Plan B Oil Filter

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BeanCounter

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Recently picked up an '07 Solstice with 5k on the odometer and am putting SSO in it here before long, although I was told that the oil was recently changed.

I would put a good bet that it was Mobil 1 5w30 because M1 is on the oil cap, came in it from the factory, and the previous owner said the oil was recently changed, but "sythetic" is the oil details I have. I would feel a little bad to waste the oil, but with the combination of not knowing what is in the car for a fact, along with the car's DIC (oil life indicator) saying I am currently at 18%, which probably means they didn't reset the indicator, I am going to swap it out to a true synthetic that I am comfortable with.

I still have to figure out the DIC system and how it supposedly relays oil life based on some real info it is deriving from the car's use, but that is beside the point I reckon...

Unfortunately, AMSOIL does not currently offer their brand of air or oil filters for this model. Since WIX is also offered at my cost, and is a local company to me, I believe I am going to go with their filter.

Any insight on if this would be a good choice for this new of a vehicle, which I am looking to take pristine care of from the get go?

Quote:
WIX filters are supplemental to AMSOIL Ea filters, but now AMSOIL will offers WIX filtration products that cross to an Ea filter. With the exception of WIX lube filters, all WIX filters should be changed in accordance with original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) recommendations. WIX lube filter change intervals are extended OEM recommendations to match the drain intervals of AMSOIL XL Motor oil.


I hate not to be able to run the longer interval EaO filter, but I'm gathering that even if I run the oil in the 15-20k mile range, I will be changing out the WIX filter at OEM recommended lengths, which would be 3k or so?
 
GM P/N 12605566 (a AC-boxed Hengst filter) is really the best quality I have seen and use personally for the Ecotec. Most of the others look like they have fewer pleats or are sloppier looking in how the endcaps are attached.

There was an AC part no. PF2244G which was a French made Purflux filter that was also of very high quality, with their trademark zigzag pleats, but I have not seen one in several years so the retail boxed Hengst filter and the bulk packaged Champion labs made AC filters used by many dealers may have totally replaced it.
 
Quote:
I hate not to be able to run the longer interval EaO filter, but I'm gathering that even if I run the oil in the 15-20k mile range, I will be changing out the WIX filter at OEM recommended lengths, which would be 3k or so?


There should be no reason to change out the WIX at any interval lower than the DIC (OLM?) indicates. The OLM would be fine for a Fram or any "meets or exceeds OEM spec" filter.
 
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan

There should be no reason to change out the WIX at any interval lower than the DIC (OLM?) indicates. The OLM would be fine for a Fram or any "meets or exceeds OEM spec" filter.


I've yet to find a fantastic explanation of what and how the indicator is exactly measuring the oil life...

i.e. What if the indicator goes to 0% after only 10k on SSO, which is one of the longest lengths I have heard it to last?
 
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
SSO? or the OLM? SSO is buffered for one year.

The OLM is specifically tuned to your engine.


Read this. It's extremely detailed.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/zdp-depletion-and-gm-oil-life-monitor.9644/


A TON of great info in that thread, thanks!

From what I gather, with the algorithm taking into account the linear relationship of the ZDP, it looks like I would still be "taking my chances" on letting the OLM go past 0%, even if I am running SSO and only 10k miles into the oil.

Hmm...
 
But, back to the oil filter itself, if the OLM shows good up to 10k, surely I can't go with the oil filter that long. Maybe I misunderstood what you were suggesting...
 
Do a used oil analysis at some point before the expiration of the OLM. You can either get a sample pump or just use that first oil change via the OLM as a template. Verify that you're indeed good to go to the ONE YEAR mark. Even the OLM, regardless of indication, has a one year limit.
 
Okay, I think I will go with the UOA either during or as an oil change per the OLM reading. Then I think I can sample every few thousand miles from there and see what to expect.

At typically VERY easy driving 90% of the time (with RPMs, temp, etc. as a factor in the oil life), is it silly to expect to push 20k out of this oil that has the thumbs up through 35k, technically?

How long do WIX (and related) oil filters generally take to reach full capacity and need replacement?

I'm not sure why I am under the impression that it was in the standard 3-5k range, but no more. Plus, I would rather be anal about changing filters early and often to benefit the oil life.
 
Quote:
At typically VERY easy driving 90% of the time (with RPMs, temp, etc. as a factor in the oil life), is it silly to expect to push 20k out of this oil that has the thumbs up through 35k, technically?


Not at all. It's all bracketed by one year. If you're doing 35k in one year, you're doing mostly hollow miles. I have done 13 months on Rotella T synthetic ..twice. I'm doing one year in my wife's jeep on Amsoil HDD. I have no doubts of making one year with her usage profile. She'll probably only do 12-15k this year. In the past it was 18k.

Quote:
How long do WIX (and related) oil filters generally take to reach full capacity and need replacement?


Most filters have similar lifespans. The main loading factor is warm up miles. You're introducing excessive combustion byproducts during the fuel enrichment stage of warm up. Fewer warm up miles, longer oil filter life. It's why some manufacturers allow the changing of the filter every other time if you're basing the OCI on mileage. The reasoning is that if you're over a certain number of miles, you cannot be in fuel enrichment for the vast majority of them.

The EaO was designed to compliment the extended drain oils. It is designed to go one year. There have been enough anomalies where services in some engines that they've had to discontinue several EaO filters. Those were probably shorter trip service profiles on very dirty engines (during the warm up cycle).

In any event, if your service profile would normally be conducive to longer drains (by that I mean 6month/7500 or 15k/year) then a single WIX should manage just fine. Your OLM should prove that out. In my opinion, under the aforementioned qualifications/limitations, that just about any filter has about a 15k+ life span. Most of those miles are hollow and do not contribute much to loading.


Oil life will be indifferent to filter life. Filter life can and will be effected by other insults. Moisture and fuel. One or the other seem to be tolerated better than both in combination with oil. Again, assuming that you're in a service profile that is conducive to longer drains, neither should be a factor.
 
Learn something new every day!

I probably drive the car about 20-30 miles a day through the city and a hundred or so miles on the highway every weekend or two, at the moment.
I will likely soon be driving closer to 60-75 miles a day if I move where I suspect, and that will be just about all highway, with most weekend driving being highway/country roads.
I'm pretty easy on the car, typically driving under 1500-2000 RPMs and letting the car warm up to at least 120* where my idle drops before I take off.
 
Sounds like a healthy routine. Just watch how long you idle before driving off. You're getting zero mpg while doing so. Typically 30-45 seconds is more than enough to assure full lubrication has been established.

A side note about city mileage. In the past (and in some instances, still) the reason that stop and go/urban driving was deemed severe is not because it was hard on motor oil or engines. It was due to the mismatch between an odometer and the actual fuel consumed. That is, a car that would normally average 24 mpg may only average 17 in taxi like service. There the fuel consumption would be a more accurate barometer of usage. The OLM takes all of this into account. Urban driving will be harder on automatic transmissions. They tend to have a more direct relationship with wear and shifting. The more they shift ..the quicker they tend to fatigue. Some do better than others.
 
I do typically wait the minimum amount of time for oil to lubricate the head, but I have just been taking my time since I got the car.

City driving I still average well over 20 mpg, probably over 25 in the city. With a manual trans, I am able to manipulate it better, I feel.

Good analysis on the city driving. I appreciate it.
 
So, any strong cases against going with WIX and changing it out once the OLM reaches 0%?

A GM dealer on another forum of mine mentioned that running an oil, like SSO, past the OLM's 0% reading could/would void the warranty.

But I'm wondering how they could know enough to void your warranty if you reset the OLM and you have used oil analysis that document your oil is in great shape?
 
Well, they can't even if you did not reset the OLM. It would surely be a hassle, but with UOA proving that the oil was suitable for continued use in hand, they really don't have a leg to stand on.

No case against using any filter over the full span of the OLM range. Once tested, you should be able to figure a mid-point service interval just for the convenience of having synchronous changes. In your case it would be an oil change every other filter change ...if you see what I mean.
 
Originally Posted By: BeanCounter
Recently picked up an '07 Solstice with 5k on the odometer and am putting SSO in it here before long, although I was told that the oil was recently changed.

I would put a good bet that it was Mobil 1 5w30 because M1 is on the oil cap, came in it from the factory, and the previous owner said the oil was recently changed, but "synthetic" is the oil details I have.


The owner's manual should detail the oil specs required, and if it needs full synthetic or not. Based on "Mobil 1" being printed on the oil cap, I'm sure it was Mobil 1 full synthetic from the factory.

That means your OLM is "calibrated" for full synthetic oil ... doesn't necessarily have to be Mobil 1. If another brand of full synthetic was used that meets the manufacturer's spec, then the OLM should still be pretty accurate.

If the OLM can go to 0% oil life left with an OEM oil filter, then I'd certainly believe that a good aftermarket oil filter (WIX, Mobil 1, Amsoil, PureONE, etc) will do the job just fine.

Run the specified full synthetic oil, the OEM filter or a top tier aftermarket filter and use the OLM if you want to run the oil & filter that long.
 
Originally Posted By: SuperBusa
Originally Posted By: BeanCounter
Recently picked up an '07 Solstice with 5k on the odometer and am putting SSO in it here before long, although I was told that the oil was recently changed.

I would put a good bet that it was Mobil 1 5w30 because Mobil 1 is on the oil cap, came in it from the factory, and the previous owner said the oil was recently changed, but "synthetic" is the oil details I have.


The owner's manual should detail the oil specs required, and if it needs full synthetic or not. Based on "Mobil 1" being printed on the oil cap, I'm sure it was Mobil 1 full synthetic from the factory.

That means your OLM is "calibrated" for full synthetic oil ... doesn't necessarily have to be Mobil 1. If another brand of full synthetic was used that meets the manufacturer's spec, then the OLM should still be pretty accurate.

If the OLM can go to 0% oil life left with an OEM oil filter, then I'd certainly believe that a good aftermarket oil filter (WIX, Mobil 1, Amsoil, PureONE, etc) will do the job just fine.

Run the specified full synthetic oil, the OEM filter or a top tier aftermarket filter and use the OLM if you want to run the oil & filter that long.


Is Mobil 1 5w30 a "full" synthetic?
That was a good breakdown. I agree.
 
Upon looking at some GM info, I *read* that only M1 "synthetic" is used in the Corvettes, but not my model from the factory.
In conjunction, I also read that the oil monitor system is not based upon synthetic oil, per se.

That's what I have found from legitimate sources.
 
As updated in a few other places, SSO and WIX (although it is made in Korea, like the ACDelco {I think it is...) that was in there to begin with).

I'll see if I get to posting a picture of the new filter versus the filter I just pulled out of the car here sometime...
 
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