Externally textured filters for GM LS Engines

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Dec 31, 2017
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SE British Columbia, Canada
Here is a couple of shots of the corner of the cast aluminum oil pan of a GM LS engine. The oil filter literally sits in recess in the oil pan. With the filter in this position, texturing on the external bottom the the filter is super handy to get the filter to hand tight. There is no room for a finger between the filter and the curved wall of the pan. In one case I didn’t get enough torque on a smooth painted oil filter and 5,000 miles later I had a leak. With painted filters I now put a small amount of torque with a cap end oil wrench. With textured oil filters , like Frams, I still use my hand to torque the filter. Others experience?

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I have used smooth and textured filters on my 86,000 mile LS3.
Hand tight all and never a leak. I have textured Fram Ultras that do go on well, but don’t fit the “socket” of the cup I bought to remove the smooth ones. Strap wrench takes them off
 
2 or 3 layers of clean dry paper towel across the bottom of a slick AC Delco filter provide enough grip for the heel of my hand to get the recommended 3/4 turn after gasket contact. That's always been good enough to reach leak tight status for me.

On the LS powered trucks I've owned the thread pitch of the filters and the height of the gasket have worked out that the filter can is going to bottom out on the engine block after only 1 full turn past gasket contact regardless - so there's that limitation.
 
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