Do you recommend changing oil filter in between long intervals or buying a more expensive oil filter (for eg. K&N/Amsoil/etc.)?

Hi e-lite ,

I do not buy into the marketing on 'undoubtedly' super duper qualities of boutique oil filter (ignore air filters for now as you are refering to oil filters ) brands like K&N/Amsoil etc (my apology to related fan crowds out there yeah) not that it is inferior or fake or whatnot , but I am not concerned about 'better quality' of boutique oil filters in the context of 'conventional' wisdom in replacing oil filters at every 2 oil changes of 5000 km , totaling 10,000 km in my Avanza/Mitsubishi wira recommendation .

In newer Asian models where OEM recommends OCI of 10,000 km , I expect some (not sure) OEM recommends oil filter change at every oil change , meaning oil filter life is still 10,000 km .

I would love to learn from you readers where 20,000 km oil filter life is recommended (at 2 X 10,000 km OCI) for I really don't know for a fact in local OEM practice .

Hence, my Avanza/wira RM12 cheapo oil filter provided by my mechanic (whose oil filter brand recommendation that I entrusted him to ) has all along been progressively replaced at 2 X 6000 km ;
> then 2 X 8000 km ;
> then 2 X 10,000 km totalling 20,000 km oil filter life .

However, for now I do not manage to convince my mechanic on 2 X 15,000 km oil filter change/life but settle and stay at 1 time 15,000 - 17000 km .

My assessments above are based on various foreign (U.S and Russia) UOA's vis-a-vis metal wear limits set by UOA laboratories and images/photos of various Blotter Spot Tests .

Note: I had not considered here European OEM's oil filter life recommendatons , thus far .


Edit: On the bold above , I am prepared to discuss further with readers on my logics or line of thinking , not with a view of challenging one's position or preferences or bias or decision etc .
This discusssion would be meaningful if it is specific to a particular unit oil filter with published and known 'enhanced quality specifications' such as micron size ratings/filtering efficiencies etc vs that of general RM12 oil filter .

This post has been edited by zeng: Jul 31 2020, 12:14 PM

Mobil 1 New Life 0W40 (Tesco) MB229.5
Oil Life : 12,367 km (72 hour blotter)
ODO :306,197 km in
Car model: Toyota Avanza 1.3L
Engine: K3VE Multi Port Injection
Added some 100 mL of graphited engine oil



A light gray centre zone but not darkerned indicates quite low level of combustion by-products .

Absence of darkened perimeter ring/aureole zone surrounding centre zone indicates no agglomeration of dirt/carbons and detergency/dispersancy capability in tip top conditions .

Generally light coloured and transparent diffusion zone indicating low levels of dirt/carbon/contaminants .

Exterior jagged edge not as darked as like before , indicating absence/low levels of water moisture .

Outermost translucent zone/halo seems no sign of fuel dilution .

Intended to go on for another few thousand km .

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 2 2020, 01:27 PM

Mizu 5w30 fully syn
Oil Life : 2582km (3 hour blotter) - 2 Dec 2019
ODO : 196252 km
Car model: Perodua Myvi 1.3L

Toyota Oil 0w20 fully syn SN GF-5
Oil Life : 3262km (3 hour blotter) - 17 Nov 2019
ODO : 180322 km
Car model: Toyota Prius 1.8L




Attached thumbnail(s)

Hi bro,

Typically this 3262 km TGMO 0W20 SN blotter spot has no structures like darkened centre zone, darkened perimeter ring/aureole etc which is good news as it indicates low levels of contaminants and excellent capability in its detergency/dispersancy properties .

No jagged darkened edge shown .

Halo of fuel dilution seems absent despite this Prius being a hybrid (?) .

If this is hybrid , approximately how many percent of this 3262 km usage was run on engine ?

IMO, this used oil is in serviceable condition and properly fit for many thousands of km continuing service .

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 3 2020, 11:17 AM

Like to seek some clarification whether this Mizu oil you sourced from shopee/lazada/Tesco ?

.... and whether it is the same as this Mizu ?



This post has been edited by zeng: Aug 26 2021, 11:39 AM

Any idea why doing this ? how to see the result to determine good engine oil or the car engine condition ? please enlighten me & thanks

Have a read on the link :
Blotter Spot Test Helps Improve Engine Reliability
from Post # 1 of this thread .
The other 14 links are provided at the bottom of the Post for further reading on this subject of Blotter Spot Test .

One may wonder why there is so much talks/advertisements about Used Oil Analysis and none about Blotter Spot Test .

The answer is there is no $$$ to be made from promoting Blotter Spot Tests which are cost-free !

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 3 2020, 12:54 PM

Yes, this is a hybrid car. Unfortunately there are no stats to show how many percent of the mileage are using battery vs ICE. I will be changing this soon to Aisin evotech+ as I do not want to keep the oil for too long in the car.


This Mizu oil is bought from official Mizu store in Lazada. Same as the your link.

This post has been edited by abubin: Sep 3 2020, 04:19 PM

TGMO 0W20 is recommended by Toyota U.S. for 10,000 miles (16,000 km) oci for non-hybrid Camry with very superb UOA .

I don't see why it can't do well for 15,000 km usage in a hybrid .

This official Mizu (sourced from Lazada) has displayed its Product Data Sheet in the above link . It has a HTHS of 3.7 cP suitable for more demanding ACEA A3B4/C3 specs with appropriate OEM approvals where base oils are concerned .

Its blotter spot image is quite close to that of TGMO 0W20 , but with very much robust base oils although its additive package appears to be not that of ACEA and Euro OEM requirements .

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 3 2020, 11:01 PM

So, it's okay to keep using the oil despite it being more than 8 months old? Mileage are both like less than 4k km...LOL...

The blotter spot test of this Mizu 5W30 clearly demonstrates this 2582 km used oil has very low level of combustion contaminants and close to brand new levels of detergency/dispersancy performance .

You may cross confirm its fitness of continuing service with a Used Oil Analysis at RM2XX , which I consider as not value for money and redundant .

8 months or > 12 months used oil is not a valid basis of rejecting/replacing used oils as often propagated out of fear of unknown or parroting/repeating others' opinion piece from time to time .

Note: Sorry for delayed response during 1 week outstation absence .

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 10 2020, 07:41 PM

Honda City GM2 year 2009
Current Odo : 131,824KM
Date: 16/09/2020
Blotter time : 12:00am (picture after 34hrs)
oil age : 10,006km
Engine oil used : Amsoil Signature Series 5w30



This post has been edited by 90Boyz: Sep 17 2020, 10:57 AM

Hi bro ,

Excellent 10K km blotter spot of Amsoil SS 5W30 in a 2009 Honda City GM2 .This engine condition seems to be well maintained .

There is absence of darkened centre zone ( of about 8 mm diameter size in actual sample ) indicating absence of agglomeration of combustion contaminants after 10K km usage .

There is also absence of darkened perimeter ring/ aureole zone surrounding the centre zone indicating high capability of used oil dispersancy and detergency performance .

It is observed this 10K km Amsoil SS 5W30 blotter is said to be lacking in 'structures' which is good news in its capacity for continuing service and generally the diffusion zone is of slight brownish and transparent and not darkish/grayish .

It seems this blotter has no darkened and jagged edge external to diffusion zone and it is quite free of water moisture .

Outermost zone is not showing a translucent halo indicating absence of fuel dilution problem in this used oil sample .

Btw, IIRC this Amsoil SS oil is claimed to be good for 15000 -20,000 miles in U.S. , conditions apply .

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 17 2020, 05:36 PM

Hi Bro Zeng,
Thanks for the details explanations, will continue use another 5k to do the blotter test again

I'm of the opinion that another 5,000 km usage in this 10K km Amsoil SS 5W30 used oil would have passed the test limit of an UOA in laboratories .

72 hour blotter
Mobil 1 New Life 0W40 (Tesco) MB229.5
Oil Life : 15,795 km (72 hour blotter)
ODO :309,625 km in
Car model: Toyota Avanza 1.3L
Engine: K3VE Multi Port Injection
Added some 100 mL of graphited engine oil in Elf Molygraphite 15W50 .





Absence of structures such as darkened centre zone , darkened perimeter ring/aureole and outermost translucent zone which means good news for the used oil .

Diffussion zone is grayish but not darkened yet and , darkened jagged starbursts edge indicates presence of water moisture which theoretically promotes corrosion wear which IMO, is harmless for now by looking at the blotter spot .

Meanwhile ................. keeps going .

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 23 2020, 12:38 PM

added ELF Molygraphite engine oil ?

Yes, spot on .



Somehow I felt good with this mixing , engine seems smoother and quieter than without and ,likes its blotter spot performance so far despite Covid-19 MCO .

This post has been edited by zeng: Sep 23 2020, 07:51 AM