Originally Posted by viscous
Originally Posted by ryster
The ACDelco is perfectly fine if you are following a 5,000-7,500 mile interval.
Yes, the OCI will not exceed the miles you mentioned, but it will exceed the time duration over which a typical driver would drive those miles. Any problems leaving an AC Delco installed a long time on an infrequently driven vehicle?
Originally Posted by ryster
The Wix WL10255 is rated for 22psi, so it meets that spec. Wix filters are typically well built and I would use one in my Chevy if I couldn't find an ACDelco PF63E.
So you don't think Wix offers a better value than AC Delco?
Originally Posted by ryster
The Wix WL10255XP meets the 22psi spec and has synthetic media. The Mobil1 M1-212A would be another good choice if running an extended interval, and it has a bypass pressure that exceeds the 22psi spec that GM calls for.
I've seen concerns about reported low efficiency of Wix XP filters. Do you feel Wix XP or M1 offers a better value than AC Delco?
For me, value is a balance of price and function. If I can pay $7 for the OEM part as opposed to $5-$7 for an after market equivalent, I am going OEM since I know it was specified for the car by the manufacturer. Now, if the OEM part was $14, and the aftermarket part was $7 then I would go with the aftermarket part provided it had similar specs to the OEM part. If there was any question at all, I would just buy the OEM part for peace of mind.
I don't think time is a consideration. If the ACDelco is used for 5,000-7,000 miles across 4 months, or 12 months, it doesn't make a difference. Any degradation (if any at all) that occurs from just sitting idle would be minimal.
For a long interval such as 10,000-15,000 miles the Wix XP or M1 would be a better value than the ACDelco (about $5 more for a filter that will be on the car longer), since the Wix XP and M1 are designed for longer intervals. From an efficiency perspective, the Wix XP has the same efficiency rating as the M1 and the ACDelco (30 microns). FRAM claims efficiency based on 20 microns, which might be better, but if you are changing the oil every 5,000-7,000 miles does it make that much of a difference? If GM is using a filter with a 30 micron efficiency that should be sufficient.