Like many I went to change my oil after a breakin period of about 1600 km, or 1000 miles. I logged on here and went looking for the filter part number and was surprised to see that the number had already changed. From what was posted it the new filter was taller but narrower then the old part number.
This got me thinking, (I know, I made sure to disconnect the smoke detectors.) about why FHI would change it. From my experience in the automotive world, normally things are changed for two reasons, cost or safety. And the latter only happens when someone finds out.
So, I picked up a new filter and kept my old filter so I could compare the differences. I used a chisel to separate the filters to avoid generating debris. What I found didn't really shock me much to be honest.
The filters look like most, no big surprises. The anti drain back gaskets feel identical except the outside diameter of course and did an excellent job of holding the old oil in when the filter was removed.
The bypass spring tensions felt identical as well. And both seem to have identical travel, though I couldn't get a pic of either with only two hands. One thing I don't like is that the oil will wash over the filter media before it reaches the bypass. So any debris caught has a much higher chance of getting put back into the system if/when the bypass opens. The other thing I don't like is how small the opening to the bypass is and even worse the outlet from it. The hole in the middle of the pic immediately above is what the oil has to flow through once the bypass opens.
When I bought the new filter I found out the torque sequences have changed. I'd attribute that to the differences in the seals. The new seal is thicker and more pliable. The old one seems very firm though I highly doubt there would be any chance of it leaking aside from being installed incorrectly. Personally I prefer the old seal, but the new seal would be more idiot proof.
Then we get to the filter media itself. The new filter has seven less pleats (63 vs 56) and the pleats are much shallower. (If you know how to read a vernier scale, go for it but I'm not explaining it over the internet. I mainly did this for illustration purposes) I must say, I'm not enthralled with the change. The filter media seems to be the same, but there's a lot less of it. This tells me they did this to save cost.
I'm going to investigate getting my hands on some of the old part number filters because this change is only going to shorten the life of the filter before media gets clogged and it starts to bypass.
One thing that did impress me was the complete lack of visible debris in the used filter.