Originally Posted by irv
Originally Posted by carviewsonic
Posted by Irv
Very interesting post, which now makes me a bit uncomfortable running these. ???"
If my car wasn't under warranty, I would have run the Ultras. The Royal Purple tech I talked to this morning told me that in his opinion oil filter bypass specs by OEM's are a matter of design preference, rather than right or wrong. Cold start - No bypass event and somewhat reduced oil pressure vs bypass and unfiltered oil for a short time.
Our Impala is still under warranty too but I think I am going to use up what I have already purchased. No receipts, plus they are well past the 30 day return policy anyways.
I am curious if GM's TSB takes into account the use of synthetic oil with regards to this TSB? With better cold flow properties than conventional, I am wondering just how necessary using another filter is?
Also, since I have about 3 TG's on back up for this car, I wonder if the PSI settings on those are the same as the Ultra's?
Also, going by the info you provided, the Ultra, although just barely, is still in spec.
"Specifically, the Fram Ultra listed for my Impala has a Bypass Valve Setting of 9-15 psi. I just came across a GM service bulletin regarding the required spin on oil filter for my Impala, and the recommended GM filter Bypass Valve Setting is 14.5- 21.8 psi".
CVS, how did you come across this TSB? Was it mailed to you or did you find it somewhere else?
I find it funny/odd Fram would still recommend these filters for these Impalas with this TSB in affect?
Maybe some more research is in order, if I can find anything else?
Thanks for posting this up.
Well, I did some more reading and found out some more info. Imo, all is clear as mud.
You have this guys post, which makes sense to me, but what do I know?
"My take on this whole bypass valve thing is that the higher (22 psi) relief pressure is beneficial ONLY if the filter isn't changed for extended periods. I suspect GM revised the filter spec only to show a longer service life. Internal filter pressure builds as the medium becomes clogged with debris, so a higher relief pressure allows more particulates to build up before a bypass condition is reached. That's all.
A higher bypass relief pressure is NOT more beneficial for the motor than a lower one. In fact, it's worse. For those of us who change our filters with every oil change, a lower relief pressure (eg. 12 - 15 psi) is preferable, because this provides better oil flow into the engine components during cold start conditions.
I've been using a Bosch 3502 oil filter ever since I bought the car. I drain the oil and change the filter about ever 3K miles (at about 60% on the Oil Life display), and I ALWAYS send a used oil sample to Blackstone Labs for analysis. Every report I get back is a rave review. My wear metals are all well below average for an LFX motor, and everything else looks great too.
Trust me, if you change your oil and filter reasonably often, you want a lower bypass pressure. On the other hand, if you want to leave that filter in the car until [censored] freezes over, go with a filter having a higher bypass pressure, but expect more engine wear. Just sayin'.
And this guys post which also makes sense to me.
"Hmm, so my 2012 Impala isn't listed - I guess I don't have to worry about, eh? We keep talking about making sure to reference the latest manufacturer documentation, so surely this doesn't apply to me?
But seriously, this document is nothing new - it's just stating that if you use *cheap* aftermarket oil filters and they fail, it's on you. That is nothing new, is not specific to GM cars and is common-sense, if you ask me.
However, *any* oil filter can fail - even AC-Delco filters - did you ever see the pictures of the insides of the PFxxe oil filters? People have posted pictures of the oil filter media being sucked into the engine with those as well - mainly because of the poorly constructed backing material (plastic) and the size of the "holes" in it. They are definitely not what I would consider high-quality oil filters. Sure, GM will cover the damage if it's an AC-Delco filter, but I'd rather not have the damage in the first place.
The Wix filters that people have been discussing are VERY high-quality filters. The information is out there (although, a LOT of the photobucket pictures are now gone!) - whether someone uses that information to make their decision or simply relies on a GM document, that is on them. But we do have to remember that GM makes money from AC-Delco sales, so they are biased - they are never going to tell you that X brand of oil filters are better that AC-Delco...
In the end, my goal is to not need repairs - warranty coverage or not - so I'm going to use products that reduce the chances of failure as much as possible, whatever the brand. I typically *do* use AC-Delco for most parts, but in the case of the e-core oil filters, I don't feel that they are the best option based on the information I've seen and read.
To each their own though. I think we've beaten this whole oil filter topic to death now. It's obvious that GM wants you to use parts that they make money from - regardless of whether they truly are "better" or not - and we have to keep that in mind. Also, let's not forget that they have reduced the warranty coverage, and most people will not see an oil-related failure within the warranty period anyway.
Here is the link he is referring to. "
https://gm.oemdtc.com/7082/10-06-01...ck-cadillac-chevrolet-gmc-pontiac-saturn
The whole thread can be found here.
https://www.impalaforums.com/chevy-impala-8th-gen-discussion/1772474-oil-filter.html
And another. Personally, I think I will stay away from AC Delco filters.
https://www.impalaforums.com/chevy-impala-9th-gen-discussion/1742258-oil-filters-expensive.html