B buys from Vendor A because of the lower return rate. But they don’t have any say in how it’s rebuilt. 30+ years ago many local parts stores would rebuild their own starters and alternators in-house. Once place I use to go to had about 4 techs just rebuilding alternators or starters. They even rebuilt carburetors and clutch assembly’s.