The UltraGaurd was the upgraded synthetic media Delco filter.
Strange filter location in oil pan on my Grand Am
- Thread starter atikovi
- Start date
Different oil filter.
Canister type.
The old iron duke oil change shower I remember it well but trust me it was much easier to change the filter. On the GM X cars with the iron duke you had to remove the plastic liner inside the front driver side wheel well to get the filter even then it was easier to take the tire off. Worse oil change ever use to take my mom's 1980 Buick Skylark to the dealership for oil change they knew all the shortcuts to do it quick
Yes I forgot the Intrique!! Same motor. Not saying it's exactly the same because I don't remember 100% but I remember it was underneath by the oil pan and a messy job lol. I actually sold that Aurora the next year and got the V8 version.
I think it's more of just a cartridge filter underneath it still makes a mess but the duke is more of a mess because the only drain plug is the gaping 85mm hole with the filter in it so you pull the filter and have to drain all 4.5qts of oil come gushing out everywhere.
I had 3.5 Aurora they called that motor the short star it was based on the Cadillac North Star a great car I really enjoyed it
It was a great car. I sold mine after 1 year and got the 4.0 V8 version which was based on the Northstar as well. These were the best GM interiors they had and the car was always mistaken for a Lexus lol...mine was a 2001 2nd gen.
4WD
$50 site donor 2024
My sister has been driving one for many years - still no problems
Good to know, I didn't realize how hard a filter is to source for this oddball but should've seen the writing on the wall since I've never seen anything like it.
They're calling it an oil Drain Plug. Interesting. The car has two drain plugs. I'd use a socket for that; not pliers.
Tech IVs do not have a second drain plug, the filter plug is the drain plug.
I still have the special tool for removing the part you unscrew to get to the filter. Gotta go find it o guess.
Everyone at the design table must have been high on coke for this one… gotta love the 80’s.
I don't think it's the worst design, they just should have put a proper drain plug on the pan instead of having to drain using the gaping hole for the filter. The filter being primed directly in the oil doesn't seem like a bad idea to me. I'd kind of like to hear the engineers that designed it explain why they built the oiling system the way they did, actually I'd kind of like to see how it's setup, has I Do Cars done a teardown of one?
(Delete Me)
But why though? The same remote canister and spin on designs we use today were already well established.
Dug thru my stash; I have 8 of the AC DELCO filters. May squire dads 88’ Grand Am as it’s 4 dr and I know where another one is like 8 minutes away 
Didn't that premium filter just come out a few years ago? Doubt they would make one for an application that stopped being made 30 years ago.
UltraGuard filters have been around a long time
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