wow great vi-rgin cut open photos, thanks JHoward!
like I said in the syn thread I did my annual filter change last week, my first of a xg2
I installed the filter at 33986km on 20 03 22
replaced at 71323km 29 04 23
that makes 37337 kms (23200 miles) on this filter and a year and a month more or less
changed the oil 6 times during that period. about every 2 months
for me it was visually perfect, no sludge inside, very little visible particles trapped on the exterior of the media (a few shiny metallic specks like you will see in the photos)
no soot or carbon particles like i found in cut opens of my 06 hemi filters
no waves or deformation of the media before i touched it (a bit of weird pleat spacing like you will see)
never had any noisey or dry starts during the year ( i also run almost 8 litres of oil like what was being discussed )
good construction it was tough to tear the media from the base plates. it was very well and throughly glued
once saturated with oil the two medias seem similar, very fibrous when torn but a definite separation between the two
feel free to shoot any other more specific questions I have probably forgotten some observations
I installed another wire backed xg2 will report back next year!