I recently bought a new Suzuki. Suzuki motorcycles come with a very non-standard M20x1.0 thread size, with the result that your choice for filters is quite limited, and there are no automotive filters that will fit. So, I decided to take some filters apart and see for myself what the available options are and how they compare.
The nominal specification for the Suzuki filter is M20x1.0 threads, 11 psi by-pass valve, anti-drain back valve. The columns below are Media pleats * depth * height, media square inches, anti-drain back valve material, seal material, Mechanical grade, Media grade. In these days of rampant grade inflation, I feel compelled to point out that here "C" means average. I'm not interested in the filter's self-esteem.
I get a lot of emails from Suzuki owners asking me what the secret best filter is. They're all trash. All of them. You are forced by Suzuki's brain-damaged specification to buy and use trash oil filters. There's now an alternative, you can buy one of our adapters that allows you to use PL14610 or Supertech ST7317 filters, the same thing used by Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki bikers.
I bought these filters with my own money, and as should be apparent, I got no use out of them in terms of filtering oil.
| Filter | Price | Media p*d*h | Sq.In. | Drain | Seal | Mech. | Media | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMSOil SMF 109 | $8.75 | 45*.37*1.1 | 37 | Nitrile | Nitrile | C | B | Advanced media, but not much of it. A flawed superior filter. |
| Emgo 10-55660 | $6 | 61*.48*1.3 | 76 | Nitrile | Nitrile | C | C | Good alternative to OEM |
| Emgo 10-55662 | $7.75 | 35*.3*1.24 | 26 | Nitrile | Nitrile | C | B | Advanced media, but not much of it. A flawed superior filter. |
| Fram PH6018 | $6 | 44*.49*1.77 | 76 | Nitrile | Nitrile | F | C | Normal filter paper, and a decent amount of it. Cardboard end caps, Little prongy plastic bypass valve. Unconvincing anti-drainback valve. A study in how to make a filter on the cheap. |
| Hi-Flo HF138 | $5.50 | 49*.51*1.6 | 80 | Nitrile | Nitrile | C* | C | An average filter at a competitive price. |
| J.C.Whitney ZX063166P | $6 | on order. . . | ||||||
| K&N 138 | $12 | 62*.315*1.52 | 59 | Nitrile | Nitrile | C+* | C | Made by Hi Flo. Average filter with a $6 nut welded onto the end cap. |
| NAPA 1359 WIX 51359 | $9 | 49*.365*.97 | 34 | Nitrile | Nitrile | C | C- | Bypass filter added on, not built in. Filter media in short supply. |
| Parts Unlimited | $9 | 50*.41*1.46 | 60 | Nitrile | Nitrile | C | C | Average filter, high price. |
| Per-Form J-509 | Not tested at this time. | |||||||
| Purolator ML16818 | Not tested at this time. | |||||||
| STP SMO-18 | $6 | 49*.38*1.3 | 48 | Nitrile | Nitrile | C | C- | Filter media in short supply. Below average. |
| Suzuki 16510-03G00-X07 | $12 | 59*.41*1.47 | 71 | Silicon | Nitrile | B | C | A slightly better than average filter at a super-premium price. |
| VESRAH vsf-3009 | $11 | on order. . . |
* - I received an email from Suzuki of Victoria, informing me that a Hayabusa they took in for service showed no oil pressure. They found the cause was an aged anti-drainback valve on a Hi-Flo filter that would not open, thus cutting off all oil pressure to the entire engine.
STP, Emgo 55662, Emgo 55660, Suzuki, Fram Oil Filters.
K&N, Hi-Flo, Parts Unlimited, Napa Gold, AMSOil Oil Filters.
Pure One, Bosch, SuperTech Oil Filters.
| Filter | Price | Media p*d*h | Sq.In. | Drain | Seal | Mech. | Media | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch 3300 | $6 | 49*.36*1 | 34 | Nitrile | Nitrile | C | B | This is the smaller unit. Nice filter media, but not much of it. |
| Mobil-1 M1-108 | $12 | 43*.39*.96 | 32 | Silicon | Nitrile | B | B | This is the smaller unit. Nice filter media, but not much of it. This was a used filter, hence the color of the media. |
| Pure One PL14610 | $6 | 50*.39*2.36 | 92 | Silicon | Silicon | A | A | This is how an oil filter should be made. The anti-drainback valve is double the thickness of any other here, and obviously seals very well. The media is the best available, and there's a lot of it. The bypass valve is made from a laser-cut piece of stainless steel, and just can't bind or jam. |
| SuperTech ST7317 | $2 | 33*.36*1.9 | 49 | Nitrile | Nitrile | C | B | A better than average filter at a bargain price. |