D.Guerra

Bosch and Wix here. I have actually had bad luck with NKGs and ACDelco plugs have given good service. My.02

bmfvette

Thanks for this thread. I'm one of the guy's that ran around scarfing up all the PF48's when GM announced the PF48e. As the owner of a C5 and C6 I'm down to my last PF48 (which had to be ordered online as locals haven't had them for years). Glad to hear about the UPF48R and will look to restock my supply.

Thanks again!

Tarl

Well went into my friendly Chevrolet dealer and picked up an OEM filter from their parts section. Changing the oil prior to a 6000 mile road trip. They gave me the PF48E. This is the part the GM is stocking at all dealerships now for C6 LS3 engines. Already changed it out and no leaks. See how it lasts on the trip. If something does go wrong and it's traced to the oil filter, my argument, I picked it up from the dealership, this is what they said is OEM now and recommended.

These are the supposed improvements:

The PF48E primary performance improvement relates to the relief valve design. The PF48E has a compression spring loaded nylon poppet that outperforms the current valve design.



Other benefits:
•Element integrity (collapse strength) is increased by 25%. This is because the nylon cores are perfectly round.
•Filter media, which is unchanged, is no longer potted in adhesive which blocks filtration area at each end.
•Filtration performance (efficiency and capacity) are both unchanged.
•The filter shell configuration is unchanged. Existing cap wrenches continue to fit.
•Hydrostatic burst and impulse fatigue performance are both unchanged.
•Relief valve performance is much improved and statistically more stable.
•Hot oil durability is improved by elimination of adhesive.
•Cold weather performance (-30 C) with dexos 1 oil is excellent.
•Improved level of robustness to water accumulation.
•Nitrile material used in the sealing gasket and the anti-drainback valve is unchanged.
•PF48E filters meet performance specifications as defined by GM Powertrain.
•PF48E filters will be used in OE production in the near future.

Tarl

Well, I just didn't like the look, feel or plastic innards of the PF48E. I did install it, NO leaks, oil PSI seemed good, I never really payed that much attention to it as long as it wasn't in the RED before. With the PF48E cold startup around 40psi, once things warmed up, oil got hot, outside temp got hot...it dropped down to around 22psi at idle (ie, stoplight) most of the time averaged anywhere from 30 to 50 psi depending on load.

Still that thin walled plastic cage and the plastic pieces had me concerned, especially with a 6000+ mile trip coming up driving thru the southern part of the US.....AZ, NM, TX into LA and Fl, in the middle of the summer, 100+ degrees outside air temp, car engine temps prob around 190 to 200F, hot pavement, hot oil, hot air....and wanting to do it on the same oil and filter for the entire trip....I just wasn't comfortable, even thou that PF48E would have prob been OK. Even Champion Labs (the maker of the PF48E) recommends only going 3000 miles on the PF48E. Could not find the PF48 anywhere.......

so ended up getting the Mobil 1 M1-113 (I'm assuming this is the equivalent to the AC Delco UPF-48R). Seems a lot of guys use this on the C6s. It is a lot beefier than the PF48E, has the metal insides and is more inline with the PF48.....it is also a little wider than the original PF48 since the end cap filter wrench would not fit on it.

Just my gut feeling by looking and feeling the PF48E it just seems like a cheaply made filter. It is advertised as better than it's predecessor the PF48 but it sure doesn't reflect that in what looks like the build quality. The Mobil 1 M1-113 is beefier, heavier, metal insides and by just looking at it, both inside and out seems to be a better built product and much more inline with the older PF48 or the UPF-48R. Just my opinion thou. Prob wasted a good $4 on the PF48E but I just feel more comfortable without the ecore filter for a long hot trip.

This is now installed, refilled about 9oz of oil or so, and the pressures are close to the PF48E, a little higher. Starts cold at around 40PSI then drops down to 25PSI once warmed up and hot at stoplights. Averages about 30 to 50 also depending on load.

So for better or worse I switched it out see how this lasts on the grueling trip.

WW7

I think the Mobil 1 filter will give you a little more confidence for your trip if nothing else..The Mobil 1 filter also come out at, or near the top in all filter tests I have seen .I agree with you, the AC Delco filter just looked like it was crap to start with...I don't trust any filter that I can crush with one hand......WW
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C5 Hardtop

I had a leak too once, but it was the fault of a knuckle head shop that put the filter on. It needed more tension and the leak stopped.

Tarl

Trip is over, Mobil 1 oil filter survived the ordeal without a hiccup. 5,487.7 miles, over some of the roughest roads in America, 2 windshield chips, a bird strike and temps as high as 119 degrees for hundreds of miles.

madmatt9471

On my next oil change I think I will look over the UPF48R for my 2009 LS3

Thanks,Matt

StKnoWhere

I just replaced a less than one month old PF48E that was leaking, about a teaspoon dripping on the garage floor. It was tight. Looked like it was oozing around the crimp seal at the external diameter. The o-ring was much harder than and thinner than on the PF48R.

Switching to a PF48R the oozing stopped and my oil pressure increased about 10psi.

More than a few posts on this around the web indicate E-CORE filter with the plastic insides and different media causes a pressure drop relative to the previous design. The oil filter bypass has a large effect on oil pressure and the bypass rate of a PF48E is not the same as a regular PF48 or UPF48R

Tarl

Can you still use the PF48 filter cap wrench with the UPF48R? Switching away from the PF48E I went with the Mobil 1 M1 113 and it has worked flawlessly. Dry as a bone (as I mentioned above) for a grueling 5487.7 mile road trip across the country. However, the M1 113 is slightly "thicker" than the original PF48 and my end cap wrench would not fit it. I'm thinking the UPF48R is more in line with the M1 113 and it will also be too big for the wrench.

StKnoWhere

I use a cam style wrench

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-63250-R...iglink20245-20

schpenxel

I have that same one--works great

Purple92

Just my $0.02 - but I used to be a big fan of the K&N and Mobil 1 oil filters. I had seen what seemed to be very thorough testing showing they did very well in single pass filtering. Back a few years ago - both filters were made by Champion Labs. BUT - about a year or so ago - I was on a "major retailer website", and needed to spend a bit more to get free shipping - so my normal strategy was to include a K&N filter in the order.

When I put the K&N in my cart - I saw some relatively negative reviews, which was surprising as the vast majority of the reviews I had seen in the past were quite positive, and after doing a bit more internet searching - it seems that K&N has moved their manufacturing to Mexico. Guess what - the problems being reported seem to have happened just after the switch (problems with spot welds leaking and poorly formed threads among other things). So - K&N came off my list. The Mobil 1 filters are still made in the US (Mobil, K&N and many other brands ink stamp the country of origin on each filter) - so if you're buying retail you can open the box and check for yourself before you buy.

I've heard good things about Wix / NAPA filters as well, and wouldn't hesitate to use them, but I do tend to believe that you get what you pay for - and I've seen some VERY INEXPENSIVE AC oil filters - so I tend to wonder about their quality. Personally, I try not to skimp on oil or oil filters, saving a few dollars on an oil change seems like false economy to me... Everyone has different opinions on the matter - and that's not a bad thing - do your research, and make what you think is the best decision for you ...

jft69z

PF48 & PF48E use the same size cap wrench.

UPF48R & Mobil1-M113 are equal to each other, but larger that both of the above.

LEAVINU

Ditto

Jake5670

Thanks for the link

jft69z

You're welcome.