What oil filter do you use ?
05-03-2013, 10:48 AM
#23
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Usually Mobil 1, trying a Fram Ultra this year as it was heavily discounted with 5qt synthetic oil purchase. Looked it up online before installing and it looks to be a pretty well built filter for a Fram...
05-03-2013, 01:08 PM
#24
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St. Jude Donor '13
Executive summary:
The GM/Delco filter recommended in your Owner Manual is just fine.
05-03-2013, 01:13 PM
#25
Race Director
k&n, easy on easy off. i also use the fumoto drain plug #f107. turn the lever easy pour out of oil directly into the pan with no mess whatsoever. never take the drain plug off. piece of cake.
05-03-2013, 02:16 PM
#28
Tolero Apto Victum
05-03-2013, 03:43 PM
#32
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2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Same as what was installed at the factory ...
AC Delco PF-48 and Mobil 1
AC Delco PF-48 and Mobil 1
05-03-2013, 06:30 PM
#33
Le Mans Master
Actually, Advance auto just sent a flier today, and they're running more oil change specials this month. 5 quart jug of Pennzoil Platinum oil and K&N filter for $30 bucks. Mobil 1 oil and filter for $33 bucks. Personnally I use the Pennzoil, as excellent oil, and meets all GM specs.
05-03-2013, 11:26 PM
#35
Race Director
I'm currently using up my last Fram Extended Guard and have a Fram Ultra ready to go on the next oil change. These are much different than the entry level Fram filters, they are extremely well built filters.
05-03-2013, 11:33 PM
#36
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2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Fram. Say what you will but, I've been using them for over 40 years and never a problem. My one truck just turned 275,000 miles.
05-04-2013, 04:50 AM
#37
05-04-2013, 06:00 AM
#38
Race Director
I did a little research this morning here is what I found....................
The microGreen® oil filter offers tremendous benefits and significant competitive advantages over conventional filters:
· Advanced patented 2 Filters in 1 system keeps oil cleaner, longer
· 65-70% oil maintenance cost savings
· Reduction of CO2 emissions
· 70% reduction in oil use and 50% reduction in filter use
· Better for the environment
The microGreen® oil filter is the most advanced technological leap in engine filtration in 30 years. It replaces a conventional oil filter assembly without requiring any modifications to the engine or filter housing. By continuously filtering a small portion of the engine oil through the patented microfilter system, the microGreen® filtration system allows your vehicle to operate up to 30,000 miles without changing the engine oil.
http://www.microgreenfilter.com/
Purolator Pure One.....
This is an interesting filter design made by Purolator. Most of the construction of the Pure One is the same as the Purolator Premium Plus. The big difference is the filter element itself. It has a dense paper/fiber filter element that can filter very small particles. The result of this is cleaner oil exiting the element, but more oil restriction. Purolator addressed this by adding more filter material (more and deeper pleats). After seeing one of these filters cut open, I am apprehensive about this filter. It seems to have so many pleats that it is almost a solid chunk of filter element. It seems like it would end up restricting the flow, more than anything. Purolator has plenty of data on the filtration abilities of this filter and I don't doubt it, but they have no flow data. Even so, I don't see any major problems with this filter. It also sports a silicone anti-drainback valve and a PTFE treated nitrile rubber gasket.
Wix.....
Another quality oil filter similar in design to the Purolator. It has metal end caps on the filter element, a standard nitrile anti-drainback valve, and a seemingly good flow. They are manufactured by the Dana corperation. These appear to have a depth gradient filter element, which uses cotton fibers to progressively trap smaller particles as they get deeper in the filter. This helps maintain good flow as the filter gets plugged.
Pro Line....
This is a Purolator Premium Plus that I have seen at Pep Boys. Pep Boys also sells the Purolator Premium Plus brand, which is pretty dumb (to be selling both).
Purolator Premium plus....
The Purolator is a solid design. It seems to have one of the tougher paper filter element of them all and the bypass valve is built right into the cartridge. There are no internal sealing problems with this filter at all. There is an assembly string that is wrapped around the filter element, probably to hold it in place while the glue cures in the end caps. In the ProLine (one of the Purolator clones), the string was wrapped too tightly and had damaged the filter element. All the other Purolator-made filters (8 in all) had no trouble, and even the damaged one would probably have been fine.
NAPA......
They sell two lines of oil filters: NAPA Silver and NAPA Gold. They are both made by Dana (Wix) and there is no obvious difference between them. They may have different elements, but NAPA does not state that this is true.
Motorcraft....
This was a Purolator hybrid. It had the Premium Plus case (anti-drainback valve, gasket, etc), but with a Pure One filter element. This is a cheap way to get a Purolator Pure One. It is sold at many locations including AutoZone, Pep Boys, etc.
Mopar....
These filters are Frams, Purolators, or Wixes. Mopar does not manufacture it's own filters, nor do they require anything special from these manufacturers. Since they basically paint them a different color, stamp them with a Mopar logo, and double the price, there is no reason to buy them. Sadly, the Mopar Severe Duty 53020311 filter is actually the worst filter of them all. It is a Fram Extra Guard.
Mobil 1.......
This filter is made by Champion Labs and uses a synthetic fiber element that can filter out very small particles. It is rated by the manufacturer at just under the Purolator Pure One as far as filtering capability, but is still very much above conventional paper filters. It also has a very strong construction to withstand high pressure spikes during start-up. Given the choice between the Purolator Pure One and the Mobil 1 filters, I would choose the Mobil 1 because of the restriction concerns of the Pure One. However, as with all Mobil 1 products, expect to pay 2 - 3 times as much for this filter. I have seen this filter sold at AutoZone and K-mart.
Though I have never had problems, I have received feedback from a few people that these filters may leak at the base. It seems that the seal between the backplate and can may burst under high pressure (at startup). These were on Ford engine applications.
Fram Tough Guard.....
Even with all the problems of the other Fram filters, this one is not too bad. It has a heavier filter element with more surface area, a silicone anti-drainback valve, the cheap pressure relief valve, but with a clever integral screen to keep out large particles, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The only other drawback to this filter is that it is capped on each end with cardboard instead of metal. Looking in through the center outlet does not reveal any paper end caps, but they are there.
AC Delco ultraguard Gold.....
This filter appears to be a Champion Labs filter. This is not suprising given that Champion Labs also manufacturers other AC Delco filters for some european vehicles. See the German Oil Filter Study.
AC Delco duraguard......
This filter does not appear to be AC Delco's original design, but it is still pretty good. It has one of the highest filter element surface areas with fewer, but very deep pleats. It also has strong, metal end caps with a nitrile rubber diaphram-type anti-drainback valve and steel bypass valve. It is one of the better filters you can get for $3.
I have had some feedback about these filters leaking at the seam between the backplate and the can. Often this was in situations where the engine was modified. Also, during a recent oil change, I found that this filter did not have the best anti-drainback valve. It is better than Fram because I have very little valve train noise at startup (I had a lot with Fram). I now have a NAPA Gold filter on it, which gives me no noise at all.
........Filters to Avoid....................
The following list of filters have known problems. You will see well-known names here and will probably be disappointed. This is because many of these brands have stopped making their own filters and buy from a common manufacturer.
Fram Extra Guard.....
Years ago Fram was a quality filter manufacturer. Now their standard filter (the radioactive-orange cans) is one of the worst out there. It features cardboard end caps for the filter element that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals against the cardboard and frequently leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak all the time. The stamped-metal threaded end is weakly constructed and it has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow. I had one of these filters fail in my previous car. The filter element collapsed and bits of filter and glue were circuilating through my system. The oil passge to the head became blocked and the head got so hot from oil starvation that it actually melted the vacuum lines connected to it as well as the wires near it.
Fram Double Guard.....
Another bad filter idea brought to you by your friends at Fram. The filter itself is a slightly improved design over the Fram Extra Guard, but still uses the same filter element. It has a silicone anti-drainback valve, a quality pressure releif valve, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The big problem is that they are trying to cash in on the Slick 50 craze. They impregnate the filter element with bits of Teflon like that found in Slick 50. As with Slick 50, Teflon is a solid and does not belong in an engine. It cannot get into the parts of the engine that oil can and therefore does nothing. Also, as the filter gets dirty, it ends up filtering the Teflon right out. Dupont (the manufacturer of Teflon) does not recommend Teflon for use in internal combustion engines. Please do not waste your money on this filter.
Penzoil......
This filter is a Fram! It is the exact same design as the Fram Extra Guard filter and it is junk. On the up side, it costs $1 less than the Fram version.
Quaker State.....
This is another Fram Extra Guard that I have seen at K-mart. It used to be a Purolator, but Quaker State is now owned/controlled by Penzoil...
All info I posted(except for the microgreen) and lots of good reading.....
http://wetwesties1.tripod.com/oilfil...ilfilters.html
The microGreen® oil filter offers tremendous benefits and significant competitive advantages over conventional filters:
· Advanced patented 2 Filters in 1 system keeps oil cleaner, longer
· 65-70% oil maintenance cost savings
· Reduction of CO2 emissions
· 70% reduction in oil use and 50% reduction in filter use
· Better for the environment
The microGreen® oil filter is the most advanced technological leap in engine filtration in 30 years. It replaces a conventional oil filter assembly without requiring any modifications to the engine or filter housing. By continuously filtering a small portion of the engine oil through the patented microfilter system, the microGreen® filtration system allows your vehicle to operate up to 30,000 miles without changing the engine oil.
http://www.microgreenfilter.com/
Purolator Pure One.....
This is an interesting filter design made by Purolator. Most of the construction of the Pure One is the same as the Purolator Premium Plus. The big difference is the filter element itself. It has a dense paper/fiber filter element that can filter very small particles. The result of this is cleaner oil exiting the element, but more oil restriction. Purolator addressed this by adding more filter material (more and deeper pleats). After seeing one of these filters cut open, I am apprehensive about this filter. It seems to have so many pleats that it is almost a solid chunk of filter element. It seems like it would end up restricting the flow, more than anything. Purolator has plenty of data on the filtration abilities of this filter and I don't doubt it, but they have no flow data. Even so, I don't see any major problems with this filter. It also sports a silicone anti-drainback valve and a PTFE treated nitrile rubber gasket.
Wix.....
Another quality oil filter similar in design to the Purolator. It has metal end caps on the filter element, a standard nitrile anti-drainback valve, and a seemingly good flow. They are manufactured by the Dana corperation. These appear to have a depth gradient filter element, which uses cotton fibers to progressively trap smaller particles as they get deeper in the filter. This helps maintain good flow as the filter gets plugged.
Pro Line....
This is a Purolator Premium Plus that I have seen at Pep Boys. Pep Boys also sells the Purolator Premium Plus brand, which is pretty dumb (to be selling both).
Purolator Premium plus....
The Purolator is a solid design. It seems to have one of the tougher paper filter element of them all and the bypass valve is built right into the cartridge. There are no internal sealing problems with this filter at all. There is an assembly string that is wrapped around the filter element, probably to hold it in place while the glue cures in the end caps. In the ProLine (one of the Purolator clones), the string was wrapped too tightly and had damaged the filter element. All the other Purolator-made filters (8 in all) had no trouble, and even the damaged one would probably have been fine.
NAPA......
They sell two lines of oil filters: NAPA Silver and NAPA Gold. They are both made by Dana (Wix) and there is no obvious difference between them. They may have different elements, but NAPA does not state that this is true.
Motorcraft....
This was a Purolator hybrid. It had the Premium Plus case (anti-drainback valve, gasket, etc), but with a Pure One filter element. This is a cheap way to get a Purolator Pure One. It is sold at many locations including AutoZone, Pep Boys, etc.
Mopar....
These filters are Frams, Purolators, or Wixes. Mopar does not manufacture it's own filters, nor do they require anything special from these manufacturers. Since they basically paint them a different color, stamp them with a Mopar logo, and double the price, there is no reason to buy them. Sadly, the Mopar Severe Duty 53020311 filter is actually the worst filter of them all. It is a Fram Extra Guard.
Mobil 1.......
This filter is made by Champion Labs and uses a synthetic fiber element that can filter out very small particles. It is rated by the manufacturer at just under the Purolator Pure One as far as filtering capability, but is still very much above conventional paper filters. It also has a very strong construction to withstand high pressure spikes during start-up. Given the choice between the Purolator Pure One and the Mobil 1 filters, I would choose the Mobil 1 because of the restriction concerns of the Pure One. However, as with all Mobil 1 products, expect to pay 2 - 3 times as much for this filter. I have seen this filter sold at AutoZone and K-mart.
Though I have never had problems, I have received feedback from a few people that these filters may leak at the base. It seems that the seal between the backplate and can may burst under high pressure (at startup). These were on Ford engine applications.
Fram Tough Guard.....
Even with all the problems of the other Fram filters, this one is not too bad. It has a heavier filter element with more surface area, a silicone anti-drainback valve, the cheap pressure relief valve, but with a clever integral screen to keep out large particles, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The only other drawback to this filter is that it is capped on each end with cardboard instead of metal. Looking in through the center outlet does not reveal any paper end caps, but they are there.
AC Delco ultraguard Gold.....
This filter appears to be a Champion Labs filter. This is not suprising given that Champion Labs also manufacturers other AC Delco filters for some european vehicles. See the German Oil Filter Study.
AC Delco duraguard......
This filter does not appear to be AC Delco's original design, but it is still pretty good. It has one of the highest filter element surface areas with fewer, but very deep pleats. It also has strong, metal end caps with a nitrile rubber diaphram-type anti-drainback valve and steel bypass valve. It is one of the better filters you can get for $3.
I have had some feedback about these filters leaking at the seam between the backplate and the can. Often this was in situations where the engine was modified. Also, during a recent oil change, I found that this filter did not have the best anti-drainback valve. It is better than Fram because I have very little valve train noise at startup (I had a lot with Fram). I now have a NAPA Gold filter on it, which gives me no noise at all.
........Filters to Avoid....................
The following list of filters have known problems. You will see well-known names here and will probably be disappointed. This is because many of these brands have stopped making their own filters and buy from a common manufacturer.
Fram Extra Guard.....
Years ago Fram was a quality filter manufacturer. Now their standard filter (the radioactive-orange cans) is one of the worst out there. It features cardboard end caps for the filter element that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals against the cardboard and frequently leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak all the time. The stamped-metal threaded end is weakly constructed and it has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow. I had one of these filters fail in my previous car. The filter element collapsed and bits of filter and glue were circuilating through my system. The oil passge to the head became blocked and the head got so hot from oil starvation that it actually melted the vacuum lines connected to it as well as the wires near it.
Fram Double Guard.....
Another bad filter idea brought to you by your friends at Fram. The filter itself is a slightly improved design over the Fram Extra Guard, but still uses the same filter element. It has a silicone anti-drainback valve, a quality pressure releif valve, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The big problem is that they are trying to cash in on the Slick 50 craze. They impregnate the filter element with bits of Teflon like that found in Slick 50. As with Slick 50, Teflon is a solid and does not belong in an engine. It cannot get into the parts of the engine that oil can and therefore does nothing. Also, as the filter gets dirty, it ends up filtering the Teflon right out. Dupont (the manufacturer of Teflon) does not recommend Teflon for use in internal combustion engines. Please do not waste your money on this filter.
Penzoil......
This filter is a Fram! It is the exact same design as the Fram Extra Guard filter and it is junk. On the up side, it costs $1 less than the Fram version.
Quaker State.....
This is another Fram Extra Guard that I have seen at K-mart. It used to be a Purolator, but Quaker State is now owned/controlled by Penzoil...
All info I posted(except for the microgreen) and lots of good reading.....
http://wetwesties1.tripod.com/oilfil...ilfilters.html
