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Wrong oil filter installed by previous owner.


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Hey guys, possibly a dumb question here, but I wanted to ask anyway.

 

I recently bought a used 2005 Outback 2.5i. It is running great, and I am now doing the first oil change since buying it. I normally use FRAM filters, so bought the PH9715 which is what FRAM says to use for the 2.5 engine. I got home and looked under the car and noticed that the filter that is on the car is twice the size as the one I just bought and not at all the same size filter. I went back to look up the model that is on the car and see that the previous owner installed the filter that FRAM says to use for the 3.0 engine, PH3593A, not the one for the 2.5...

 

So now I'm sitting here wondering if either FRAM is telling me the wrong filter to use or maybe they used to recommend the larger filter and now say to use the smaller one.

 

Does anyone have any insight they can share?

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newer filters are smaller. reason, smaller is cheaper. still sell for the same price, but cost less to make, so the company has more profit.

The larger filters do a better job, so that is a sign the previous owner went for the better of the 2.

 

I know you said you generally use FRAM.

IMO FRAM is crap. Put on a OEM, Nippon, Puralator or Napa Gold, those are much better than a FRAM.

Edited by bheinen74
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Oil filters can vary significantly in size. Even Subaru has changed their oil filter size, they've gotten smaller recently. I suspect technology is helping them do the same filtering in a smaller (cheaper) package? Just a hunch, but filter sizes do vary.

 

But i'm guessing that's not what is going on here, I just say that to say all oil filters don't look the same. I've bought different brands and seen size differences as well. As long as the seating area is right, the part that seals to the engine, it should be fine.

 

Ithought the 3.0 filters I get are smaller than the EJ25 filters, but maybe I'm wrong. I use Purolator and WIX.

 

I would rethink using FRAM, they are the industry leaders in making low quality oil filters. Anything else (except a repainted/rebadged FRAM) are good.

 

I normally despise the typical "oil arguments" that arise out of shear opinion, but in this case you can look it up online or even some autoparts stores i've been in have oil filters cut open, showing poor quality, including cardboard parts.

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Oil filters can vary significantly in size. Even Subaru has changed their oil filter size, they've gotten smaller recently. I suspect technology is helping them do the same filtering in a smaller (cheaper) package? Just a hunch, but filter sizes do vary.

 

But i'm guessing that's not what is going on here, I just say that to say all oil filters don't look the same. I've bought different brands and seen size differences as well. As long as the seating area is right, the part that seals to the engine, it should be fine.

 

Ithought the 3.0 filters I get are smaller than the EJ25 filters, but maybe I'm wrong. I use Purolator and WIX.

 

I would rethink using FRAM, they are the industry leaders in making low quality oil filters. Anything else (except a repainted/rebadged FRAM) are good.

 

I normally despise the typical "oil arguments" that arise out of shear opinion, but in this case you can look it up online or even some autoparts stores i've been in have oil filters cut open, showing poor quality, including cardboard parts.

 

'Shear' opinion relating to an impending oil/filter thread, oh, that's bloody clever!

 

 

Dave

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I had used Fram filters for years, until I started reading a lot of negative chat about them. So, I made it a point of cutting open a used Fram that I was replacing at oil change time. Upon ripping open the metal case, I didn't find much filtering media inside. After that, I make it a point of not using Fram again.

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Hey guys, possibly a dumb question here, but I wanted to ask anyway.

 

I recently bought a used 2005 Outback 2.5i. It is running great, and I am now doing the first oil change since buying it. I normally use FRAM filters, so bought the PH9715 which is what FRAM says to use for the 2.5 engine. I got home and looked under the car and noticed that the filter that is on the car is twice the size as the one I just bought and not at all the same size filter. I went back to look up the model that is on the car and see that the previous owner installed the filter that FRAM says to use for the 3.0 engine, PH3593A, not the one for the 2.5...

 

So now I'm sitting here wondering if either FRAM is telling me the wrong filter to use or maybe they used to recommend the larger filter and now say to use the smaller one.

 

Does anyone have any insight they can share?

 

 

I use the PH3593A on my 98 and 99 Outbacks with the 2.5 phase 1 motor. Your 05 has the 2.5 phase 2 motor, so your engine is a little different. However, I bet the PH3593A will work just fine on your engine.

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I no longer use Fram filters but I did for many years (over 35) and really never had an issue with them. But then again, I change my oil/filter every 2500 miles. Leave it in there for any longer and you might have a different result.

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theres a thread on nabisco saying the new oem subaru filters are actually now Fram, they have cut open comparisons.......so.....crap..

 

 

I'm sorry but everytime i hear nabisco and i think, what are subarus doing on a oreo board?

 

And they are right. Go aftermarket for the filters or stick with the stated change intervals and keep those reciepts.

 

 

nipper

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