I'm down to my last 90915-YZZB9 (japan Denso) oil filter so I went to the toyota dealership today.
They said the new part number is 90915-YZZD1. Its still says Denso on it, but its made in Thailand.

Its still packaged like the japanese one where it has the shrink wrapped bottom and pre-lubed. (The 90915-20004 usa does not).

Has anyone cut one open to see the construction of the filter yet? (I guess I'll have to if I don't get any responses).

I want to find out if it looks like the 20004 filter or the 02011 filter.

http://mkiv.com/techarticles/parts/toyota_filter/

 

Interesting, i'll have my buddy Steve @ Carson cut into a new one and make comparisons.

 

nope, unfortunately lexus consolodated the last good filters out and went w/ paper ones... there are some good ones to be had so get them while you can, before they swap in the cheapy ones.

the old part # is 90915-20004
buy as many as possible

 

Well, it's a little hard to believe that a company like Toyota / Lexus, which warrants their engines 5-6 years and 60-70,000 miles, is going to try and crap out by nickel-and-diming on something as simple, basic and important as an oil filter. They are already having enough problems as it is rebuilding and replacing all the 3.0 L V6's that people have ruined by running around with their heads up their a--es and not changing the oil enough. Obviously, a second-rate filter would make this situation even worse.
Mitsubishi tried this some years back.....using questionable filters....and they ended up bursting under 50-60-PSI when the engine was cold.

 

well the irony is that they actually we're reacting to a situation that they themselves had caused.

They(Lexus) had a filter for every different engine that they currently maintain, and then different ones for the toyota liine. The current LS430 filter, which is the good one that I posted the Part# for, was only indicated for that engine. However it was the filter of choice for those in the know on the 2jz's. What they did was istead of consolidating on a high quality filter that was already made, the chinced out and went with the current(or maybe even a new) crap filter made w/ paper from taiwan.


It has infuriated more than one person, but the bounds of cheapness know no bounds apparently.

 

You can also use the 90915-YZZD3 which is taller and can filter more. I've been using it on my 1996 ES 300 since they discontinued the 90915-20004 oil filter...

 

I wouldn't sweat it, is300insf. I have been running the Thai manufactured filter in my sister's IS 300. Click on this link to see a used oil analysis for this car with Mobil 1 and the YZZD1 filter.

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/...c;f=3;t=003073

Yes, the Japanese made YZZB9 filters are probably better, but not enough of a difference to lose any sleep over. The B9 filter had a type of foam construction, while the D1 is a traditional pleated paper filter. The pictures I have seen of the internals of a D1 filter are quite reassuring to me. But I feel confident running the Purolator Pure Premium filters I picked up at Pep Boys for $1 after rebate. I have been curious to try Mahle filters I see at www.rockauto.com for about $2. The D1 filters I am still working through I bought at www.irontoad.com about 2 years ago for about $4.50 each after including the shipping cost. Wix, Napa Gold, Purolator PureOne are other well liked filters besides Denso filters. You could go for the Denso First Time fit filters (blue can). Bottom line, I think that there are lots of filter good options; one may be better than the other but hardly enough to seriously matter.

If you do click on the link above, search the forums there including the oil filter forum where I am pretty sure you will find pictures of the filters you are interested in cut open, as well as more than you probably want to know about filtration.