AC Delco (WIX) vs K&N

[OVERKILL]

Here are some pics of two filters I cut apart. I would like to preface this with the fact that the AC Delco (WIX) filter sat in my oil change pan for a while with some gear oil, antifreeze and disgusting oil from my buddy's jeep in there, so the "oil" that is in/on the filter does not properly represent the actual oil the filter saw during use.

*******The "grit" on the tops of both filters is from the hacksaw used to cut the filters open. *********

The AC Delco (WIX) is off my Town Car, the K&N is off our Expedition.

Comments:

The metal cap for the filter media on the Delco came off when I took the filter apart. I was under the impression that the media is supposed to be GLUED to this piece??? That bothered me. The pleat spacing is not great, and the media almost looks like it was trying to collapse, but I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

The drainback valve is hard rubber, and is difficult to bend with your fingers.

The K&N looks VERY well put together, but it better be for the price of the thing!!!

The drainback valve is soft and pliable and easily manipulated with your fingers.

Both filters had basically identical bypass valve designs.

The Delco used a coil spring to hold the media, the K&N uses a leaf.

 

[ThirdeYe]

That's weird about the AC Delco drainback valve. I've taken apart other Wix filters such as the ProSelect and the valve has always been very easy to bend and very pliable. From all the other filters I've cut open, yours look pretty similar (except the almost black oil in the AC Delco with the grit & crud, lol)

 

[OVERKILL]

Yeah, that oil is black as tar! It's what came out of my buddy's Cherokee. He drained it into my oil drain pan without removing my filter from the pan! LOL!!!!

 

[ThirdeYe]

I've never seen oil that dark in any of the cars I've maintained, dang! I know it usually gets pretty dark in my sister's car for some reason but certainly not that bad... lol. That K&N looks just like most filters I open though, so I think that's a good sign

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
I've never seen oil that dark in any of the cars I've maintained, dang! I know it usually gets pretty dark in my sister's car for some reason but certainly not that bad... lol. That K&N looks just like most filters I open though, so I think that's a good sign

The jeep previously belonged to his dad. I have no idea of the maintenance history, but I agree, that stuff is BLACK!!!!!!!!!

 

[Asterix]

Don't discount the possiblity that glycol softened the glue in the Delco filter. How long did the filter sit in the goo? Is the other end still glued firmly? If only the one end came off I'd blame the glycol.

Asterix

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Asterix
Don't discount the possiblity that glycol softened the glue in the Delco filter. How long did the filter sit in the goo? Is the other end still glued firmly? If only the one end came off I'd blame the glycol.

Asterix


Only the one end came off and there was not a lot of antifreeze in the pan.

The filter sat in the pan for a number of months.

Maybe the black-tar crude that came out of that jeep ate it