Oil Filter selection woes

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In searching for oil filters for my wifes 2007 Cadillac STS I have been saddened by the availability of certain brands and the prices of others.

It takes a cute little cartridge filter AC Delco PF2129 which I can get for $3.99 at AutoZone which isn't a bad price at all but I wanted to upgrade to better filtration.

For the best filtration, which one would you pick?

Here is what is available:

AC Delco PF2129 $3.99
Mobil1 M1C-254 $19.95 Yikes!
Bosch D+ N/A
Baldwin P1433 $6.74
K&N PS-7003 $6.99
Fram Extra Guard CH8765 $10.49
STP S8765 $4.49
NAPA Gold 7090 $6.43
Purolator Classic L25274 $10.49

I just don't know why the Mobil1 cartridge filter costs so much compared to Mobil1 spin on filters like the one on my silverado (M1-113 @ $12.99)
 
IS there a Pure One avaialable? Or a Purolator Synthetic? Or a Fram Ultra?

Among just what you have listed there, I'd probably go with the Napa Gold or Puro Classic, but I'm basing that solely on reputation and not on anything specific about that particular size cartridge filter.
 
Why the self flagellation over oil filters? The $3.99 one will work fine. The OCI and brand of oil will make more difference. If you run Pennzoil Ultra and the stock filter and change every 5000 miles your engine will be spotless at 200,000 miles.
 
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Originally Posted By: Old Mustang Guy
I would stay with the Delco, perfectly good filtration if you don't intend to keep it more than a half million miles or so.


+1 without hesitation
 
Cartridge filters are relative unknowns, you can't just apply spin on filter perceptions and just blindly expect it to cross straight over.

The nice thing is you can get a real good look at them before you use them, as well as how they look as soon as you change them. I'd use the least expensive cartridge that has acceptable looking construction to you, and fits well, my guess that would be the AC Delco.
 
Only way I would use the M1 is if it was included at no extra charge as part of an oil and filter sale price combo. I have gotten several $20 K&N oil filters for powerstroke diesel engines for $6 essentially with oil change special. Sometimes they limit the price of the filter to 12.99 or so, so that would not work if that is the case. Read the ad fine print. I would not hesitate to use the K&N oil filter, but to get specific oil filter media flow and efficiency ratings, you will probably have to contact their tech dept and waste a lot of time. You cannot tell much more than construction quality or number of pleats from a visual inspection. The ability of the media is unknown unless tested or you do a particle count at oil change time which could get really expensive.
 
Originally Posted By: cmorr
Originally Posted By: Old Mustang Guy
I would stay with the Delco, perfectly good filtration if you don't intend to keep it more than a half million miles or so.


+1 without hesitation
ACDelco.
 
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Cartridge filters are relative unknowns, you can't just apply spin on filter perceptions and just blindly expect it to cross straight over.


Exactly ... never really see beta ratio data on cartrige filters.

I was told by Purolator Engineering Dept that all of their cartridge filters are rated at 40 microns. Don't know why ... but that's what they told me. You would think if a PureOne cartridge filter used the same media as the PureOne spin-on filter, then the efficiency rating would be the same (at 20 microns). But it's not for some reason.
 
I've seen a few AC Delco cartilage filters after ~5K mile use. They looked very good. AC Delco is probably the best way to go since it's a genuine GM replacement part ... ensures best fit.
 
Cartridge filters are nice for a variety of reasons... you don't have to worry about bypass or anti-drainback valves, can construction, threads, etc... you can select based almost solely on filter media and price. Plus, as has been mentioned above, you can take a good look at the media before and after use - defects and failures are easy to spot.

As far as 'best filtration', I think Mobil 1. But as far as 'good filtration' and 'best value', don't make a decision based on the brand name and price alone... I would be opening up some filter boxes and taking a good look at each one you have listed...
 
NAPA GOLD
PURONE
MOBIL

those are the 3 i would choose , no special order.

Personaly like p1 since its good bang for buck , than i would buy mobil EP.

those more expensive brands like royal purple/k&N not worth it unless they are heavily discounted.
 
Nope. No purone available for this application.

Originally Posted By: Voltmaster
NAPA GOLD
PURONE
MOBIL

those are the 3 i would choose , no special order.

Personaly like p1 since its good bang for buck , than i would buy mobil EP.

those more expensive brands like royal purple/k&N not worth it unless they are heavily discounted.
 
Finally! A full synthetic filtering media available in this ACdelco 2129 GM application. Royal Purple 20-2129 is all-glass media, new in this size. ONLY one out there.

From RP's website: "Based on ISO 4548-12 multi-pass test methods the filter efficiencies are:
99% at 25 microns and larger
98.7% at 20 microns and larger
80% at 10 microns and larger"


Beats ACDelco paper-cheap media, and likely holds more dirty, similar to other synthetic media claims.
 
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The AC Delco cartridge oil filter for my 2012 Cruze is made by Hengst. It is a top quality filter manufactured by a German company. They supply top notch filters for many German vehicles. They are just as high a quality or better than most boutique oil filters.
 
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