Rant: AC Delco PF46s are now E-cores...

[zulu]

Pulled a filter of my wifes truck from a dealer oil change, and the baseplate of the filter looked strange. Drained it and looked inside, and what did I see? A plastic cage... &$*#! Looks like Champion is slowly redesigning all the filters across the product line. My local auto parts only had 2 older styles, the rest were all E-cores.

 

[tmundal]

Yep dealers are starting to see the Ecore filters show up, in a few of the filter numbers. The ones that come in individual boxes are still the old style. Its the 'fleet' pack ones that are ecore as of right now. 12 filters in one box. Wallyworld probably still has the old style 47's, but at that point you might as well buy a wix or something.

 

[Bill in Utah]

That plastic cage is stronger than the steel one it replaced. Plus it allows better flow than a steel one. I've been using and cutting open the Ecores for years now.. I like them. Wish they made them for the smaller filters like 4967 and 6607. My UOAs that I used the Ecores had low insol so they must be working... Take care, bill

 

[Drew99GT]

Don't some cartridge type filters have a plastic internal cage? Like for high end cars such as Mercedes Benz?

 

[law3500]

Yes, many of them do.

 

[Drew99GT]

So then what's the problem with E-Cores!

 

[RF Overlord]

The problem is that most people's first experience with an E-Core was in the SuperTech line, so they think that means it's a cheap-a** POS. I'd be willing to bet if the first E-Cores to show up were in a K&N or Mobil 1 filter, no one would be complaining about them; they'd be heralding them as the next greatest thing in filter technology.

 

[Drew99GT]

Indeed. Cheap = BAD.

 

[Nyquist]

I asked my Dad about this since his shop has had the Champ line of filters for around 20 years. They've had E-Cores since around 2003 or 2004. He said they haven't had any problems on the vehicles that had E-Core filters. The first number they had was a PF-47/PH-47 which is a very common GM filter.

 

[RF Overlord]

zulu, why is the fact that your dealer-installed filter is an E-Core a problem for you? I realise that it's the same technology as in a SuperTech filter, but aren't AC Delco filters made to GM's spec? I mean, Champion makes both SuperTech and the factory-installed Ford filters, but I would have to think that the filter they provide for Ford is made to Ford's specs and therefor is of more than adequate quality.

 

[zulu]

 Originally Posted By: RF Overlord

zulu, why is the fact that your dealer-installed filter is an E-Core a problem for you? I realise that it's the same technology as in a SuperTech filter, but aren't AC Delco filters made to GM's spec? I mean, Champion makes both SuperTech and the factory-installed Ford filters, but I would have to think that the filter they provide for Ford is made to Ford's specs and therefor is of more than adequate quality.

Just because something is GM spec doesn't mean it is automatically okay. Dex-cool is GM spec too... It's not just the nylon core, its the cardboard endcaps, etc, etc. I realize that plenty of people haven't had any issues, but the same can be said about Fram. IMHO it's a step down in quality/construction, which is not typical for any AC Delco branded filter.

 

[labman]

 Originally Posted By: RF Overlord

The problem is that most people's first experience with an E-Core was in the SuperTech line, so they think that means it's a cheap-a** POS. I'd be willing to bet if the first E-Cores to show up were in a K&N or Mobil 1 filter, no one would be complaining about them; they'd be heralding them as the next greatest thing in filter technology.

+1 You can use a plastic cage out of a cartridge filter to crush the steel core out of a regular filter. I am about to buy my first Ecore. I assume the down size ST 3593A is one. They have discontinued the ST 3950 I used for years. The last L 10193 I cut open was a Fram like big empty can.

 

[Mr Nice]

I have always felt the E-Core was a great design in terms of oil flow/plastic cage and the fact that have a decent amount of paper media inside the filter. I've seen the ST-3950 at WMT for $1 collecting dust in the clearance section at a few stores.

 

[Bill in Utah]

 Originally Posted By: zulu

 Originally Posted By: RF Overlord

zulu, why is the fact that your dealer-installed filter is an E-Core a problem for you? I realise that it's the same technology as in a SuperTech filter, but aren't AC Delco filters made to GM's spec? I mean, Champion makes both SuperTech and the factory-installed Ford filters, but I would have to think that the filter they provide for Ford is made to Ford's specs and therefor is of more than adequate quality.

Just because something is GM spec doesn't mean it is automatically okay. Dex-cool is GM spec too... It's not just the nylon core, its the cardboard endcaps, etc, etc. I realize that plenty of people haven't had any issues, but the same can be said about Fram. IMHO it's a step down in quality/construction, which is not typical for any AC Delco branded filter.

The ends are NOT cardboard. They are THICK fiber. The quality is above a normal filter. Really. Read this And this Note from the above link.... "Structural and filtration requirements are equal to or greater than our previous designs." This is from the company who MADE THE OLD DESIGN. I would think if you trust the old filters from them, you'd trust the new ones. Bill

 

[zulu]

 Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah

 Originally Posted By: zulu

 Originally Posted By: RF Overlord

zulu, why is the fact that your dealer-installed filter is an E-Core a problem for you? I realise that it's the same technology as in a SuperTech filter, but aren't AC Delco filters made to GM's spec? I mean, Champion makes both SuperTech and the factory-installed Ford filters, but I would have to think that the filter they provide for Ford is made to Ford's specs and therefor is of more than adequate quality.

Just because something is GM spec doesn't mean it is automatically okay. Dex-cool is GM spec too... It's not just the nylon core, its the cardboard endcaps, etc, etc. I realize that plenty of people haven't had any issues, but the same can be said about Fram. IMHO it's a step down in quality/construction, which is not typical for any AC Delco branded filter.

The ends are NOT cardboard. They are THICK fiber. The quality is above a normal filter. Really. Read this And this Note from the above link.... "Structural and filtration requirements are equal to or greater than our previous designs." This is from the company who MADE THE OLD DESIGN. I would think if you trust the old filters from them, you'd trust the new ones. Bill

Interesting read. Thanks Bill. I guess my fears are unfounded...

 

[labman]

 Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette

.... I've seen the ST-3950 at WMT for $1 collecting dust in the clearance section at a few stores.

Yeah, I gotta get out of town.

 

[SilverC6]

Doubt if there is a great deal of difference between a Super Tech e-core and a AC Delco e-core. The first e-cores I ever saw were Autozone's Valucraft line. They were Hecto in Mexico and 100% pure quality. I like Purolator for everything else but still use AC Delco on my 'Vette. I'm sure a PureOne would work just fine on it.

 

[Chris142]

They spent 17,000 hrs designing the new filter then had to go back and redesign the baseplate.

 

[labman]

 Originally Posted By: SilverC6

Doubt if there is a great deal of difference between a Super Tech e-core and a AC Delco e-core. ...

By the time I joined BITOG, I was having trouble finding the AC numbers I needed. I had cut open a number of PF 1177's of unknown manufacture and ST 3950's. Quality of media is a great unknown, but the AC's usually had half again more than ST and several other brands. Fram had half as much as ST. GM may still have higher specs for the AC's.

 

[river_rat]

 Originally Posted By: Drew99GT

So then what's the problem with E-Cores!

As far as I can see, there's nothing wrong with the plastic tube...as long as your oil pump is strong enough to push throught the fibery end cap (or force the edges out of the way) to get oil into the filter itself. There is precious little clearance between the endcap and the can. That's why I'm afraid to use them.