I decided to change the oil in my vehicle yesterday. Took a look at the shelf in my garage -- I am out of oil filters. Time to go out a buy a few new oil filters to restock my shelf. I have used AC Delco Duraguard religeously for the past 35 years, so I visit my favorite neighborhood auto parts store where I can where I buy them for less than $5 per filter.

I begin to change the oil in my vehicle. I take off the old oil filter. I get ready to put on the new oil filter. I open up the box and -- What the heck???

The management folks at AC Delco have decided to save money by re-designing their AC Delco Duraguard oil filter. Their newly re-designed filter appears nothing like the original filters that all of us are accustomed to seeing. If you have an old AC Delco Duraguard lying around your garage and compare against a new one, you will see what I'm talking about. The new one lacks the quality of the original.

The newly designed filters are shorter. The filter element is no longer protected by an inner metal sleeve. The welds are exposed. They simply look like a poorly made filter.

I have had problems with Fram oil filters maintaining consisent oil pressure. I have cut open Motorcraft and Purolator oil filters. Neither of those have the quality of filter elements that the old originals ones had back in the seventies. The only manufacturers left that still have held firm to their high quality standards are Hastings and Wix.

http://www.wixfilters.com/productinformation/index.html
http://www.wixfilters.com/productin...oilfilters.html
http://www.carquest.com/filters.html -- CarQuest Premium Blue (Wix)
http://www.napaonline.com/ -- NAPA Gold (Wix)
http://www.hastingsfilter.com/ -- Hastings Premium

Now, I have to drive to another auto parts store and buy a few new Hastings Premium filters. Then, I have to drive back to the first store and get a cash refund for the filters I bought earlier in the morning.

Let's send a message to the management folks at AC Delco. They shouldn't tamper with a quality part that we've grown to trust over the past 30 years. Tell your friends NOT to buy AC Delco Duraguard filters.

Reward the companies that have consistently made quality filters over the years. Purchase quality filters made by Wix and Hastings, instead.

All I use are wix filters (napa gold). I have used Hastings in the past. Both have very noticeable quality increases verses say a Fram or Puralator.

With that being said, I have never used an ACDelco oil filter. I have heard, however, that the entire ACDelco line is starting to become cheaply made.

I imagine it's becuase of all the competition that the cheap foreign house brands that Autozone, Advance Auto, Checkers and the like use. The average joe only cares that the filter costs half as much.

Hmm. I started buying Purolators lately. I'll check out the A/Cs next time to see how cheap they look.

Two words.. Buy Wix.


The best filter I can buy around here. And, mine are $4.11 tax included. The parts guys give me a good discount as part of a frequent buyer program.

In a while, Chet.

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I swear by wix oil filters. I've heard of sudden 0 oil psi conditions with fram and have experienced one myself, screw the three-supid-guys auto parts and autodrone. They don't carry the food stuff (wix).

Are AC rapidfire plugs any good or are they cheap bs now also? Perhaps I'll go with Champion from now on.

The Puralator filter to buy is the Pure 1, not their standard filter. When I cannot get a Mobil 1 filter I use the Pure 1 as a second choice.

Vince

Oh man..... THAT SUX!!! I did NOT need to hear that! I have always been a fan of AC filters.

Napa gold 1061 and Chevron Suprime 10W-30, love it run them in the 230 in the 62 and 305 in my truck and the 350 in the wifes suburban (will also in the 63 when it gets a power plant).
Just my $.02

I used to be a fan of AC products too, it's a shame. Go to wix. I think the napa (wix) filters could (keyword is could) be the filters that wix makes and isn't quite up to standard, they could be identical inside, or wix makes em to napa's standards, wether they are higher, or lower, than wix's specs.

I use valvaline filters, anyone heard of quality issues with these?

These company's trying to save a $buck$ will cheat the customer of good quality stuff to line their pockets. Probably redesigned and built out of the country and sold as an American product.


Tazz

Wow, that is bad news. About a year ago, I bought a full case of Delco filters for my 3 chevies. They are the good ones.

I can't say that i'm surprised though. In our local paper a few days ago, there was an article about Delphi going into bankrupsy. Delphi is GM's parts devision. It said they were going to "try" to save it with layoffs and what ever, but also mentioned "outsourcing" from over seas manufacturers. (sp?)
Delphi makes thousands of GMs parts. One big one is the fuel injection systems. Can't wait for the "replacements" to start arriving. Oh well. So goes the demise of America as a world leader.

Mark

Yup. Wix (Affina Corp) makes the NAPA Gold filter to NAPA specs is what we in the NAPA world are told. Apparently the NGF (NAPA Gold Filter) has a RED hi-heat by-pass valve, whereas the std WIX is black neoprene rubber.

I haven't bought a WIX to compare yet, but that is my understanding.

PS.
There was a thread / poll on Fram filters last week full of opinions and information on a variety of brands.
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/fra...poll-48682.html

another note on NAPA, the Napa brand oil is Valvoline at a better price

how are K&N oil filters?