Honda is one of the brand names that you can trust when it comes to automobiles. Moreover, Hondas are so reliable that they also make quality consumable parts – one of which is the Honda 15400-PLM-A01 Oil Filter.
The Honda 15400-PLM-A01 Oil Filter was the standard oil filter for almost all the gasoline vehicles that came out for Honda and Acura model years 2009 to 2018. Although Honda discontinued this oil filter, it is still a sought-after part by Honda automobile owners, especially the hardcore fans.
Read on to find out more about the Honda 15400-PLM-A01 oil filter and why many Honda fans prefer it.
Unfortunately, Honda discontinued the 15400-PLM-A01 filters; however, you can find the A02 filters on Amazon:
Click here to see it on Amazon.
Honda 15400-PLM-A01 Oil Filter
The Honda 15400-PLM-A01 Oil Filter is the stock oil filter with most Honda and Acura vehicles from around 2009 to 2018. Honda replaced them with the Honda 15400-PLM-A02. The newer oil filter somewhat looks similar, but purists claim that the 02s don’t compare to the 01s.
Filtech Manufactures A01 Filters
Filtech was the manufacturer of the A01 filters. It is the same company that makes Wix oil filters. If you open the filter cartridge, you will discover that the filter media seems different from the other brands. It looks like a synthetic weave rather than treated paper.
It Has a Larger Surface Area
Also, compared to the A02 filter, the A01’s filter media has a larger surface area, 151 square inches, to be exact. It results from Filtech using deep pleating of the medium to cram more inside the small shell.
However, the A01, as good as it is, is not perfect. It also has a couple of minor flaws. One such flaw is that the bypass valve has a metal-to-metal contact. This increases the risk of undesired bypass trickling, though you are assured that it is not by much.
It Does Not Come with the Traditional End Caps
The A01 filters do not come with the traditional end caps. These filters use a felt-like material that seals the ends of the pleated filter media just enough to prevent oil bypass. The base gasket is specifically for Honda vehicles.
Hemispherical Design
It has a hemispherical design with a flat surface pressing against the baseplate and a curved surface against the block. It also has a unique, semi-labyrinth seal positioned between the filter core and the anti-drain back valve, one of the industry’s best seals.
It was unfortunate that Honda decided to discontinue the 15400-PLM-A01 since it was one of the most reliable oil filters to ever come out for their vehicles.
What Is the Honda 15400-PLM-A02 Oil Filter?
Compared to the 15400-PLM-A01, the A02 made by Honeywell has a cheaper construction quality. The biggest problem with the A02 is that it uses cardboard endcaps for the filter media. Cardboard endcaps have proven to be highly unreliable.
They disintegrate easily, defeating the purpose of the filters by putting contaminants into the oil. Many Honda vehicle owners tend to stay away from the A02 filters, opting to use other aftermarket oil filters. Some even scour eBay for the A01 filters.
Are the A02 Filters That Bad?
Although the A02 oil filters do not perform quite well as the A01, they are not quite as bad as the Honda purists would want you to think. At the very least, these filters will not wreck your car or cause any serious damage.
Yes, the A02 filters have poorer construction quality compared to the A01. It also has a smaller filter surface area. However, consider that Honda themselves allowed the change, so there is no real danger in using the A02 filters. You need to change your engine oil and filter at the recommended intervals, and you should be just fine.
Why Do Honda Owners Like the A01 Filters More?
Perform Significantly Better
Not only do the A01 filters perform significantly better, but the A02 filters also have significant flaws. Ask around in online Honda forums about what they think of the new Honda 15400-PLM-A02 oil filter. Some of them will most likely say that you should change it as soon as you can.
Longer Lifespan
Many Honda owners say that they have a shorter working lifespan compared to the original filters. Some reported that the A02s only lasted a little over half the lifespan of the A01.
However, almost all agree that the nipple-type threaded connector is horrible. It is almost impossible to get the filter screwed on the first try, and it is also easy to cross-thread, so you need to be extra careful. It is a bit disappointing, seeing as they cost just about the same.
Where Can You Still Find the 15400-PLM-A01 Filters?
Unfortunately, Honda discontinued the 15400-PLM-A01 filters as they were the superior product compared to the A02s. Even online, you no longer will find any A01 filters on major retail sites. The A02 filters, since they are now the official filters, are easier to find:
Click here to see it on Amazon.
You can now only buy the A01 filters from private sellers who stocked up on them before Honda discontinued them. Do expect that they will cost a bit more than they originally did, but you should still try looking for sellers who did not hike their selling prices too much.
What Do Oil Filters Do?
The purpose of the car’s engine is to produce power to make the car move forward. It does that through a process called internal combustion. Basically, thousands of tiny explosions are happening inside your engine every minute. This process involves many moving pieces, with each one needing lubrication that the motor oil can provide.
The motor oil increases the engine’s efficiency and protects its components from excessive wear and tear. To keep the oil flowing freely throughout the engine, it will need an oil filter.
It uses an oil pump to get the motor oil circulating through all the engine’s vital components. However, the older the oil gets, the more dirt and debris it accumulates, turning it into a thick sludge.
To keep your oil viscous, your engine needs an oil filter. This component removes almost all the dirt and debris suspended in the oil. It keeps the debris from reaching the engine components, thereby preventing excess wear.
Without an oil filter, your engine will need to work harder to produce the same amount of power it used to. Left unattended, the engine will eventually stop running.
What Happens If You Don’t Change Your Oil Filter?
Here’s the situation: you decided to change your car’s oil, but you forgot to buy a new oil filter. Will it be okay if you just changed the oil and not the filter?
Here are the things that could happen:
1. The Engine Oil Won’t Be Filtered
As mentioned earlier, the function of an oil filter is to remove the contaminants suspended in the oil. This prevents them from ending up in the other parts of the engine and disrupting their functions. Oil filters are consumable parts. This means you have to replace them after a specific time. In this case, you have to replace them every time you change your engine oil.
Not replacing the filter means it will get so full of contaminants that it can no longer hold more. This means that oil will flow through the filter without cleaning the oil. It would be like you do not have an oil filter at all.
2. The Engine Oil Will Turn to Sludge
If you did not change your oil filter, even if you changed the oil, it will most likely turn into an engine sludge in just a few months. With nothing to prevent dirt and debris from accumulating in the engine oil, it would rapidly turn into a thick sludge that will only make your engine run very inefficiently.
3. The Sludge Will Fill the Engine
When most of the engine oil turns to sludge, it no longer functions as a lubricant. Instead, it will clog up the internal moving parts, making your engine run harder to provide your car with power. Because of the increased friction between the moving parts in the engine, expect serious damage anytime soon.
4. You Will Eventually Need to Replace the Engine
Because of the severe wear and tear triggered by the engine not having proper lubrication, the internal moving parts will seize and no longer function. If it comes to this point, the only choices you have would be a total engine rebuild or a replacement of the entire thing.
You would likely need to replace the engine. It is the more cost-effective route. On the other hand, it would be better to give up on your poor old car altogether at this point.
The oil filter is not just a small, insignificant component that you can ignore. As you can see, it is the key to the efficiency and longevity of a vehicle.
Conclusion – Honda Oil Filter 15400-PLM-A01
The Honda 15400-PLM-A01 Oil Filter came standard in all Honda and Acura vehicles from 2009 to 2018 until it was discontinued and replaced with the A02 filter. Even though it is already discontinued, many Honda owners are still looking for the original A01 oil filters or anything aftermarket that is not the A02.
The A02 oil filters will not damage your car engine immediately. The problem is that it is far below the original A01 oil filter in terms of performance. If you have no other choice other than to use the new OEM filters, it is best not to miss an oil change, even by just a couple of days.
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