PF48 ACDelco Ecore Top plate change or defect?

[Warwagon]

About 1000 miles since dealer oil change. Noticed drips under the 6.0L V8 GMC 2500 Van. Oil filter was loose and gasket looked weird when tightening it. It's so uncommon for a dealer oil change to do anything but "You need tools to remove the filter tight." that I wonder if it was a dealer screw up or a problem with the filter?

So I replaced the filter. The top plate by the threads looks different (big gap by threads???) than other PF48 Ecore filters I have seen. Is this a design change or defect?

 

[ZeeOSix]

I'd say it's a design change, nothing to worry about.

 

[mrsilv04]

That's the way that the PF46 (granted, it's a different filter) has looked for several years now.

 

[TheLastWord]

FWIW, looks like no lubing of the gasket was done.

 

[bullwinkle]

The second plate is a “beauty plate”, made to make installation easier. Many Champ & Fram filters don’t have it. Looks like yet another reason to change your own oil, an unlubricated filter gasket will make the filter seem tighter than it is, and make it more likely to leave the gasket stuck on the mount the next time!

 

[jhellwig]

I had a similar issue recently on my old work truck that has the same motor and filter. Started leaving spots in the driveway. Looked up under it and the filter was dripping. Never did it before and was a couple of thousand miles into the oil change. Truck got replaced before I cared to have it fixed.

Could be a defective lot of filters.

 

[Warwagon]

To close out the question of leaking PF-48 Oil filter: This van went through FOUR oil filters all leaking/loose before 3,000 miles. AMSOIL, Wix, AC Delco, brands all leaked. All GM Dealer installed during an oil change or filter replacement after leaking without an oil change. I only supplied AMSOIL once as the dealer supplied and used Wix or trouble vehicles generally with Wix fixing the problem. The GM dealer after a long conversation with the service manager finally replaced the oil pan that has the oil filter mount in it. Didn't keep it long enough to say 100% that it fixed it however it wasn't leaking 1000 miles and some time later when the van went away.