Larger Oil Filter for Alpha Owners:

[Best4x4]

The stock filter for the 5.3L Alpha is an AC Delco PF48/PF48E and to me it's a tiny oil filter for such a large engine. In a Corvette with limited space I can see the PF48 being used but not on a truck/suv. So after some research I've found the AC Delco PF63 which is about an inch taller than the PF48. All info I found showed that the PF48 and PF63 are specified on the same rigs, but at the time the info was posted the PF63 was harder to find and the PF48 came stock as a break in filter then you were to switch over to the PF63 after break in.

Well my walmart sells them and the cross-reference Mobil1 is M1-212. I'll be switching over to the Mobil1 M1-212 on my next oil change. Just wanted to pass the info along.

 

[High Five H2]

good info. i thought it looked a bit small when I changed my oil this weekend. I'm used to seeing oil field equipment, and the oil filters on those things are almost as long as my forearm.

 

[Best4x4]

Yeah even the 3.7L has a larger one!! I think it will be easier to install/remove as well being longer.

 

[High Five H2]

post up when you start using it, i'd like to hear what you think.

 

[3rdH3]

post up when you start using it, i'd like to hear what you think.

Ditto

 

[Best4x4]

Yeah I will. Specs for PF48/PF63 are very simular. Just more media honestly and PSI per can but that'll be different since the sizes are different. Probably gonna change the oil this evening. Wish I could fix my front axle leak as easy haha!

 

[High Five H2]

I think you're the official "OEM upgrades" guy

 

[Best4x4]

LoL I used to do it with my Jeeps n Rover's. It was amazing how many Rover parts u could get cheap from the likes of Hyundai and GM lol.

 

[Best4x4]

Slapped on the PF63 this evening. Much easier to spin on by hand since it's lower. Here are a few pics for ya'll.

 

[Mr_Rich]

This is something I was wondering about since it affected me when I swapped an LS1 for an LS6 in my Firebird. The older LS engines used a SAE 13/16 thread on the oil filter and then sometime later went to a metric M22 thread. I actually swapped oil pans on my LS6 with a new pan and discovered my old filters weren't usable any more. I used the longer K&N HP-2006 instead of the shorter HP-1007 for a long time. I still the use the HP-2006 in my H3T. So I'll use the K&N HP-2011 in my Firebird now which will also fit your Alphas.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

LoL I used to do it with my Jeeps n Rover's. It was amazing how many Rover parts u could get cheap from the likes of Hyundai and GM lol.

why do you think I'm replacing all the Toyota rubbish with GM parts on my FJ40? (beside the obvious reason - irritating the purists).

 

[3rdH3]

How much over 6 quarts did you have to put in to get to the full level?

 

[Best4x4]

I added 6qt and it was still on the correct level when I checked the dipstick.

 

[High Five H2]

where can we find other brands equivalent for the AC-delco filters?

 

[SedonaBound]

Good find. I'm going to check WIX or Baldwin for that filter size as I try to use commercial grade filters where possible. Some consumer grade filters are really cr*p.

 

[Best4x4]

AC-Delco PF63
Autolite for Oil Filters AL10575
Baldwin B7449
CARQUEST 84502
CASTROL CAS10060
ChampLab PH2055
ChampLab PH500
DEFENSE DL10575
FIRESTONE PH500
Flying F PH10575AZ
Fram PH10575
Group 7 V2500
HASTINGS LF637
HASTINGS LF641
K&N HP-2011
LUBER-FINER PH2055
LUBER-FINER PH500
MICROGARD MGL10575
MILEGUARD MO10060
MOBIL M1-212
MOBIL MO500
MOBIL PH500
MOTORCRAFT FL-2055
MOTORCRAFT FL-500S
NAPA 7502
PENNZOIL PZ-173
Purolator L22500
Royal Purple 20-500
SECURITY SO-10060
STP S10590
SUPERTECH ST10060
Wix 57502

Mobil1 M1-212 was easy to find at Auto Zone.

 

[High Five H2]

I've been looking around a bit, and there are some service bulletins or something like that where they're actually supposed to use the bigger filter instead of the small one. I found a list of aftermarket filters that are compatible with the PF63 if anyone's interested.

 

[High Five H2]

here's the list:

Motorcraft FL500S
K&N HP-2011
Royal Purple 20-500
ACDelco PF63
Fram PH10575
Purolator PSL22500
Wix 57502
Mobil1 M1-212
Pennzoil HPZ-173
Mann Filter ML 1049
Hastings LF641

source: http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/Ford-F150-Coyote-V8-Engine-Oil-Change-Guide/

a walkthough guide on how to change oil on a 5.0L coyote engine. kind of weird, but ok. whatever.

 

[Best4x4]

Yeah I found all sorts of info on PF48 vs PF63. Most were people worried about warranty claims lol. I'm way past those days on either H3, and besides as long as the filter has the same thread type, anti-drain back valve, gasket type there should be zero issues. I think alot of the PF48 vs PF63 was size issues in like a Corvette, but on our Alpha's it's perfect. I used PH8A's on all my Jeep's vs PH16's and zero issues.

Just sad it took me this long to find the darn data lol. I started looking right after I bought my Alpha, but PH63's were like dealer items only. Now there are a lot of other options/brands. I prefer K&N & Mobil1 myself.

 

[High Five H2]

yeah, that surprised me too. I guess people are worried that dealerships will find any way of not honoring a warranty, including blaming a better filter... ok, whatever.

 

[RamRod]

Great info!

 

[SedonaBound]

AC-Delco PF63
....
Wix 57502

Dunno 'bout that Wix #; all the applications for it are Ford. I asked at the parts store for a Wix to match a PF63 and they gave me a 57045, which lists 2011 and later GM 5.3s on its application list. That's what I put on. I'll let you know if there's a black puddle under the truck tomorrow AM.

 

[Best4x4]

I'm sticking with the Mobil1, K&N, and PF63 since I can find them very easily in my neck of the woods.

 

[SedonaBound]

Re: Wix Filter - Using the Wix website "Exact match competitor" tool with PF63, Wix #57045 comes up. I also read on more than one GM truck forum that the PF48 was originally intended as a break-in filter from the factory and had a "Replace with PF63" label. I guess GM beancounters found no correlation of smaller oil filter to warranty costs, so they made it standard on most GM car and light truck engines. Saving a few pennies with a "break-in size" filter does, in fact, sound like trad GM "How cheap can we get away with" thinking.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

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