Oil filter question
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 429
Likes: 0
From: Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
Car: 1994 Trans Am
Engine: 5.7L LT1
Transmission: 6-speed
Oil filter question
I had my oil changed and the shop replaced the oil filter too. If I'm not mistaken, my 305 TPI calls for an AC Delco PF 35 filter. After the shop had installed the filter and the car was still up on the rack I went inside to check it out and I noticed that the filter they used was a PF 25. Is there a lot of difference in these two filters that would cause damage to my car? I'm hoping the difference is just in filter size and nothing else. I wouldn't want my car running on unfiltered oil. It hasn't caused any oil pressure problems yet and I can't tell any difference in the way the car's running. It's actually better than before because I switched to Mobil 1 after the ****tail of different brands that had been sitting in there.
Please guys, tell me that I don't have to go back and whoop @$$ at the shop.
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'88 IROC 305 TPI
Gutted airboxes
160 degree T-stat
Advanced base TPS voltage
Relocated IAT sensor
Momo steering wheel
Ram-air setup coming soon
Flowmaster muffler
Taylor SpiroPro wires
Accel cap and rotor
Please guys, tell me that I don't have to go back and whoop @$$ at the shop.
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'88 IROC 305 TPI
Gutted airboxes
160 degree T-stat
Advanced base TPS voltage
Relocated IAT sensor
Momo steering wheel
Ram-air setup coming soon
Flowmaster muffler
Taylor SpiroPro wires
Accel cap and rotor
length is the only differance. i use the ph1218 on all SBCs if i have the clearance.
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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 429
Likes: 0
From: Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
Car: 1994 Trans Am
Engine: 5.7L LT1
Transmission: 6-speed
So is the PF25 longer or shorter than the PF35?
BTW, interesting the way c@cktail got edited.
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'88 IROC 305 TPI
Gutted airboxes
160 degree T-stat
Advanced base TPS voltage
Relocated IAT sensor
Momo steering wheel
Ram-air setup coming soon
Flowmaster muffler
Taylor SpiroPro wires
Accel cap and rotor
[This message has been edited by 88irocz28 (edited December 20, 2000).]
BTW, interesting the way c@cktail got edited.
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'88 IROC 305 TPI
Gutted airboxes
160 degree T-stat
Advanced base TPS voltage
Relocated IAT sensor
Momo steering wheel
Ram-air setup coming soon
Flowmaster muffler
Taylor SpiroPro wires
Accel cap and rotor
[This message has been edited by 88irocz28 (edited December 20, 2000).]
I've noticed some brands consolidating filter sizes. They will take two or three filters that have the same base but slightly different dimensions and just simply re-specify one of them to replace the other two.
A cost cutting measure as I've noticed some parts cross-references showing one filter replacing two or three, now.
A cost cutting measure as I've noticed some parts cross-references showing one filter replacing two or three, now.
anybody used the AC Delco ultraguard gold oil filters? Just wondering if its worth the extra 6 bucks, since we spend a sh!tload on synthetic oil, why not get a better filter too?
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90 IROC 5.7l (L98)
ram air, K&N's, air foil,Flows
LIKE A ROC
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90 IROC 5.7l (L98)
ram air, K&N's, air foil,Flows
LIKE A ROC
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i prefer wix filters, but wal mart sells the ac filters and it's easy to pick up a filter of 2 when i'm there. never saw the ultragold ac's, but lot of people on here run them. i'd think it's better to keep the oil and filter changed even if you ran cheap discount oil and filter.
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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
AMEN to Ed.
Frequency is probably the most important factor, regardless of the type of oil.
I had a Poncho torn down at 150,000 plus miles and it was clean as a 10,000 mile engine (except for the ring fragments). Fanatical oil changes at every 3,000 miles was likely the only reason, since it was all mineral oil. The engine would regularly see 5,000 RPM shifts and had a steady diet of Mousetanks and rear tires, so it never got "babied". Long life is all in the maintenance, not the use.
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Later,
Vader
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"No matter how hard you try you can't stop us now"
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0
Frequency is probably the most important factor, regardless of the type of oil.
I had a Poncho torn down at 150,000 plus miles and it was clean as a 10,000 mile engine (except for the ring fragments). Fanatical oil changes at every 3,000 miles was likely the only reason, since it was all mineral oil. The engine would regularly see 5,000 RPM shifts and had a steady diet of Mousetanks and rear tires, so it never got "babied". Long life is all in the maintenance, not the use.
------------------
Later,
Vader
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"No matter how hard you try you can't stop us now"
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0
Supreme Member
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,294
Likes: 1
From: was: Palmdale, Ca
Car: was: 1984 Camaro Z28
Engine: was: L69
Transmission: was: 700-R4
PF25 is for all SBC used in a passenger car application, where ground clearance is/maybe an issue. Standard length
PF35 is for all SBC used in light truck (ie: C/K series) applications where ground clearance is not an issue. Extra length.
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George P. Lara
1994 Z28 LT1 T56
1984 Z28 High Output
Member: SCCA, SCFB, SC3GFB
Chevy Info --> MadMike's
PF35 is for all SBC used in light truck (ie: C/K series) applications where ground clearance is not an issue. Extra length.
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George P. Lara
1994 Z28 LT1 T56
1984 Z28 High Output
Member: SCCA, SCFB, SC3GFB
Chevy Info --> MadMike's
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 873
Likes: 2
From: Northern part of The Netherlands
Car: '88 Firebird Formula 350
Engine: 350 (5.7 TPI)
Transmission: auto 700R4
Axle/Gears: BW 9-bolt L.S.
And then there is the AC PF 35-L,"racing" filter with synthetic filtermaterial inside!
I stopped using the PF-35L when I heard they started getting them made in Taiwan or something and the quality went down the crapper. Follow this link to read the results of a real oil filter study
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"Racing is life. Everything else is just waiting." - Steve McQueen - LeMans
305 TBI, T-5. 15.4@92 mph
Member Southern California Third Gen F-Bodies
AOL IM: Andy89RS
[This message has been edited by Andy89RS (edited December 25, 2000).]
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"Racing is life. Everything else is just waiting." - Steve McQueen - LeMans
305 TBI, T-5. 15.4@92 mph
Member Southern California Third Gen F-Bodies
AOL IM: Andy89RS
[This message has been edited by Andy89RS (edited December 25, 2000).]
Supreme Member

Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,416
Likes: 0
From: Johnstown, Ohio
Car: 84 Z28
Engine: 355 (fastburn heads, LT4 HOT cam)
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 9-bolt, 3.27
I'd ask them to use the PF-35 in the future. I thkn they cost the same, but the 35 is quite a but longer, and I'd rather have the more filter media as in the larger filter! I've always put the PF-35 on my high mile 305 for that reason. I'm also bad about going a little over the 3000 mark for oil changes, and like a bit of a cushion that the longer filter should provide.
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Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305
Added dual elec fans.
145 MPH IROC Speedo
Building 430 HP 350
using primarily GMPP parts.
Block is in shop!
Awaiting results from all 8 ASE tests.
Starting to look like the Kicker poster child!
------------------
Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305
Added dual elec fans.
145 MPH IROC Speedo
Building 430 HP 350
using primarily GMPP parts.
Block is in shop!
Awaiting results from all 8 ASE tests.
Starting to look like the Kicker poster child!
The PF 25 is for most SBC vehiles the PF 35 is for SBC Trucks and SUV's that sit up higher making it a long filter. I would be careful to use a PF 25 on an F-body since its about an inch longer depending on where you live it may scrape the ground. If you have lowering springs you can forget about the PF 35 all together. Theres nothing wrong with using a PF 25 filter.
Supreme Member
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,294
Likes: 1
From: was: Palmdale, Ca
Car: was: 1984 Camaro Z28
Engine: was: L69
Transmission: was: 700-R4
You do know that the oil pan (and crossmember) is over an inch lower than a PF25 filter on ANY vehicle (cars, not trucks, these can have the higher capacity pan for 8qts), right? So if you are using a PF35 now, and by what you are saying the longer filter will scrape, then so will the oil pan. Not to mention what will happen with the crossmember.
I can snap some e-pics for those of you think the PF35 will scrape (on both an oil cooler equipt F-body and non-oil cooler equipt F-body), it will not, not even on a lowered vehicle (especially an F-body). 
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George P. Lara
1994 Z28 LT1 T56
1984 Z28 High Output
Member: SCCA, SCFB, SC3GFB
Chevy Info --> MadMike's
[This message has been edited by MRZ28HO (edited December 26, 2000).]
I can snap some e-pics for those of you think the PF35 will scrape (on both an oil cooler equipt F-body and non-oil cooler equipt F-body), it will not, not even on a lowered vehicle (especially an F-body). 
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George P. Lara
1994 Z28 LT1 T56
1984 Z28 High Output
Member: SCCA, SCFB, SC3GFB
Chevy Info --> MadMike's
[This message has been edited by MRZ28HO (edited December 26, 2000).]
My car is not exactly a 4x4 and I used the PF35. I now use direct replacements for it, same length. I've never once had my filter scrape, and there have been occasions where my suspension has bottomed out and I scraped the crossmember a bit.
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"Racing is life. Everything else is just waiting." - Steve McQueen - LeMans
305 TBI, T-5. 15.4@92 mph
Member Southern California Third Gen F-Bodies
AOL IM: Andy89RS
------------------
"Racing is life. Everything else is just waiting." - Steve McQueen - LeMans
305 TBI, T-5. 15.4@92 mph
Member Southern California Third Gen F-Bodies
AOL IM: Andy89RS
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