If Accord Oil Filters Changed

You cannot compare FRAM's own filter to the one they produce for Honda.
FRAM must follow Honda specs, like any other OEM.

http://www.tegger.com/honda_filter_comparo.html

The Honda filter looks quite a bit better than FRAM's own. You will see
that the new smaller filter is about 20% smaller all around, including in
filter medium surface area.

 

A little more digging confirms that the part 15400-PLM-A01 is made in the
USA by Filtech:
http://elabfcsvrt.fdu.edu/bartsch/Prelude/HondaPreludeOilFilters/HondaOEM15400PLMA01CanOff.JPG
http://elabfcsvrt.fdu.edu/bartsch/Prelude/HondaPreludeOilFilters/HondaOEM15400PLMA01FAngle.JPG


The 15400-PLM-A02 is made in Canada by Fram. However, the A02 is quite a
bit different in size and must be for a different application than A01:
http://elabfcsvrt.fdu.edu/bartsch/Prelude/HondaPreludeOilFilters/HondaOEM15400PLMA02D.JPG
http://elabfcsvrt.fdu.edu/bartsch/Prelude/HondaPreludeOilFilters/HondaOEM15400PLMA01vsA02.JPG
http://elabfcsvrt.fdu.edu/bartsch/Prelude/HondaPreludeOilFilters/HondaOEM15400PLMA02C.JPG

More pics here:
http://elabfcsvrt.fdu.edu/bartsch/Prelude/HondaPreludeOilFilters/

 

These people who think that the manufacturer makes all items the same no
matter what will never be convinced. You're wasting your breath.

To them, every oil filter that comes out of the same factory will de
facto be the same, no matter what. They can't conceive that Fram, for
example, would be happy to spend whatever Honda wants them to spend per
filter to make one to Honda specs--while spending what Fram wants to
spend per filter to make one with the Fram name on it.

They can't conceive of it, and they *won't* conceive of it. The basic
concepts of manufacturing and branding are way above their heads.

 

Up until last year, I did tons of work with several divisions of Magna, the
auto parts maker that is a Tier-1 OEM to many automakers. For the most
part, they did not design anything themselves. Instead, they have reams of
specs and requirements given to them by Ford, Toyota, etc., and must follow
these to the letter when procuring materials and arranging tooling and
processes.

There are regular quality audits. There are fitting jigs and test equipment
that belong to the automaker, and are on loan to the OEM so long as the OEM
is an OEM. The parts MUST pass all tests on the test equipment, and must
pass a visual inspection. All the above is expensive and time-consuming,
much more so on low-volume parts.


Automakers, even low-quality ones like Chrysler, are very persnickety and
are a PITA to deal with. Aftermarket products are under no such
constraints. There's a reason aftermarket is cheaper.

Not only that, they are impressed by things that are inconsequential, but
look good, mistaking that for "quality". Sometimes "quality" has nothing to
do with appearance.

 

<snip>

Careful there, your comments are out-of-date. Chrysler's quality surpassed
Ford long ago. They may not be up to Honda's quality yet, but they aren't
too far behind.

 

In case you didn't know, Filtech is a subsidiary of Toyo Roki, established
by them in the U.S. in 1989. Toyo Roki also has subsidiaries with the
Filtech name in Thailand and China and the Filtech(USA) filter is marked
"assembled in U.S.A."... http://www.toyoroki.co.jp/e/company/

The A01 and A02 cross-reference to the same L14610 Purolator filter.

Thanks for pics.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

And to think that it only took being bought by Daimler-Benz to make it
happen... :-/

 

Most of their improvements took place before the DC merger. It has improved
little since then.