Using long filters when owners manuel calls for short filter?

[Chris B.]

I have been using Napa Gold's 1522's(pf59) on my 2003 Silverado and 2002 Camaro z28 for about a year now. Both vehicles call for the pf44(napa gold 1042)short filter. It is about 1 inch shorter then the long version. From 1999-2002 the Silverados were using the long filter but in 2003 GM changed it to the short filter. I asked 3 dealers and they had no idea why. Do you think GM decided to go with the smaller pf44 to save money or are the smaller filters better for the engine.
The guy at Napa said he would go with the filter the book says to use because the bigger filter will not cover engine damage if warranty comes into play. Should I go back to using the small filter? Do you know if the longer filter is giving ma any bennifet of causing any harm? I'm loosing sleep on this at night! Thanks for the help!!!!!

 

[geeeman]

Smaller is generally:

Cheaper!

Lighter!

More space efficient!

Better for the engine? Highly debatable...

Adequate for the engine...yes.

 

[Virtuoso]

I doubt its' causing you any harm at all; especially if it was previously listed for that engine in a different model year. I would keep using the lager filter..and if for some reason you happen to need a warranty claim for the engine....swap in the smaller filter.

 

[Mike_dup1]

I don't if this is true in the case but the filer media size and the exterior size of the can may have little relationship to one another.

Meaning the bigger filter may actually have the same size or lessr media,making it no better or worse then the oem.


You would have to take one of each, cut them open and compare.

Using an filter that is 1 inch bigger may have little if any advantange.

 

[Ryan00TJ]

Mike is right on that thought but the Wix 51522 has noticeably more filter media than the stock PF44 that the LS1 calls for. I use the extended filter on my 02 LS1 with no ill effects and that is confirmed by UOA's. I would stick with the longer filter as more oil capacity can never hurt your motor. The longer filter makes my LS1 hold 6 1/4 qts instead of 5.6 with the short stocl PF44.

 

[Chris B.]

I also found that my engine now holds 6 1/4qts with the longer filter. I think I'll keep using it. I wonder how the flow is between the 2?

 

[TC]

Filters which are significantly longer than stock usually (but not always) have significantly more media area, which as pointed out, is the ultimate goal. For example, the 3" long Wix #51064 has 150 sq in media, while the 1" longer Wix #51568 (shells are exactly the same diameter) has 243 sq in, or 62% more media -- a very big difference.

As Virtuoso said, swap the filter if you can before making a warranty claim. I would suggest going oversize, using a brand the dealer is not intimately familiar with (such as Wix, PurePro, Mobil 1, etc.). That way, if your vehicle is towed to the dealer from the side of the road, they are not as likely to claim "That's not the proper filter" as they would with their in-house AC Delcos.

 

[JohnnyO]

My wife's 4cyl Grand Am calls for an AC PF-44. My beater work van with a 4.3 V-6 calls for an AC PF-52 (I think). It's longer and looks to be the same diameter, will that fit in place of the PF-44? There is room for a longer filter. right now I'm using the Mobil 1 equivalent.

 

[labman]

The last few years I had my 92 grand Am with the HO Quad 4, I was using the PF 52 in place of the PF 44. Since GM has the bypass elsewhere, no worries about bypass in the filter. As long as the price is the same, i see no reason not to.