Chevrolet Cobalt Question about oil?

harrisblack

Which one to use?

Pennzoil Platinum full synthetic

Mobil 1 full synthetic

Castrol full synthetic

Royal Purple full synthetic

cmhj2000

Throw a dart, they'll all work well. I however use Amsoil 5W-30 XL.

poncho167

I don't use synthetic accept in my motorcycle. I am kind of partial to Pennzoil products but all of those are good. There should be an oil forum on Edmunds somewhere where you can get other opinions.

harrisblack

We went with Mobil 1 synthetic and a Fram oil filter.

poncho167

Definately don't continue with the Fram because they are known to be bad. AC/Delco filters are the best in the business. The interior of the frame is the problem. The use a paper filter that will deteriote and the interior valve will let particals back into the engine. The AC/Delco has a screen and a OEM valve that does not allow junk to flow back. I have read the tests done on filters and Fram is not good, believe me.

Karen_S

On the Maintenance & Repair forum.

Engine Oil-A Slippery Subject

harrisblack

We went to Chevy and bought a new oil filter for it. We took out the Fram and put in a new A/C Delco filter. No oil loss. Tomorrow we will take apart the Fram filter to see whats going on.

What about the air cleaner and the fuel filter? What brands?

poncho167

I am not sure about the fuel filter but I wouldn't doubt Fram is subpar in this as well.

For air filter the AC/Delco has been known to be among the best in protecting your engine. Test after test it has been proven to trap more dirt than any other. Wix brand are supposed to also be good with oil and air.

I thought I saved it but I can't find a recent lab test showing the AC/Delco air filter superior to all others. Not only is it very good at flowing air but it traps more partical than any other.

gerald41

When it comes to oil filters or oil all major brands will be fine unless you push the milage between oil changes. I myself change the oil in my car at around 2,500 give or take a 100 miles. I use whatever is on sale, Fram, Pennzoil etc. It only makes a difference if you go above the 3,000 miles intervals. When I had valve cover gaskets replaced on my 94 cavalier the engine looked as good as new with no build-up of junk in it, and probably have used fram filters more than any other brand. The same thing with oil I always use Castrol GTX 5-30. If you change your oil at 3,000 miles or less your wasting money on synthetic oil. Synthetic oil is for people who go 4-5 thousand bettween oil changes. If Fram was so bad they would have been either re-worked or pulled from the market by now.

poncho167

They are bad compared to the better ones but not bad enough to pull from the market.

tcalof

The use a paper filter that will deteriote and the interior valve will let particals back into the engine. The AC/Delco has a screen and a OEM valve that does not allow junk to flow back.

You are making a blanket statement about spin-on filters. You can't compare a spin-on to a cartridge. I also like AC/Delco, but people have to reallize the Ecotec engines don't even use spin-on oil filters. I've used AC/Delco, Hengst, Fram, and Purolator on my Ecotoecs. I still like the AC/Delco the best. It seems better made and the pleats don't "shred".

poncho167

That wasn't a blanket statement it was simple statement relating to can type filters. Actually I forgot the Cobalt has a cartridge filter but even so I would stick with AC/Delco or Wix when replacing any filter. The AC/Delco filters perform tops in evaluations.

tsjay

Poncho:

Almost ALL spin on auto oil filters use paper as the filter medium. What is unusual about the Fram filters is that Fram uses paper for the end caps. Other brands have metal end caps that the pleated paper is seated in, and plastisol is used to provide a seal. Fram uses a dense, felt-like paper instead of steel to make the end caps, and they use glue to achieve the seal.

Tom

harrisblack

Is glueing the filter together better than using a steel cap?

tsjay

If a good seal is established, it shouldn't matter.

The steel end cap has a lip on the outer cricumference and a concentric lip inside of the outter lip. A layer of plastisol is dispensed into the trough in between these lips, and the pleated paper filter cartridge is seated into the plastisol. Then heat is applied to cure the plastisol and the paper. That is the traditional method for getting "end seal" on spin-on oil filters.

You can decide for yourself which method would give the best chance for a good seal.

Tom

poncho167

Fram's valving in the can type oil filters is also poorly done and some tests have shown that dirty oil flows back into the engine that a normal quality filter such as an AC/Delco would prevent from happening.

tsjay

Poncho:

I think your must be talking about the faulty anti-drainback valves that were found in some Fram filters a few years ago. I'm assuming they have corrected the problem, but I have nothing to back that up.

Anti-drainback valves allow oil to flow into the filter, but not back out of the filter. The only way oil is supposed to be able to leave the filter is through the center tube, after passing through the pleated filter paper that surrounds the center tube.

The purpose of the anit-drainback valve is to prevent the oil from draining out of the filter when the engine is shut off. If the filter were mounted vertically and right-side-up, then the anti-drainback valve would be unnecessary, but most filters are mounted horizontally, which means that without any pressure in the system, the oil would run back out of the filter to the crankcase.

The problem with letting the oil drain out of the filter when the engine is shut off is that the filter would have to fill up again when the engine is started before any oil would begin circulating to the moving parts. Those few seconds without oil flow at every start-up of the engine would have a cumulative effect in shortening engine life.

Tom

rweldon

I have been using full synthetic for years and it is worth the extra money. There are many brands and as many arguments about who has the best. Regardless of which one you pick, Stick to it, don't change brands after you start. The 3,000 mile change rule should always apply. It will pay big dividends ten years down the road. Regarding oil filters, again draw a circle on the ground, take every brand and throw them up in the air, whichever lands in the circle use it. Is one better than another, (thought) is it worth the worry? Change every 3,000 with a new filter and the motor will stay clean and your rod and crank bearings will thank you for it.

harrisblack

In the December 2008 issue of Road and Track, on page 73, there was an ad by Valvoline. It stated that there Synpower full synthetic oil is 4 times better that Mobil 1. Any comments?

tsjay

I disagree with your assumption that all oil filters will perform equally.

The dirt holding capacity may not be much of a factor, if you are on a 3000 mile drain interval, but the quality of construction, the performance of the anti-drainback valve, and the amount of time the filter is in the by-pass mode (like on cold starts), are not necessarily going to be the same across the brands.

Tom

okko1

mobil 1 is the gm oil of choice. there is another forum here thet might help.

harrisblack

I seen the ad in other media. Walmart has it for $19.00 for a 5 qt jug, which is cheaper than Mobil 1.

okko1

the maintenace and repair forum has a lot of info on oil quaulity that is worth reading. cost is not always a good measure of quaulity. mobil 1 is a proven performer. check out the other forum if you haven't yet it is way over my head but still has a lot of good info.