OLM and oil filters?

[thereed]

I have a 2007 Chevy Colorado that has an OLM. Considering that the AC Delco oil filters that are recomended aren't really anything special, I should be able to run just about any filter, correct?

I have a Bosch Distance+ on there currently because I'm worried about the filter becoming loaded to the point it goes into bypass before the OLM goes off. I'm a fan of the P1's and would love to run them to save a few bucks but I'm paranoid that its efficiency might make it load up before the OLM goes off.

Do you all think an "extended drain" oil filter is necessary, if the efficiency is higher than that of the OE filter, when running the full OCI dictated by the OLM?

 

[Garak]

Look at it this way. Many manufacturers have gone to longer OCIs and OLMs. How many of them have actually updated their filters?

All I can think of are the Germans where they have the normal paper filter, and the long life fleece versions for the modern, extended OCIs in the more recent vehicles. I don't think there have been a lot of changes (at least with respect to actual improvements) to Mopar, AC Delco, or Motorcraft filters in the past ten years or so.

 

[sciphi]

Not really. They're nice for "peace of mind", but many engines run just fine for many hundreds of thousands of miles on regular old filters.

 

[Sayjac]

The P1 has a rated holding capacity of 13grams, that's a lot of junk. Also the P1 flow chart has been posted here many times showing it to have excellent flow characteristics.

Whatever OLM oci the ACDelco filter can do, the P1 can also safely do.

 

[fdcg27]

Unless something is badly wrong, there isn't all that much for the oil filter to filter out, if loading is your concern.
Mechanically, even cheap filters seem to hold up pretty well over the miles, based upon some we've seen photos of on here.
How many months or miles does it take your Colorado to reach 0% OLM as you use it?

 

[RedCorvette]

Strangely enough, Purolator have a chart suggesting Classic is up to 15k and P1 is for over 15k!

That's counter-intuitive from an efficiency perspective but perhaps the dirt holding design is different.

But it does suggest they've designed it to meet the extended drains that manufacturer's ask. They do advise not to go longer than the manufacturer recommendation. So it's kind of like M1 EP.

 

[Tros]

Purolator is smart to show that it is fine for extended drain intervals. Most companies do not suggest near that long for an oil change, but I seem to recall a few vehicles that do (mostly from across the pond). If that is the case, it is only wise to make a product that can hang with their manufacture's recommended OCI. It is just my opinion, but I think most oil filters can meet this mark providing the motor is well kept, and not gunked up.

 

[ZeeOSix]

The Purolator chart does not mean to say the PureOne is a 15K+ OCI filter ... it says they recommend the P1 if the vehicle is driven 15K or more per year.

That along with the statement below from Purolator pretty much says they want you to change it per the vehicle's maintenance schedule. The "3,000 miles or 3 months" statement is just a CYA for Purolator.

From Purolator's website:
"Purolator PureONE oil filters should be replaced every 3,000 miles or 3 months depending on the driving conditions - or unless otherwise specified by the vehicle's manufacturer."

 

[thereed]

fdcg27:
It takes me about 4-5 months and 6-9k miles for it to tell me to "change oil soon". Im doing a bit more highway driving now so I think I'll break 10k miles on this oci.

I wasted a ton of QS full syn. and P1's for the first 60K miles on 3k mile oci's so I know this truck is clean as a whistle inside. Im done wasting good oil on short oci but Im now trying to figure out my filter situation. Im always trying to perfect my cost/protection ratio on all of my vehicles.

 

[fdcg27]

If you'll be going 10K+ on an OCI, the marginal cost per mile of a long interval filter, like an M1 or a D+ is mininscule.
OTOH, there is a thread in the Oil Filters forum showing a Purolator Classic cut open, that had done 11K+, and it looked realy good.
Use any quality filter in your Colorado to 0% OLM and you should be fine.
GM has its own oil spec now, but it doesn't have its own oil filter spec.
I'm guessing that GM has found that the oil filter used is not normally a limiting factor.
I'd therefore just use a name brand filter and sleep well.

 

[thereed]

I wish GM and other makers had oil filter spec that could be clearly printed on a box so you wouldnt have the option of getting something that wasnt compatable. On the other hand, maybe it really doesnt matter and any filter that has the genaric "meets or exceeds" on the box is sufficient. Thats what I love about "DEXOS" for GM's in regards to oil, it makes it "idiot proof" when selecting and oil.

As for price, the Fram XG, or what ever it is called now, is only a couple of dollars more than a P1 so I guess it really isn't a big deal. I just like saving money where I can and still getting the job done well.

 

[jim302]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Unless something is badly wrong, there isn't all that much for the oil filter to filter out, if loading is your concern.
Mechanically, even cheap filters seem to hold up pretty well over the miles, based upon some we've seen photos of on here.
How many months or miles does it take your Colorado to reach 0% OLM as you use it?




Other than a few ecore media blowouts I can't think of any other failures. Even FRAM's cardboard engineered media endcaps seem to hold up to higher intervals just fine as long as there are no problems with the car (such as water in the oil).

So I agree on both points. Modern engines don't produce that much junk to get caught in the filter in the first place, so capacity is not going to be an issue as long as you maintain the car properly and follow the OLM.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Unless something is badly wrong, there isn't all that much for the oil filter to filter out, if loading is your concern.
Mechanically, even cheap filters seem to hold up pretty well over the miles, based upon some we've seen photos of on here.
How many months or miles does it take your Colorado to reach 0% OLM as you use it?

This is the best answer.

If the oil filter is overloaded with junk in less than 15k miles, your engine is shedding too much metal and it is dying.

I didn't cut open normal filters, but I saw almost nothing on the cartridge filter of the E430 after 13k miles OCI's. I'm using it for 2 OCI's of 11-13k miles now, the total miles on the filter will be about 22-25k miles.

I had been using 1 oil filter a year in my LS400 since new, the car has more than 280k miles after 18 years, so the filter was used about 14-15k miles. I didn't buy high end filters either, just normal Motorcraft FL400S, Purolator, Fram Tough Guard, Pep Boys' Proline ...

I think Air Filter is more importance and I buy quality air filter not made in China junks. Since air filter is used for 4-5 years, so an extra $10-15 for quality filter spread out over 5 years is only a penny a day.

 

[thereed]

So, in theory, a healthy engine with a quality air filter could go 2 oci as per the olm with an extended use oil filter?

I wish all of my vehicles had cartridge style filters. Being able to see the filters conditon so easily would make this decision easy.

 

[Ken2]

Look through all the UOA with extended oil drains. You probably will not find one where the filter clogged and went into bypass. As stated above, modern engines in decent condition do not create the crud that clogs filters. The rubber bits on lower cost filters (nitrile rubber instead of costlier silicone rubber) are more likely to fail over an extended time than the filter getting clogged.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: thereed
So, in theory, a healthy engine with a quality air filter could go 2 oci as per the olm with an extended use oil filter?

I wish all of my vehicles had cartridge style filters. Being able to see the filters conditon so easily would make this decision easy.

That is what I'm doing with my E430 now. The last time I changed the oil about 5-6 weeks ago I checked the cartridge oil filter, it looked so clean I re-used it and I'll check the filter condition every few months. Remove the filter from its housing to take a look then re-install takes less than 2-3 minutes, because it is on top of the engine.

 

[jim302]

Originally Posted By: thereed
So, in theory, a healthy engine with a quality air filter could go 2 oci as per the olm with an extended use oil filter?

I wish all of my vehicles had cartridge style filters. Being able to see the filters conditon so easily would make this decision easy.


Honda used to recommend filter changes with every other oil change, and they called for a 7,500 mile oil change under normal operating conditions. Honda OEM filters are nothing special - right now they are basically FRAM Tough Guards without the screen over the bypass valve, and a slightly different gasket.

I'm not sure if they still recommend this on their newer cars, but I have never heard anyone mention that there were any problems running the filters for 2 OCIs. I wouldn't recommend running a filter twice to most people because they won't keep good enough records to remember if it was changed last time or not, so changing it every time is safer.

 

[thereed]

Man I wish it was that easy to inspect the filter for me. I think I'm going to get a filter cutter and go with the P1's. I figure I'll go one full olm dictated oci with it, cut open and inspect, and go from there. On my next vehicle purchase a top mounted cartridge style oil filter is something I'm going to look for, it won't be the deciding factor but def something to look at.

I wouldn't worry so much about this truck if it was a piece of junk but it's been a great truck. This thing is about to turn 100k and runs like the day she rolled off of the show room floor.

 

[HTSS_TR]

The best attribute of most MB engines is easy to change oil and filter. With a fluid extractor(plus a 3/8 ratchet and a filter cap) I can change oil and filter with my work cloth and finish in less than 20-30 minutes without a drop of oil on garage floor.

When I don't have much to do on weekend, I just remove the oil filter holder to take a peek at the filter then put it back.

 

[Sayjac]

Quote:
Honda used to recommend filter changes with every other oil change, and they called for a 7,500 mile oil change under normal operating conditions. Honda OEM filters are nothing special - right now they are basically FRAM Tough Guards without the screen over the bypass valve, and a slightly different gasket......

Well, my 07 Accord with the MM (maint. minder) system has an A or B letter indicator that shows when an oil change is due. 'A' means no filter required, 'B' means oil and filter. Before the MM, at least as far back as the 96 Accord and 01 Civic, the maintenance manual showed filter change every other oci under normal conditions.

Until this most recent oil change I've always changed the filter with the oil as there is little cost benefit in not doing so. However, for the first time I'm running a Bosch D+ and am running it two intervals. And, the A letter showed this time for the oil change. it alternates. Doing it more for an experiment than anything else. But, if I'd run a Honda A-01 or A-02 two ocis, I'd have no problem running a P1 that far on Honda. The dealers change the filter every time as standard practice. And based on calling some dealers, some either don't know about the MM A,B indicator meaning, or don't want to know.

Yes, the A-02 looks very similar in construction to the Tough Guard, however about a year or so ago Fram quietly removed the screen over bypass from the TG without any notice. The TG no longer has a screen. Reminds me of the new cheaper, less user friendly tapping plate that Fram added to their varieties. Strangly though the Fram boxes still show the older superior tapping plate design.