New oil filter choice for you...
 

FIY, you can use a honda S2000 oil filter on your FS motor. Very, very good oil filter.
HTH

what makes the honda s2000 filter better than the mazda filter or valvoline for that matter?!?! Just because it's on a sportscar doesn't make it a beter part.

I've taken many oil filters apart. I've taken the OEM 3G protege filter apart, and found it to be very inferior.

I'm sure there are other oil filters that will work well, like for example the Vet unit works. But, the S2000 oil filter found on 2004 models is made in Japan and is a very well built unit worth my $6.00.

you haven't mentioned what makes the mazda filter inferior to the s2k filter....what is it exactly that you saw that made you say it's bad?

p.s. I've worked as a mechanic at the S.E.'s largest quicklube for almost 2 years...I know a few things about filters, just wondering what you're basing this on.

the number of filtering elements i.e. the actual filtering capacity is smaller and the over all construction of the unit is poor.
The S2000 unit was designed to flow upto 9K RPM.
Next time I do my oil change I'll take some snap shots...

My engine occasionally used to rattle for a few seconds after cranking, making me cringe. I posted a thread on this and got mostly guesses for answers. My best guess is that the valvetrain was dry. After installing a Bosch filter the problem went away. Maybe some filters leak down more than others when the engine sits overnight, and it takes a few seconds to get the oil up top. So I'm sticking with Bosch.

Mazda OEM filters are usually good quality, otherwise a Purolator would be OK. I would use the V6 oil filters however. Don't know how those compare to an S2000

I use the Bosch V6 filter. It has almost the same filtering as the Mobil 1 filter for half the price. The construction is the same from what I have read but the difference is the Mobil 1 uses a synthetic filter material and the Bosch does not.

now THESE are educated comments about why a filter is actually better than another filter.

The ability of engine to rev to 9K has no bearing on the oil filter. The oil pump only puts out the required amount of pressure regardless....it may hit full pressure at 2K rpms...after that it stays sedate.

geez with that kind of logic maybe we need to get motorcycle oil filters....they rev to 11-12K + :D...only filter i've really heard bad things about is FRAM....

There's a Wix filter for a V6 626 in my P5. :) It fits perfectly, and since it holds a little more oil, I can fit a full 4 quarts of oil in my car now. :)

I've posted on this before. A purolator gets that oil lite off faster.The mazda oem filter is made by tennaco-an oil company from years back. I agree --it is NOT the best. Oil drains back too much in them. The bosch filter is IDENTICAL to the $1.97 wal mart supertec filter. made by champion labs-who makes bosch, mobil 1 walmart, valvoline, lee, champ and most oil change places filters. TOO LITTLE filter material in the champ labs filters and it doesn't turn the oil lite off fast enough (RATTLE RATTLE RATTLE). And speaking of motorcycle filters, ALL japanese cycles can use, and many do, the v-6 mazda filter. So you do have a motorcycle filter on your pro. BUT SO WHAT-as long as it filters--unless your pride/ego is hurt. ONE LAST THING. Maxda was one of three car manufactures to give a QUALITY AWARD to purolator. Take that to mazda if they try and tell you that your pro blew up because of the filter. This is on the purolator web site...www.pureoil.com. HAPPY FILTERING

just some FYI honda now sources their OTC filters from fram.
my 400cc bike has a larger media than the 4cyl OEM mazda filter, i thought that was a little comical:eek:

paulp, the supplier of the OEM filters changes on a somewhat often basis.

i think that's the one we got...i can't remember exactly, but the filter is about twice as large (long) as the oem p5 one but it still fits perfectly. the guy at the auto parts store did not want to pull out extra filters for us to look at because in his astute opinion:

1) we did not own the 'other' car
2) all we have is a p5
3) the p5 doesn't <hick voice>make more than 80 hp at the wheels so why would we need a bigger filter</hick voice>

:rolleyes: gotta love autozone...