AC Delco PF47 - Multiple manufacturers???

[Drew99GT]

I can tell you guys this. Advance Auto Parts, Parts America, Checker Shucks and Kragen, and I think Pep Boys all have the good AC filters. I even cut a good and bad AC filter apart and it does appear now that the ones at Autozone and Walmart are Champion; they truely suck in comparison to the real Delcos, which are made like a brick @#!*house

The good Delcos have probably twice as many outlet holes leading to the center outlet hole, and the 52 I cut open did have metal top end caps. If you want good Delco filters, look for the ones that have spot welds around the base plate, and also the good ones do not have crimps holding the gasket in place. Also, the crappy ones have a neon green serial number on the top of the case. I can't believe that we have to search things out like this in order to get a quality product

[ January 31, 2003, 10:02 AM: Message edited by: Drew99GT ]

 

[novadude]

So the champion looked to be poor quality? Did it have metal endcaps? Any more details?

I am using a Purolator PF47 equivilent right now, but I will not buy another one after seeing the cardboard endcaps.

 

[G-MAN]

quote:

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Originally posted by Drew99GT:
I can tell you guys this. Advance Auto Parts, Parts America, Checker Shucks and Kragen, and I think Pep Boys all have the good AC filters. I even cut a good and bad AC filter apart and it does appear now that the ones at Autozone and Walmart are Champion; they truely suck in comparison to the real Delcos, which are made like a brick @#!*house

The good Delcos have probably twice as many outlet holes leading to the center outlet hole, and the 52 I cut open did have metal top end caps. If you want good Delco filters, look for the ones that have spot welds around the base plate, and also the good ones do not have crimps holding the gasket in place. Also, the crappy ones have a neon green serial number on the top of the case. I can't believe that we have to search things out like this in order to get a quality product

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I've read elsewhere that ALL aftermarket AC filters are made by Champion and that the only AC filters actually made by Delphi are the OEM filters installed on engines at the factory.

I personally have used AC filters for years (before discovering SuperTech), and I've never seen one that wasn't made by Champion—and this includes filters that were purchased at AutoZone, Advance, and the local parts store that sells AC/Delco parts.

 

[Drew99GT]

I shouldn't say "poor" quality, just not as good as the AC Delco. The Champion one did have metal end caps, but the outlet holes in the center tube were few and far between, which makes it look like it doesn't flow nearly as good as the real AC Delco. Whoe knows, the Autozone Delcos may not even be made by Champion, but they definetally aren't as good as the true Delco filters.

 

[Drew99GT]

Thate's wierd becaue only Autozone and Walmart in my area appear to sell the ones possibly made by Champion. Every other parts store has the ones like they sell at the dealership. It probably makes absolutely no difference in the world at all, but I'm as anal retentive about car care as it gets

 

[G-MAN]

quote:

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Originally posted by Drew99GT:
I thought STP and Bosch were made in the USA by Champion? Guess not!

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Champion has a manufacturing plant in Mexico.

 

[Ray H]

I believe we're in agreement that SuperTech's filters are a Champion Labs product? I have several 2808s for my Hyundai. Each one has a faintly stamped country of origin and build date on the closed end. It says,

082702A3 PAT PEND
PRODUCT OF USA
PRODUCTO DE EUA

I used to use AC-Delcos on a 1989 Toyota Pickup with the 2.4 liter 4 cyl. engine. PF-47 ~I think~. These things were BUILT - heavy gauge canister, tightly pleated media, metal endcaps. They were made in the U.K. They were fairly cheap ($2.39, if I remember correctly) through one of the discount houses, but, I can't remember which one. I haven't seen 'em for ages, either.

So, a GM dealer's parts guy said that the AC-Delcos from the dealer were better quality than the aftermarket discount house AC-Delcos? Gasp! I'm in shock...