GM Ecotec 1.4L - Wrong Oil Filter Installed by Dealer - Engine Damage

[Mainia]

How many thousands of people will kill their engines because of this Dumb-Ars design move. Wasn't there an enginner in GM that said WAIT!!! WAIT!!! This is a stupid move, we need to make this design to not make it work if some has the other filter version.

 

[OVERKILL]

And a GM Techlink article:

Correct Oil Filter Use on 1.4L and 1.8L Engines – TechLink

gm-techlink.com

Seems to me that in both cases the cap is configured to allow bypass to occur if a high enough differential is achieved; the cap provides no seal to the top of the filter.
- On the one, the filter top seals against the centre tube, where the bypass is located, and this will open once a sufficient differential occurs.
- On the other, there is no seal between the centre tube and the filter top, it's wide open, because the assembly is sealed on the bottom and the bypass is located on the top of the filter.

So, using the filter without the bypass on the top on a housing that requires it allows for unfiltered oil to circulate constantly. If it was done the other way around, suspect, if you could get it together, that you'd not have an operational bypass.

 

[mk378]

It looks like it would bypass all the time, since the oil would take the easier path than going through the filter meda you'd get very little actual filtration.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Checking out.There is simply not enough information. We need to see the bottom of the cap.

 

[LouC]

This does happen, on Chrysler Hemis the threads for the filter (conventional) were SAE up to a certain year and then changed to a metric thread so you have to be aware of that. It may be true on other engines as well. I know they changed the filter design on the Chrysler Pentastar cartridge design around 2014/2015 and they are not interchangeable. We actually have an 07 Hemi Jeep and a 98 4.0 Jeep and they take the same filter but later Hemis do not. On the cartridge filters be careful not to overtighten, lube the threads and o ring with motor oil.

 

[GMFan]

How many thousands of people will kill their engines because of this Dumb-Ars design move. Wasn't there an enginner in GM that said WAIT!!! WAIT!!! This is a stupid move, we need to make this design to not make it work if some has the other filter version.

Seriously, this is a really dumb design move. It’s not like one filter fits and the other is too large or small which would make someone think twice. The filter will fit and snap into the oil filter housing cap just fine even if it’s the wrong filter.
The Hengst oil filter housings are apparently more common than the UFI. So your typical lube tech who does these 1.4T Ecotecs all day just grabs a filter off the shelf and doesn’t think twice.

Lets make one of the most common maintenance parts one that could easily be confused with the correct part and may cause engine damage. Brilliant!

 

[OVERKILL]

This does happen, on Chrysler Hemis the threads for the filter (conventional) were SAE up to a certain year and then changed to a metric thread so you have to be aware of that. It may be true on other engines as well. I know they changed the filter design on the Chrysler Pentastar cartridge design around 2014/2015 and they are not interchangeable. We actually have an 07 Hemi Jeep and a 98 4.0 Jeep and they take the same filter but later Hemis do not. On the cartridge filters be careful not to overtighten, lube the threads and o ring with motor oil.

Yes, I think the issue here is that with previous design changes, both weren't offered in parallel, where in this case you could have either design regardless of the year, so it becomes a bit more goofy.

 

[GMFan]

Checking out.There is simply not enough information. We need to see the bottom of the cap.

Here is a link that shows what the oil housing cap looks like on the inside.

Oil Filter Cap

Picture #4 shows it. It’s just a hexagonal hole. The filter has little plastic “fingers” that click into that hole.

 

[OVERKILL]

It looks like it would bypass all the time, since the oil would take the easier path than going through the filter meda you'd get very little actual filtration.

That's my takeaway as well. In both cases the bypass is expected to be at the top of the filter media, but the filter used expects the bypass to be a part of the centre tube, which in this case is clearly missing. The proper filter also is supposed to have the bypass located at the top of the filter, but as part of the filter itself, so in either instance the bypass is expected to occur at the cap. In the case where the filter with no bypass is used in the application that it is supposed to have the bypass, there's nothing stopping the oil from bypassing constantly.

 

[OVERKILL]

Here is a link that shows what the oil housing cap looks like on the inside.

Oil Filter Cap

Picture #4 shows it. It’s just a hexagonal hole. The filter has little plastic “fingers” that click into that hole.

Yes, so those "feet" around the perimeter are what hold the media stack/cartridge down once it's been locked into the top, this allows sufficient space for the bypass to operate.

 

[GMFan]

Yes, so those "feet" around the perimeter are what hold the media stack/cartridge down once it's been locked into the top, this allows sufficient space for the bypass to operate.

So my understanding now is that there is a constant gap in the filter media which allows oil to bypass the filter media. So essentially for 25k miles the engine oil hasn’t been properly filtered.
How much engine wear are we talking here? I can’t imagine this does nothing to engine longevity. As the engine sheds metals it just circulates the metal in the oil and becomes abrasive.

 

[OVERKILL]

So my understanding now is that there is a constant gap in the filter media which allows oil to bypass the filter media. So essentially for 25k miles the engine oil hasn’t been properly filtered.
How much engine wear are we talking here? I can’t imagine this does nothing to engine longevity.

I mean, there ARE engines that don't use filters, typically OPE, LOL, but I really don't know. You may have to start a case with GM Corporate because I'm not sure how one would qualify this.

And yes, your understanding is correct. That gap is necessary for when the proper filter is used and the bypass valve, located at the top of the filter, is able to actuate under a differential.

 

[JT20]

Unfortunately, she has not been keeping receipts from the dealer (she was not aware they were important to keep so she would throw them out). Do dealerships typically keep receipts on record? She knows now in the future to keep them for record.

Correct, no engine problems at this point.

You got lucky.

I had an Ecotec engine once with a cartridge filter. It was at the top of the engine and easy, yet also awkward, to do.

 

[GMFan]

I mean, there ARE engines that don't use filters, typically OPE, LOL, but I really don't know. You may have to start a case with GM Corporate because I'm not sure how one would qualify this.

And yes, your understanding is correct. That gap is necessary for when the proper filter is used and the bypass valve, located at the top of the filter, is able to actuate under a differential.

I will call GM corporate tomorrow and file a case. In my opinion the only thing that would satisfy me at this point is if GM offered a warranty on the engine for as long as I owned the vehicle (which probably won’t happen).

Timing chains, bearings, piston rings. etc in my mind have had theoretical excessive wear that can’t be documented without a tear down, so in my mind the only that will satisfy me is if they cover it if anything goes wrong in the future including excessive oil consumption.

In any case, I’m changing the oil from now on. Oil changes are super easy on this vehicle and I don’t even have to lift it to do an oil change.

 

[blupupher]

So my understanding now is that there is a constant gap in the filter media which allows oil to bypass the filter media. So essentially for 25k miles the engine oil hasn’t been properly filtered.
How much engine wear are we talking here? I can’t imagine this does nothing to engine longevity. As the engine sheds metals it just circulates the metal in the oil and becomes abrasive.

Unfortunately, you don't know that it has had the wrong filter for 25,000 miles.
Depending on what the service records show as to what filters were used in past changes, you may be able to file a grievance.
Another issue that may arise is if the service record lists the correct filter part number, despite you finding the wrong filter in there.

 

[LouC]

If I owned one of these and was not doing the oil changes I’d make up a prominent sticker listing which filter housing it has and which filter it takes. Stick it in an obvious place like near the oil fill.

 

[GMFan]

I believe the engine has a lower end rod knock.

Does anyone hear what I hear? Especially from underneath the engine. 🤔

Engine Sound

 

[DuckRyder]

Its hard to tell over a video bu the engine sounds noisier than i would expect.

I would go to the dealer and ask them to reprint the repair orders / invoices (better yet get her to) if they billed the wrong filter out you have them... I hope you saved the filter too.

 

[GMFan]

Its hard to tell over a video bu the engine sounds noisier than i would expect.

I would go to the dealer and ask them to reprint the repair orders / invoices (better yet get her to) if they billed the wrong filter out you have them... I hope you saved the filter too.

Good idea. Before I even raise this to the attention of anyone I’m curious to see what the maintenance receipts show. My fear is that they show the correct filter as per the VIN and then getting into the issue of not being able to verify which filters were actually installed since they’re long gone. If the receipts show the proper filter either they did actually install correct previously and just messed up this time, but if the last receipt shows the correct filter I do have proof that what receipt shows and what filter I pulled don’t match.

The filter I pulled is saved and the oil was drained into a clean 5qt jug which I’m keeping also.

Before I do anything I’m going to have her swing by the dealer and ask them to print off all the maintenance receipts. I’ll also see if she can pull them from her OnStar GM account.

If anyone has been through this before what is my next step? Do I go through GM or the dealer? Did I make myself look guilty and do a disservice by changing the oil myself before discovering a potential issue?

 

[bdcardinal]

I thought this was one of the reasons they use the VIN to determine parts?

So I use the VIN for every car for the filter and it works 99% of the time. On some Escapes in the 2007-2009 range, the 4 cylinder shows it takes either a FL-910S spin on or FL-2017B cartridge filter. The techs and I always take bets on what the car takes since we won't know until they lift it.

As for the OP, just go to the dealer and ask them to print out the maintenance history. Don't make it adversarial yet, just say you are thinking of selling the vehicle and want the history to show to any potential buyer that it was maintained.