ACD A1096C and A1614C (GM fullsize FWD and W-body)

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Stu_Rock

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Has anyone noticed the subtle difference between the following two applications?

1. GM fullsize FWD (LeSabre, Park Ave, Bonneville, Seville)
ACDelco A1096C, Fram CA6479, Purolator A34479
LWH (inches) 10.50 x 7.88 x 1.56

2. GM W-body (Impala, LaCrosse, Regal, Grand Prix)
ACDelco A1614C, Fram CA8754, Purolator A35330
LWH (inches) 10.70 x 7.97 x 1.55

Wix folds them into a single part number: 46153.
LWH (inches) 10.68 x 7.95 x 1.62

My car takes the A1096C. I usually buy Wix filters, but I just don't trust their 46153 in this application.

I've had bad luck with Fram air filters clogging MAF sensors with paper fibers, so I avoid them. And I can't get the Purolator A34479 locally (but the A35330 I can), so I have to buy the ACDelco A1096C from RockAuto.

Has anyone here tried the Wix in an A1096C application?
 
A Champion Labs filter (champ, STP, LEE, Luber Finer)would be an ideal AC substitute as well. The bulk packaged "Durapack" of AC filters used by dealers for common applications are usually AC labeled filters drop shipped from Champion.
 
Good info. I could tell by visual inspection that the A1096C was not made by Honeywell/Fram, Bosch/Purolator, or Affinia/Wix.

That leaves Champion Labs as the likely supplier, unless Delphi still makes any filters (though I think they don't). Next time I'm at an AutoZone, I'll have to look at an STP SA6479. That's probably the only Champion-made brand accessible in this area.
 
I doubt Delphi still makes air filters as well, but I haven't bought a retail box AC in some time. They are too hard to find anymore and often no cheaper than at a dealer.
 
It looks like the ACDelco A1096C is indeed a Champion Laboratories filter. Here's the picture from Champion:
AF1096.jpg

Looking at the shape of the foam gasket material, I can tell it's identical to the A1096C.

Also, I found in an older thread that crazyoildude had a bad experience with the Purolator for his Seville, which takes the A1096C.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1507563#Post1521228

It seems that Champion (as ACDelco, STP, Champ, etc.) is the only real choice for this application.
 
As it turns out, the filter that was still in my car is an original Delphi A1096C, which is no longer made. I made some measurements to compare the original Delphi design and the new Champion-made ACDelco A1096C:
Code:


BOTH ACDELCO BRANDED: DELPHI CHAMPION

======== ========

number of pleats 83 76

pleat depth 31 mm 31 mm

filter medium width 187 mm 186 mm

overall width 201 mm 201 mm

overall length 270 mm 270 mm

gasket thickness 10 mm 11 mm

overall height 43 mm 43 mm

Dimensionally, the Champion is very close to the original Delphi filters. The only major difference is that Champion only gives you about 91% of the amount of filter medium that Delphi used to give you.

Since I started this thread, I have checked for STP SA6479 every time I go to AutoZone, and the two stores in my area have never had one. There's shelf space, but no filter.

That photo I linked above is not the same as the Champion-made A1096C--it has only 61 pleats. This suggests that one should be cautious about using other Champion brands for this application. It might just be a stock photo of a different part number, however.
 
A new AutoZone opened up in my city on Friday. Being fully stocked, they had an STP SA6479 in stock. It is different than the Champion-made ACDelco!

In my brief look, I noticed two things. First, it was made in China, while the last Champion ACDelco I bought was made in the USA. Second, it had only about 60 pleats instead of 76. It may have been 61 like the photo above.

(I know this is an old thread and that I may very well be writing to myself here, but I figure I might as well share what I find out)
 
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