Cut Open Pics: 26k mile Amsoil EA15K50 (AC Delco PF64 Equivalent)

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This filter has just over 26,000 miles on it.

Vehicle is a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ w/ the 2.0L LTG (GTDI). It's almost at 95,000 miles.

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What was the OCI? I'm assuming not 26,000 miles. Filter looks good, thanks for the C&P.
 
Other than a few wavy pleats those are some extremely boring pictures, which is exactly what you want.
Too bad there no way to measure how loaded the filter element is.

Carry on!!!
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The media is fully wire backed, so when I went to straighten some of those pleats, it took quite some force. I'm wondering if the filter was in bypass at all.

Well the engine burns about 1-2 quarts of oil every 5k miles or so, but I changed the oil at 7,000 miles, then at 10,000 miles, and finally at 9,000 miles. We did a 5400+ mile road trip for the second interval, so I didn't have time to stop in the middle of Utah or Yellowstone to change my oil. I had to pour in quite a bit of oil on the way.

New plan is to change it every 6,000 miles with a fresh PF64. The owner logs a lot of miles on this car, more so than I could ever do myself.

The oil is generally filthy with this engine. Even after a fresh oil and filter change, the oil on the dipstick turns from clear/fresh to black. This old filter had a lot of residue stuck to the metal shell, reminds me of worn metal shavings in differentials and transmissions.

Glad you enjoyed the pics!
 
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I have the same car. I do 4000 to 5000 mile oil changes and it uses no oil. I am at 65,000 miles.

I have to ask why run it so long? Why run the filter so long? I don't believe these suffer from fuel dilution but they can have LSPI as the oil gets older and breaks down.

I guess it works for whoever owns it but I wouldn't run like that in a D.I./Turbo. UOA or no UOA, I don't care.

What oil are you running? Color doesn't always indicate the oil is dirty.
 
Amsoil SS 5W30. It is pitch black right after I change the oil. Usually when I change the oil in a car the oil stays clear for awhile, not this car. It burned oil as far back as when I first changed it at 68k miles. I believe it is getting sucked through the PCV fresh air connection at the airbox. But I talked to a few other LTG owners that felt 2 to 3 quarts every oil change is too much to be PCV, more like blowby. So I ran MMO before this oil change to see if it can help with the rings. Next oil change should be around the 100k mark.
 
Have the plugs been changed? They were due at 65,000.

I don't know when I used Amsoil in the WS6 it used it and it looked dirty. I switched to Mobil 1 and it reduced the amount it used significantly. Never really looked at the color.

I don't use any but most the folks I see going 6000-7000 miles are adding a quart to a quart and a half in that time. I still think that is too long in this particular engine.

An oil change is like 35 for Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 filter at Autozone, which is cheap insurance. Plus it is like a 15 minute job.
 
Still on the original spark plugs and even brakes (rotors and pads).

Aren't the stock AC Delco plugs iridium fine wire? They should last a long long time. The engine seems to run very smoothly, and the power on tap is fairly incredible. I tweaked the tune a little, starting by copying some of the Camaro LTG settings over and starting from there. Nothing too insane.

I should have mentioned it ran Amsoil SS 5W-30 for the 26,000 miles. I used a fresh PF64 with Castrol Edge. I have to agree that over 6k is probably too much. I'm learning more and more that EcoBoost needs shorter intervals as well regardless of the type of oil used, like 5k-6k max. The oil consumption seems to start or get worse around this time on the LTG 2.0
 
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That is a significant amount of oil to burn. Especially in a low mileage engine
It would seem like it has a problem somewhere
 
Plugs in LTG are required to be changed at 65 000. You need to get those old ones out of there. If you are using as much oil as you say the plugs are shot.
 
Filter looks good to me. Champ Labs made. 26k miles with 3 sump dumps and some make up along the way, less contaminants do deal with than one 26k mi oci with or without make up. Amsoil SS, good oil.

Thanks for c&p.
 
Originally Posted by ls1mike
In fact the 2.0 ATS says every 60,000.


You're right, I just did a search and it's every 60k miles. The stock plugs are AC Delco fine wire iridium. I wonder why GM requires these to be replaced so often? Ford specifies 100k miles for their GTDI EcoBoost, which generally run fine wire iridium plugs as well. I learn something new everyday.

As for the Amsoil filter, I noticed the steel core holes are fairly small and sparsely spaced. The PF64 plastic e-core has much bigger openings. I wonder if the Amsoil design might restrict flow?
 
Not sure about the filter. I know Amsoil is good stuff. I used it for 4 years in the WS6 and switched to Mobil 1 I have been really happy with it. I use the Mobil 1 filters too. I get a pretty good deal at Autozone with the package deal 5 quarts and filter plus a 10 percent discount. Usually 35 to 40 bucks.

I don't leave the oil in the Malibu long enough to worry about it. I know people here will laugh, don't care, I change the oil twice a year and it cost me a total of 80 bucks and takes about an hour of time for both changes. I have no oil consumption and based off my OBD II data log no LSPI. (Low speed pre ignition). I also only run 92 Octane in the Malibu.

Changer your plugs.
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Your Malibu is mad at you.
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I looked at the maintenance schedule for my 09 Cobalt SS w/ the 2.0L LNF, and those use the same type of OEM fine wire iridium plugs but have a 100k mile replacement. It's odd GM is requiring these to be changed every 60k on the LTG.
 
Originally Posted by metroplex
As for the Amsoil filter, I noticed the steel core holes are fairly small and sparsely spaced. The PF64 plastic e-core has much bigger openings. I wonder if the Amsoil design might restrict flow?


I doubt it. Measure the diameter of a hole in the center tube and calculate its area. Count the total number of holes in the center tube and calculate the total hole area. Is that total area at least equal to the area of the feed hole to the oiling system on the filter mount?
 
Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Originally Posted by metroplex
As for the Amsoil filter, I noticed the steel core holes are fairly small and sparsely spaced. The PF64 plastic e-core has much bigger openings. I wonder if the Amsoil design might restrict flow?


I doubt it. Measure the diameter of a hole in the center tube and calculate its area. Count the total number of holes in the center tube and calculate the total hole area. Is that total area at least equal to the area of the feed hole to the oiling system on the filter mount?


If you look at the PF64 ecore, the "holes" are significantly larger.
 
Originally Posted by metroplex
Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Originally Posted by metroplex
As for the Amsoil filter, I noticed the steel core holes are fairly small and sparsely spaced. The PF64 plastic e-core has much bigger openings. I wonder if the Amsoil design might restrict flow?

I doubt it. Measure the diameter of a hole in the center tube and calculate its area. Count the total number of holes in the center tube and calculate the total hole area. Is that total area at least equal to the area of the feed hole to the oiling system on the filter mount?

If you look at the PF64 ecore, the "holes" are significantly larger.


Yes there's more flow area on the ecore center tube, but if there's enough total area in the old school holes design, then an ecore center tube isn't going to make much difference comparatively.

The oil is forced through the filter and engine oiling system by a positive displacement oil pump, so you're not getting any more oil flow with an ecore center tube. You might be getting around 1/2 PSI less of delta-p across the filter, which is not a significant difference.
 
BTW I bought a set of new spark plugs, OEM replacement AC Delco 41-125 Fine Wire Iridium, and they appear to be made by NGK. It has the fine wire iridium and possibly platinum tipped ground electrode. Fairly high quality for the price (less than $5 each).
 
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