Counterfeit (fake) Car Oil Filters (and other bits)

[hermetic]

This all started way back with the same part, different price scam that the manufacturers are running, in days of yore parts were in packaging which would tell you the most popular makes and models that the part would fit, thus if you bought brake pads for a ford they were about £8, or you could buy the same brakepads for a Saab and then the were £19. the only difference was the price listing. I have noticed recently with my 2CV tractor build that the 2cv oil filter also is listed for the Ducati V twin, same part number, same filter, the only difference is the price you pay if you are fitting it to a Ducati! That is why you need to do your research!! The real problem comes when fakes hit the market for things like MCB,s and RCD,s , and other electrical safety critical equipment which can and sometimes does either fail to trip of catch fire!

 

[m_c]

I still remember when we were forced to change parts supplier at work.

Transit fuel filters from our old supplier came in a fully branded Mann box, with nice crisp printing on the filter.
Same part number from the new supplier came in a white box with a Mann sticker stuck on, and the printing on the filter was all smudged.

Then there was the supplier who weren't allowed to supply us with certain parts, as they knew the parts wouldn't last the warranty period we got.

 

[Onoff]

Not naming names but I found some German made, aftermarket filters performed better than the American OEM ones. Specially made to order mind and more expensive than the OEM ones.

The OEM ones were once good but the part number changed and lo and behold so did the country of maunufacture from the US to somewhere in the Far East. On paper the same but they were simply not as good.

 

[Onoff]

I still remember when we were forced to change parts supplier at work.

Transit fuel filters from our old supplier came in a fully branded Mann box, with nice crisp printing on the filter.
Same part number from the new supplier came in a white box with a Mann sticker stuck on, and the printing on the filter was all smudged.

Then there was the supplier who weren't allowed to supply us with certain parts, as they knew the parts wouldn't last the warranty period we got.

Talking to one of the major bearing suppliers and they said they have a huge problem where the packaging the fakes come in is as good as the real thing, even down to barcodes that suggest they're original.

 

[Spark plug]

Not naming names but I found some German made, aftermarket filters performed better than the American OEM ones. Specially made to order mind and more expensive than the OEM ones.

The OEM ones were once good but the part number changed and lo and behold so did the country of maunufacture from the US to somewhere in the Far East. On paper the same but they were simply not as good.

Not really surprising that the germans engineered a better product, but if you don’t mind me asking what was it that made one filter better than the other? Not lasting the expected service life?

 

[Onoff]

Not really surprising that the germans engineered a better product, but if you don’t mind me asking what was it that made one filter better than the other? Not lasting the expected service life?

Something to do with more folds / a greater surface area of the pleated mesh on the German ones. Same micron hole size just let more through so less restriction and lasted longer all round.

 

[Domdom]

The issue with the real "Fakes" are deeper than how well a part performs. A pal of mine is in this area as an inspection guy for quality and standards enforcement. He has showed me canister oil filters that look fine, they have all the right markings etc but when you open the outer skin they are largely empty. Just enough insides to make it look right if you peer into the hole but nothing beyond that. Then a set of allegedly branded disc pads where a slight knock saw the lining come away from the backing plate.

What I take from him is that aftermarket parts are OK in general, i.e. they do a job. Performance is measured against "genuine" parts mostly by the makers etc. This is not a huge problem. Ultimately the auto manufacturers don't make components, they buy them in.

Where the problem comes is the blatant counterfeit stuff where something is branded as being Brembo, Fram, etc but the reality is the actual part was not made by them, in other words the auto equivalent of a counterfeit Rolex watch. A good chunk of these deep fakes make their way into the market via direct to customer sales, not through factors etc.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I once had a struggle getting a Passat 2.0GL through a MOT due to poor handbrake even though I changed rear discs and pads before test. In the end new calipers and cables were fitted without success. Trip to main agent for genuine pads cured the problem. When I rubbed the old pads faces together they just crumbled - fake Ferrodo items !

 

[Onoff]

Apparently fake parts are even an issue for Boeing and Airbus...

 

[Bobupndown]

Apparently fake parts are even an issue for Boeing and Airbus...

Slightly more critical than a ropey oil filter on a Corsa

 

[OJCar]

Apparently fake parts are even being issued by Boeing ...

FTFY

https://www.beasleyallen.com/article/whistleblower-says-boeing-aircraft-contain-bogus-unsafe-parts/

 

[Ross365]

So, the problem is clearly a huge one, what can we do to try protect ourselves???
I run a Toyota, their OEM filters from the local dealers parts counter are a fair price, and I've been using those and will probably stick with them.

I think I will wean myself off amazon and ebay for things like brake pads, and I'll talk to my mate who runs a garage to get his views. But after that, not sure what else to do?

 

[MCKDAVID]

i suppose if you're really concerned, buy one of the ones from toyota, and cut it open, and see what it loooks like inside. For the sake f a few quid that might put your mind at rest, but if I'm buying it from Toyota themselves, I'd expect it to be right. I can only presume they have enough internal and external sub contracted manufacturer QC to ensure that the product they're having their name put on conforms, or enough clout to rectify the problem before it gets to the dealers..

for what it's worth, I'm happy enough with Mann filters, so will stick with those.

 

[Bobupndown]

I believe car bulbs are a big issue too, counterfeit high end with identical boxes and hologram security stickers.

 

[8ob]

FTFY

https://www.beasleyallen.com/article/whistleblower-says-boeing-aircraft-contain-bogus-unsafe-parts/

There was a documentary on this a few years ago, a sharp eyed storeman noticed a difference in colour on some plated parts and they turned out to be fake, this was despite the paper trail being correct.

Bob

 

[Blobber]

Apparently fake parts are even an issue for Boeing and Airbus...

Thats been going on for years, I know a guy that got put away for it in the early 80s, big sums of money in aircraft parts used or new

 

[Blobber]

If your unsure of any parts contact the relevant company as they will all have stuff in place to spot fake gear and normally want to know where it came from

 

[Olderisbetter]

We had a genuine oil filter that had rusty bits in it from new, there was a video on youtube showing similar issues

 

[m_c]

We had a genuine oil filter that had rusty bits in it from new, there was a video on youtube showing similar issues

That's quite common for any oil filter.
The internals of an oil filter are typically bare steel, so if it's ever been stored anywhere damp, it's going to rust.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I believe car bulbs are a big issue too, counterfeit high end with identical boxes and hologram security stickers.

You should see the EU directive on specifications for automotive light bulbs. It all came about with bulb failure warnings on cars not working properly. The systems require a 21w etc bulb to be just that, 21w, and not 18/19w or 22/23w. The actual document is around 2" thick and took weeks of debate. Unfortunately I lent my copy to somebody who never returned it !