PureONE for 2.2 ECOTEC - PL15436 Quality?

[k1rod]

I just bought 18 of these filters from Advance Auto at a really good price ($4 ea). But looking closely at them, I'm not sure I did the right thing. Several of them have clear glue blobs and strings on many areas of the outside of the blue filter media (not just on the edge where the media is glued to the frame but in the middle of the media) and also on the plastic frame itself. Very ugly sloppy workmanship.

Then there is the area where the beginning of the media meets up with the end of the media (where the first fold meets the last fold). It looks like it is just two naked edges glued together and it looks like the only thing preventing oil from flowing between these two edges and bypassing the filter media is the quality of the glue job which I already mentioned was fairly "suspect". Lastly, (and I think this must have been something Advance Auto did) but every one of the filter boxes has been sliced open across the top of two sides with a razor knife. I feel like I need to closely inspect every filter to make sure the razor didn't cut the filtering media and then tape up each box so dust doesn't get to the filters over the years they will be in storage waiting to be used. What's going on here? I thought PureONE was supposed to be a premium quality product? And why did they slice up the boxes? Maybe I should have just stuck with the Delco filters for about the same price.

 

[electrolover]

its twice the filter as the delco. so what? they got a liitle heavy and maybe sloppy with the glue. better to have too much than not enough. and as far as where the media meets, alot of quality filters are glued there including delco (at least the ones i have cut open). when people cut open a box with a knife sometimes they damage the boxes inside. i would check the filters before installation just to be sure but i bet if the cuts are on the top of the box it could not have damaged the media.

rest easy man! you got some good filters at a great price!

 

[Lead Shoes]

You probably got those premium filters for so cheap because some newb did a good hack job when he opened the case of them.. rest easy and use them with confidence, they are some of the best filters made these days.

 

[chet2]

they do look pretty cheap but with todays oil it wont matter...i am putting one in my ecotec next OC

 

[Samilcar]

I purchased several of this same filter, and had the same experience. The unevenness of the pleats and visibly sloppy gluing is a little unsettling. It's noticeable even compared to the regular Purolator Classic filter for the same application. I'm not sure what to make of it.

 

[Lead Shoes]

After reading this again I got the itch to cut open one of my PL14459's, even after an Amsoil engine flush on my car, it would have still been good for thousands of miles, there was zero sloppy glue, the pleats were aligned near perfectly, and there was plenty of them, and my filter did have a little over spray onto the gasket and threads of the filter.

It held up perfectly, you will be very hard pressed to find a better filter for 6 dollars or less than 10....

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Brenden
After reading this again I got the itch to cut open one of my PL14459's, even after an Amsoil engine flush on my car, it would have still been good for thousands of miles, there was zero sloppy glue, the pleats were aligned near perfectly, and there was plenty of them, and my filter did have a little over spray onto the gasket and threads of the filter.


If you don't mind, could you count the number of pleats on that PL14459 including the one where the media is spiced together and let me know. Also could you report the date code printed on the dome of the filter. Thanks!

 

[WMSmotorhead]

It's a good filter for that motor....... Although I never liked that engine.

 

[Nick R]

This is what a proper cartridge filter for the Ecotec looks like (albeit for the 1.4 Turbo, not the 2.2)m this is the GM Supplied ACDelco filter, made by Hengst.

For some reason, it seems that though Purolators spin-on filters are of excellent quality, their cartridge filters don't appear to show quite the attention to detail. On the other hand FRAM spin-ons are questionable, but their cartridge filters seem well-made.
Not to say that the ones you have won't do the job, but I'm a little OCD about stuff like that.

 

[k1rod]

Originally Posted By: Samilcar
I purchased several of this same filter, and had the same experience. The unevenness of the pleats and visibly sloppy gluing is a little unsettling. It's noticeable even compared to the regular Purolator Classic filter for the same application. I'm not sure what to make of it.


I called up Purolator and they want the filters back. They are sending a filter reclaim kit. I will let you know what the tell me.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Most German cartridge filters, Hengst, Mahle, Mann, Bosch ... are much better construction than Purolator, Wix ... Their cost is not much more.

 

[surfstar]

k1rod, can you post pics before you send them back?

I just bought 2 pureones and 2 ac delcos for my 2.2. I didn't like the way the pleats were joined with glue on the joint, but comparing it to the ac filters, it didn't raise alarm.

 

[Gwhaley262]

I just installed one of these in my 2.4L LAH DI engine. The filter was the same Purolator quality I'm used to.

 

[cp3]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Most German cartridge filters, Hengst, Mahle, Mann, Bosch ... are much better construction than Purolator, Wix ... Their cost is not much more.


Never used a Purolator, can't find them here but all of the Wix/NG that I have used looked well made. I think the K&N looks very well put together however and it is made in Spain. Will probably be trying a Baldwin next time, maybe I'll post some pics.

 

[sandy_d]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Most German cartridge filters, Hengst, Mahle, Mann, Bosch ... are much better construction than Purolator, Wix ... Their cost is not much more.


They specifically are the German/Austrian made units.

I've noticed this as well. I can get OEM Mahle filters (OC47) for my VW Golf for just 50 cents more on average than a Putolator Classic, and ther price is about the same for a much less quality Fram OCOD unit.

 

[301]

my daughter's pontiac uses those filters,,had the same experience with purolator filters,,the supertech was perfect,,pleats all uniform.

 

[daves87rs]

Well, rethinking that P1 deal this week..

 

[k1rod]

I am hoping this situation may be an anomoly. I have sent 5 of the 18 filters back to Purolator for inspection. I don't want to post photos and really start a fire on a company that for the most part has a pretty good reputation, if this was just some freakish mishap. (Maybe they got some new guy on the glue line that doesn't know what he is doing). Anyway, as I said in a previous post, I will let you know what their response is. If they blow me off, I will post some very interesting pictures.

 

[steve20]

Ya know----if it was FRAM, there would be more pictures than one could stand


Ludicrous-and I don't mean the rapper

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: k1rod
Several of them have clear glue blobs and strings on many areas of the outside of the blue filter media ...


I've been using the PL15436 in my Ecotec for 110,000 miles; I've seen perhaps two of them with the little glue "strings" you mention but I just rub them off before installation. However I've seen those on the Delco/Hengst filters too.