Bosch D3324 (Ecotec) disassembled

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First post!

Car is a 2004 Saturn Ion, 2.2 Ecotec. ~104,500 miles. I have done my own oil changes from day one, always going by the OLM. Shortest oci was about three months, longest was nearly a year (miles driven depended on my cashflow). I always used synthetic oil (primarily Super Tech and Mobil 1 with a brief flirtation with Royal Purple) and either Fram CH9018s or Purolator L15436 filters.

This D3324 went in approx. 5000 miles ago. I got it at AAP with the synthetic oil special. I apologize for the incredibly awful photos. My real camera's battery had died so I had to use the camera on my phone.

0801122005.jpg


Filter element mostly opened up. Can of B*laster for scale. The filter paper was very easy to remove from the end caps. The glued seam came apart extremely easily as well. I do not believe the element had been leaking anywhere, though, as the "clean" side was VERY clean compared to the "dirty" side.

0801122006a.jpg


There was a disturbing number of large aluminum flakes, like this one, trapped in many of the pleats. An engine with a mere 104k miles should not be chewing itself up that badly.

0801122006b.jpg


"Dirty" side of the filter element - more flakes!

0801122007.jpg


"Clean" side of the filter element. Looks like nothing was getting through.

0801122008.jpg


The plastic frame. Very similar to the Ecore designs I've cut open, except that the sturdy, plastic end caps are far superior the flimsy fiberboard in the Ecores, imho.

0801122008a.jpg


Disassembled. The larger end cap came off disturbingly easily. I barely had to pull on it at all. The glue (looked and felt like black Permatex) holding it to the filter paper offered no resistance whatsoever.

0801122009.jpg


Center tube. It was very strong. I stood on it and not even my immense weight could break it.

This filter obviously did its job. Did it do it more than twice as well as a CH9018 or an L15436? Couldn't say.

I replaced it with a NAPA Platinum 47082, just because. I plan to leave the Platinum in for two OCIs. The construction of the Platinum filter was amazing. Unfortunately, I did not think to get pics. Alone among Ecotec filters I've seen, it had a metal-crimped seam instead of a glued one. And the wire mesh backing is a nice feature, in my book. I've never liked the huge gaps in the center tube of Ecotec filters for the same reason I don't like them in Ecores.
 
Thanx for the pics!

Yes it is too bad you didn't get some of the Platinum, that would be neat to see. Will look forward to the after pics. The D+ probably could have handled two OCIs as well.

So far I don't have any concerns about the center tubes as all of the Ecotec filters I've seen have had lots of media to help prevent folding over. The one I have in now will likely be my last Wix as I have experienced the anti-drain back issue others have mentioned. Not too often but it has happened where it didn't with the Tough Guard or K&N.
 
Has the engine got any noisier? Often the timing chain and hardware will fail, causing the chain to rub against an aluminum part and leave behind a large amount of metal shavings. That may be enough to destroy the engine. Other times when the chain is allowed to rub against something, it wears a hole through the block and causes a massive leak sometimes destroying the engine. Also, a failing chain and hardware can mess up the valve timing so badly that pistons crash into valves.

I sure hope the following things aren't about to happen to you.
 
Originally Posted By: jkhawaii
Looks like a Purolator


Yep. I call the ones with the large endcaps that overhang the media the "Purolator" style. Notable examples are Purolator (duh), Mobil 1, Bosch, and Driveworks (AAP store brand).

$(KGrHqNHJCcE7y+!J0uMBPFZo!qU9g~~_35.JPG


The ones with thin endcaps that don't overhang the media I call the "Delco" style. Notable examples are AC Delco/Hengst, Wix, Fram, and Microguard.

41N49nkHhhL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
 
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