Jump to content
Forums Gone... but not forgotten!
Pontiac of the Month

FBIRD69's 1969 Firebird

2024 March
of the Month

  • Rev up your passion for Pontiacs and join our vibrant community of enthusiasts!

    Whether you're a die-hard fan of classic muscle cars or you've got a soft spot for sleek modern models, you've found your home here at Forever Pontiac. Our community is dedicated to celebrating everything Pontiac, from the iconic GTO to the legendary Firebird and everything in between.

    Unlock access to expert advice, stunning photo galleries, engaging discussions, exclusive events, and more!

    Start your Pontiac journey with us today!

    Sign up now! 🏁

Oil Filter Brands


Recommended Posts

Just wanted to find out if there is more of a preference towards one brand of oil filter over others? How do all the economy filters, i.e. Fram EG, STP Classic, Purolator Classic, etc., compare to each other? I like upper end filters for longer OC's but which brands do the best for the shorter O.C. of our classic cars? Or, does it matter much for 1-2K O.C.? Seems that oil filters are made by different companies from time to time and it's hard to keep up with who makes one filter now compared to years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tired of these Ads? Register Today!

13 hours ago, vwalburn said:

Just wanted to find out if there is more of a preference towards one brand of oil filter over others? How do all the economy filters, i.e. Fram EG, STP Classic, Purolator Classic, etc., compare to each other? I like upper end filters for longer OC's but which brands do the best for the shorter O.C. of our classic cars? Or, does it matter much for 1-2K O.C.? Seems that oil filters are made by different companies from time to time and it's hard to keep up with who makes one filter now compared to years ago.

Oil filters! Where to start? The good, the bad & the ugly! First off there are basically no filter manufacturers left in the US by ownership except Amsoil. Rank Group from New Zealand owns Fram & Champion labs. Fram bought Champion labs and Rank Group bought Fram. Wix & Purolator filters was bought by Mann+Hummel from Germany. Wix use to make AC Delco, but now Champion labs does.

Amsoil is the largest American oil filter company left in the US and as a whole the best made. As a filter it has the best segregated dirty side clean side oil path in the pass car spin-on segment. There are a few applications of other brands that still make a filter like Amsoil, but it’s a crap shoot as to which application is which way. Only Amsoil is made the same way across the entire brand.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems like you have to start all over every time you look for a filter. I have a hard time finding available filters for my GTO so I don't have much of a choice if I want to pick one off the shelf. Right now, only the STP Classic filter, S25, is at Autozone. Everything else needs to be ordered. Maybe I'm better off not having to make a decision. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will admit up front that I am an AC bigot. I worked for AC Spark Plug Division right out of college back in the early 1980s for 11 years, so I knew how they were made, designed and tested. My father was also an engineer and salaried supervisor there for 34 years. So I will agree that my opinion is pretty biased.

However, I still use AC filters on my daily drivers since those are spec'd for my GM vehicles. As for my classic cars like Lucy and my '86 Trans Am, I still use AC oil filters but I buy original new old stock AC filters that were made in Flint Michigan. So when I am at a swap meet. I try to purchase any PF24s and PF25s I can. Granted, they are not as cheap as getting a filter at Autozone but I have peace of mind knowing that I am using a quality unit in my classic car.

Edited by Frosty
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Frosty said:

I will admit up front that I am an AC bigot. I worked for AC Spark Plug Division right out of college back in the early 1980s for 11 years, so I knew how they were made, designed and tested. My father was also an engineer and salaried supervisor there for 34 years. So I will agree that my opinion is pretty biased.

However, I still use AC filters on my daily drivers since those are spec'd for my GM vehicles. As for my classic cars like Lucy and my '86 Trans Am, I still use AC oil filters but I buy original new old stock AC filters that were made in Flint Michigan. So when I am at swap meets I try to purchase any PF24s and PF25s I can. Granted, they are not as cheap as getting a filter at Autozone but I have peace of mind knowing that I am using a quality unit in my classic car.

Copy that Frosty, as I said, Amsoil is the only brand left of spin-on filters that is made across the brand the old way. Still, I’m an AC guy through and through. Having spent the last 15 year of my career working with pretty much every major filter manufacturer in the world, literally, I saw what was coming. So I have a enormous stash of old style, Wix, filters, for all my cars, even the lacrosses.

That said, I do have to say that through the millions of miles of testing we did filters never played a roll in engine failures. Most engines today, because of the oil & additives, are really pretty clean. And if you have fuel dilution or a coolant leak the filters not going to save you.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am on board 100% with you Last Indian.

The only scenario that I know of that an oil filter can cause an engine failure is really human error. I've seen this happen only twice.  On very rare occasions the rubber oil seal ring of the old filter comes off  and stays on the engine when the filter is being removed. The mechanic that adds the new filter, not seeing the old o-ring is still on the engine. So it is rubber o-ring to rubber o-ring. Once the engine builds sufficient oil pressure, the seal between the two o-rings blows open and the engine literally pumps out all of its oil, onto the street, thus leading to potential engine damage unless the oil pressure/check engine light comes on quick enough to allow the driver to shut the car down in time.

Edited by Frosty
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I am on board 100% with you Last Indian.

The only scenario that I know of that an oil filter can cause an engine failure is really human error. I've seen this happen only twice.  On very rare occasions the rubber oil seal ring of the old filter comes off  and stays on the engine when the filter is being removed. The mechanic that adds the new filter, not seeing the old o-ring is still on the engine. So it is rubber o-ring to rubber o-ring. Once the engine builds sufficient oil pressure, the seal between the two o-rings blows open and the engine literally pumps out all of its oil, onto the street, thus leading to potential engine damage unless the oil pressure/check engine light comes on quick enough to allow the driver to shut the car down in time.

Yup! Seen that too! Actually most people don’t realize that on pretty much every cold startup the engine goes into the bypass loop, pressure relief valve opens, till the viscosity thins enough to push through the filter media. So during this time there is no filtering of oil.

Edited by Last Indian
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have always used A C filters..(air..oil..trans..) on all my GM cars..(96 Firebird..97 Firebird..03 Silhouette..71 Olds 442 #s matching 455..4 speed)..Use Motocraft filters..(air..oil..trans..) on my Ford..(1997 Lincoln town car)..Only ford I have ever owned..Has actually been a very good trouble free car..Has almost 200,000 miles..Had to replace Alternator..and a front wheel speed sensor.. Other than normal maintenance...Owned since 2005.

Edited by TWO LANE BLACK TOP
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, TWO LANE BLACK TOP said:

Have always used A C filters..(air..oil..trans..) on all my GM cars..(96 Firebird..97 Firebird..03 Silhouette..71 Olds 442 #s matching 455..4 speed)..Use Motocraft filters..(air..oil..trans..) on my Ford..(1997 Lincoln town car)..Only ford I have ever owned..Has actually been a very good trouble free car..Has almost 200,000 miles..Had to replace Alternator..and a front wheel speed sensor.. Other than normal maintenance...Owned since 2005.

Use Motocraft in my Fords too.  GM cars and Ford trucks in this driveway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys, I know this is about filters, but we’re still on oil somewhat. So thought I would post this up to explain a little further. The attached picture is oil from both my “13” & “12” Lacrosses. Both are 3.6 motors, the yellower colored oil is from the “13” which has 1400 miles on the oil and the red colored oil is from the “12” which has 3000 on the oil. The point here is the red color indicates oxidation and an increase in acid. The yellow color indicates still good TBN (base). As the oil looses more base and acid increases oxidation starts. The red color shows that, as more base is lose and more acid increases the color will slowly turn darker brown with a hue of red. This will continue with the color changing to a darker brown with less and less of a red hue. Certain things will change this color, fuel dilution, coolant leak or even heavy ingestion of particulate.

1E457DB1-C395-4443-ACDE-2F2811D27669.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too use AC but for me, I considered an NOS filter to be too much of a crap shoot. I drive my cars way to much to rely on a 40+ YO paper, But that's just me. I was once one of those that fell into the overpriced NOS and Re-Pop "Show" filters but again with changing oil as frequently as I do this get's unnecessarily expensive.  For anything that I show I now make my own with standard Dark Blue AC-PF24s. These are good filters that have never let me down. I just prep and paint them white add on one of those 4$  "Decals" that mimic the OE style filter and call it done. I been using these decals for a few years now and I am amazed how well they hold up. I'm considering this year to go with a K&N with the nut on the end to closer match the correct filter for my OHC 6 but on the fence with that. Ames also offers a copy of the OE PF7 that I may consider but for now AC will do. 

JM2C

CHEERS!

PF24 DECAL.jpg

K&N PF24.jpg

PF7 NEW.jpg

PF7 1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, SPRINT 6 said:

I too use AC but for me, I considered an NOS filter to be too much of a crap shoot. I drive my cars way to much to rely on a 40+ YO paper, But that's just me. I was once one of those that fell into the overpriced NOS and Re-Pop "Show" filters but again with changing oil as frequently as I do this get's unnecessarily expensive.  For anything that I show I now make my own with standard Dark Blue AC-PF24s. These are good filters that have never let me down. I just prep and paint them white add on one of those 4$  "Decals" that mimic the OE style filter and call it done. I been using these decals for a few years now and I am amazed how well they hold up. I'm considering this year to go with a K&N with the nut on the end to closer match the correct filter for my OHC 6 but on the fence with that. Ames also offers a copy of the OE PF7 that I may consider but for now AC will do. 

JM2C

CHEERS!

PF24 DECAL.jpg

K&N PF24.jpg

PF7 NEW.jpg

PF7 1.jpg

Sprint 6, agreeed! That said my AC’s are not NOS they’re from 2004 just before Wix was bought the first time and after they stop using paper and went to semi-synthetic paper, which the shelf life is around 25 years.

Still I repeat, under most circumstances the filter with today’s oils is really not the issue, and for that matter, if you use a good oil of the correct grade/chemistry and change it in a proper time frame neither is the oil.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎1‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 9:24 AM, Last Indian said:

Copy that Frosty, as I said, Amsoil is the only brand left of spin-on filters that is made across the brand the old way. Still, I’m an AC guy through and through. Having spent the last 15 year of my career working with pretty much every major filter manufacturer in the world, literally, I saw what was coming. So I have a enormous stash of old style, Wix, filters, for all my cars, even the lacrosses.

That said, I do have to say that through the millions of miles of testing we did filters never played a roll in engine failures. Most engines today, because of the oil & additives, are really pretty clean. And if you have fuel dilution or a coolant leak the filters not going to save you.

Just asking, what exactly is an " enormous " stash of filters? I'm too much of a neat freak in my garage to keep much of anything extra. Though, with all my cars getting older, maybe I need to rethink keeping a stash of filters around. I've seen pics of people's stashes of oil and that would drive me nuts having that around but oil filters wouldn't be too bad. 

On ‎1‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 7:51 AM, SPRINT 6 said:

I too use AC but for me, I considered an NOS filter to be too much of a crap shoot. I drive my cars way to much to rely on a 40+ YO paper, But that's just me. I was once one of those that fell into the overpriced NOS and Re-Pop "Show" filters but again with changing oil as frequently as I do this get's unnecessarily expensive.  For anything that I show I now make my own with standard Dark Blue AC-PF24s. These are good filters that have never let me down. I just prep and paint them white add on one of those 4$  "Decals" that mimic the OE style filter and call it done. I been using these decals for a few years now and I am amazed how well they hold up. I'm considering this year to go with a K&N with the nut on the end to closer match the correct filter for my OHC 6 but on the fence with that. Ames also offers a copy of the OE PF7 that I may consider but for now AC will do. 

JM2C

CHEERS!

PF24 DECAL.jpg

K&N PF24.jpg

PF7 NEW.jpg

PF7 1.jpg

Great job on those filters! They look great!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/15/2018 at 9:47 AM, vwalburn said:

Just asking, what exactly is an " enormous " stash of filters? I'm too much of a neat freak in my garage to keep much of anything extra. Though, with all my cars getting older, maybe I need to rethink keeping a stash of filters around. I've seen pics of people's stashes of oil and that would drive me nuts having that around but oil filters wouldn't be too bad. 

Great job on those filters! They look great!

50 PF 47 for the Indian & 65 for the two lacrosses + 50 gallons of  old style Shell Rotella for the Indian & 20 gallons of Dextron IV which was never available commercially.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay - you win. I have a dozen PF24s and PF25s for both Lucy and the Trans Am (Chevy 305 Tuned Port). I certainly don't have anywhere close to that much oil.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, Last Indian said:

50 PF 47 for the Indian & 65 for the two lacrosses + 50 gallons of  old style Shell Rotella for the Indian & 20 gallons of Dextron IV which was never available commercially.

:o Would love to see a pic of all that! I usually don't have anything on hand until right before an oil change. But, I may stock up on oil filters for the GTO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

K&N gave a sponsor code to CanadianPoncho's site. Got a discount and the site gets a couple of bucks for every time the code is used. On the Olds, the oil filter is really tough to get at with a normal filter wrench and their nut end was a real find. Haven't heard anything bad about them so that's what I've been using.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, BearGFR said:

My personal preference is Wix or Mobil One. I care mostly about how well they work, very little about appearance. 

The only time that appearance truly matters is in a judged concur event. Otherwise, it comes to personal preference.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/17/2018 at 3:59 PM, Frosty said:

Okay - you win. I have a dozen PF24s and PF25s for both Lucy and the Trans Am (Chevy 305 Tuned Port). I certainly don't have anywhere close to that much oil.

I don’t know if I would call it winning, just anal I think 🤔!

On 1/18/2018 at 7:56 AM, vwalburn said:

:o Would love to see a pic of all that! I usually don't have anything on hand until right before an oil change. But, I may stock up on oil filters for the GTO.

Most of the stock is in my attic in a well insulated cooler since it will be years before I need more, but here some pics of what I do have down I my shop. Also a lot of nitrile gloves and Kim wipes clothes.

also forgot I have some PF52 they’re the long filter for the Indian, either one can be used.

 

89897DAA-EBF4-461D-BB4B-E2D5F3F1A417.jpeg

119C8D77-A128-4959-8D22-834C03856AD5.jpeg

10BD3C88-989B-419D-A5C9-C3536E2E2B73.jpeg

039C2AAB-54B4-474F-A514-BA54FC2A1354.jpeg

63E3402D-5A89-434E-9FE2-60129CAF50F4.jpeg

61575380-AC61-4E46-A508-9662FAF00EC7.jpeg

A6567EDC-2F79-48EB-9549-193DD3562E96.jpeg

97BBAB6C-03DA-49E1-BB29-72DFE95235AF.jpeg

Edited by Last Indian
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm jealous...Thought this was a family friendly website...All this car porn has me thinking of sexually harassing Mrs. Two Lane...Which is not a problem...Until I accidentally call her Valvoline....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or maybe....Balance and Blueprinting the rotating assembly....and setting the valve lash....Of course won't run right unless the cam is properly degreed for max power..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Tired of these Ads? Purchase Enhanced Membership today to remove them!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.