Holy filter failure Batman!

[Ponchinizo]

Unknown brand filter off a coworkers 05 Chevy Malibu with the 2.2 Ecotec. 130k miles on it.
I believe he said he ran this OCI some 7 or 8 thousand miles. Bulk conventional oil, only 2 quarts drained out when I changed it. I hope you can see the hole clean through the media in those pictures.

I've never seen one this bad in person, figured I would share it with you all. Lots of metallic sludge on his magnetic drain plug too. I worry for his engine.

I put in Mobil1 HM 5w30 and a silver K&N he brought with him, and I advised him to shorten his next OCI to 3k in an attempt to let that M1 clean the gunk out a bit.

 

[KGMtech]

Gross!

 

[TheLawnRanger]

That's scary. That very well may be a poor quality filter but the length of the OCI with bulk oil may play a part.

 

[vw7674]

Looks like the oil filter is just slightly bigger than a decent 1970s fuel filter.
Sad.

 

[UncleDave]

Thanks.

Could be alternatively described as " Owner failure"


UD

 

[Ponchinizo]

Originally Posted by vw7674
Looks like the oil filter is just slightly bigger than a decent 1970s fuel filter.
Sad.

The OEM ones in my Corolla are about this size but they look beautiful after 5-7.5k miles, this what I'm used to seeing when I do an oil change.

 

[Ponchinizo]

Originally Posted by UncleDave
Thanks.

Could be alternatively described as " Owner failure"


UD

no kidding! I'm glad he got to see it for himself so he knows what not to do and why not to do it next time. That poor lil Ecotec.

 

[krismoriah72]

Looks like the 'bulk oil' change place hasnt changed the filter in a few times.

 

[MParr]

Pure neglect! There's more than 8,000 miles on that filter and oil. Probably closer to 30,000 miles.

 

[NormanBuntz]

It would seem that the either the owner is letting his change interval run too long, or his oil change place is screwing him by not replacing the filter. I can't believe there could be that much crud in a decently maintained motor.

 

[Gebo]

It appears someone is NOT doing what they say they are doing. Yikes!

 

[Ponchinizo]

Originally Posted by NormanBuntz
It would seem that the either the owner is letting his change interval run too long, or his oil change place is screwing him by not replacing the filter. I can't believe there could be that much crud in a decently maintained motor.

Luckily for him I'm his oil change place now, I offered to do it to save him some money (and I like changing oil), so at least now we know it was done right. Would a lube shop really charge for a filter and not replace it? Thats so shady! It makes me wonder though, it's hard to believe this filter had less than 10 or 15k on it.

 

[Danno]

Same condition as the filter I pulled from my son's 2007 Cobalt with the 2.2L, 3,000 mile OCI with PP 5W-30.
Did the change myself.
All short trips in the winter.
No coolant loss.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Yeah, I agree with it being less of a filter problem and more of a maintenance problem that the filter paid for. Poor lil guy. lol

'05? I didn't realize OEMs were using cartridge filters that far back.

 

[WellOiled]

Originally Posted by Ponchinizo
Unknown brand filter off a coworkers 05 Chevy Malibu with the 2.2 Ecotec. 130k miles on it.
I believe he said he ran this OCI some 7 or 8 thousand miles. Bulk conventional oil, only 2 quarts drained out when I changed it. I hope you can see the hole clean through the media in those pictures.

I've never seen one this bad in person, figured I would share it with you all. Lots of metallic sludge on his magnetic drain plug too. I worry for his engine.

I put in Mobil1 HM 5w30 and a silver K&N he brought with him, and I advised him to shorten his next OCI to 3k in an attempt to let that M1 clean the gunk out a bit.

While the filter did fail, the root cause is lack of maintenance or neglect. While your suggestion is good, I would pull the valve cover and see how bad this is. Mechanical cleaning of the top end and the sump might be in order. Sad day for 05 Chevy Malibu with the 2.2 Ecotec.

 

[JLTD]

Originally Posted by UncleDave
Thanks.

Could be alternatively described as " Owner failure"


UD



Originally Posted by krismoriah72
Looks like the 'bulk oil' change place hasnt changed the filter in a few times.


Both of these...that filter has gone WAY further than "7 or 8 thousand miles".

 

[SirTanon]

That's not 1 OCI. If I had to guess, that looks more like 4 or 5 OCIs, if not more. Also, if I had to guess, I'd say the oil itself probably wasn't changed for a while as well.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by MParr
Pure neglect! There's more than 8,000 miles on that filter and oil. Probably closer to 30,000 miles.




This is likely closer to the truth.

 

[Cujet]

There is a reason frequent oil changes are necessary. There are plenty of examples of extended oil change intervals ending up just like this. Do so at your own risk.

 

[bullwinkle]

Think I would send him to the auto parts store for a few Hengst made AC Delco filters, a case of PYB, a socket for his oil filter cap, and teach him how to do it himself. So I don't get blamed when it clogs the oil pump pickup strainer & throws a rod...