[Mickjagger1982]

Please be advised that there are two possible oil filter applications for 2016 Trax models. All the application guides say use pf2257g. However when I did my first oil change on my 2016 Trax Midnight Edition LTZ I observed the oil filter from the factory had a "spring type" device connected to it. I spoke to the dealer and learned my Trax requires a pf2263g oil filter. If I had used the pf2257g it would fit, but NOT filter the oil! Make certain if you do your first oil change and notice a "spring type" device attached to your oil filter you replace it with pf2263g. I with try to attach a photo of the pf2263g.

 

[5457]

I found a technical service bulletin about this from an aftermarket oil filter manufacturer...
The markings on the oil filter cap will determine the oil filter required. The HENGST-marked cap will accept the ACDelco PF2257G. The UFI-marked cap uses ACDelco PF2263G.
It goes on to say that using the wrong filter will cause severe engine damage.
Good to know!

 

[DustTrax]

Thanks for the heads up guys! Admittedly, I'm the kind of person to follow manuals blindly assuming that they're always right. Making this mistake could be costly.

 

[beeguz]

I changed the oil on my 15 Trax a few times before I traded it, I never saw a spring on the filter.

I also changed my oil a few times on my 16 buick I saw no spring on those either.

What I can tell you is these oil filters don't do much filtering.

I changed just the filter on one occasion I was 1K miles away from my next oil change.
At the time I wanted to see if this filter would clean up the oil like it does when you spin on a new filter on any other engine.
Well it doesn't clean up the oil like a spin on.

The oil does not clean up, this tells me this oil filter doesn't do very much.

 

[5457]

The oil filter does not filter all the oil all of the time, there's an oil filter bypass valve in the oil filter mount on the engine block. It starts to open above a certain oil pressure or if the filter clogs. I've seen cars come in on a tow truck with missing oil filters or bloated oil filters when the oil bypass valve gets stuck closed. It over-pressurizes the filter and blows it off or up when that valve gets stuck.

 

[Tracking]

Darn... I've never seen an oil filter blow up but I can only imagine the mess that'll cause :|

 

[$03Marauderman]

Great tip & pic....Based on what I'm seeing this looks like the same application that was on my 91 Grand Am with the old iron duke 2.5 engine....The filter is in the oil pan....never quite understood how effective that was...Is the Trax filter in a canister? or does it slip into the engine somewhere???

 

[Traxy]

My 2016 Trax and 2016 Buick call for the PF2257G and I never saw a spring on the old one I pulled out. But I use FRAM CH10246

If you'll notice at the bottom of the box it says '' For Conventional...'' This is the extra guard filter. I contacted Fram and I was told that Synthetic oil filters should be available in 2018. They are done with engineering and are setting up an assembly line. It should wear the number XG10246

It will use a Hepa material similar to the XG9018 from the 2.2 Ecotec instead of a paper media as seen here.

 

[beeguz]

Want to see how much this filter really does?, change the filter before the next oil change, then run the engine a day a week or an hour.
The oil will still look as dirty as it was before you replaced this poor excuse of a filter.

If you did that on any engine with a regular oil system, the oil cleans up in less than one minute of running the engine.

Avis used to change filters on there turn back cars that were going back to Chrysler corp, instead of changing the oil they only changed the filter.
The blackest oil would look crystal clear looking like it was freshly changed, it scammed Chry corp back in the 70's I imagine they are still doing it.

 

[Traxy]

$10 and peace of mind, I change the oil filter every 5000Kms ( 3000 miles ) whether it's dirty or not. Just did this morning, it takes 5 minutes. Oil monitor said 54% with slightly more than 5000 Kms since last oil change. I will change it again when I change the oil around 10-11K.

 

[beeguz]

I don't mind paying for an oil filter if it does something, what pisses me off is it doesn't do anything.

I recently bought a high quality Purolator, these were not available for this engine until recently, I'm rolling up on 3K so I will be changing the oil and filter very soon.

I don't really expect any difference this filtering system sucks.

 

[Traxy]

Well my filter was black so must be doing some cleaning. Oil is still pretty clear too.

 

[beeguz]

I don't think the oil is passing in and out of the filter material.

Oil may be getting on the filter but I don't think the filter is doing anything, that is my point about this filter and filtering system.

 

[Traxy]

Your opinion I guess. Seems to work in mine. I'm sure the engine designer put a filter there just for looks.

 

[beeguz]

Well the Buick isn't my problem anymore, I got rid of it, I can say it was a very nice car.

From now on I only have to buy gas for my Miata, I won't be buying gas for a few more months at least.

While I had it I didn't buy gas that often, because it did get 40+mpg.

I will be moving to the Bolt forum, thanks for all the fish.

 

[Flyinfool]

The oil filter does not filter all the oil all of the time, there's an oil filter bypass valve in the oil filter mount on the engine block. It starts to open above a certain oil pressure or if the filter clogs. I've seen cars come in on a tow truck with missing oil filters or bloated oil filters when the oil bypass valve gets stuck closed. It over-pressurizes the filter and blows it off or up when that valve gets stuck.

Don't all cars have this? And had it for as long as I can remember?
It is for when the filter is clogged, it will bypass the oil to the engine because dirty oil is better than no oil.

If everything is working correctly and maintained correctly that bypass valve will never open in the life of a car.

I can see where if the filter was clogged and the relief valve failed it could blow or swell the filter.

 

[5457]

Don't all cars have this? And had it for as long as I can remember?
It is for when the filter is clogged, it will bypass the oil to the engine because dirty oil is better than no oil.

If everything is working correctly and maintained correctly that bypass valve will never open in the life of a car.

I can see where if the filter was clogged and the relief valve failed it could blow or swell the filter.

They sure do open without having a clogged filter, especially on cold startups when the oil is cold and thick.

 

[Flyinfool]

I tried to find some info on oil filter pressure drop at various temperatures but I did not find any good info.

I did not consider the added viscosity of the oil on a cold start. Especially a very cold start.
I guess I can see where with extremely cold oil in a cold engine the pressure across the filter might get up enough to partly open the bypass, especially if you rev the engine.

If you are driving around normally with the engine at normal operating temperature the bypass should not be open. It might be, and might even be by design.

It was always my understanding that the bypass valve is there for extreme cases, like high rpm on a very cold engine or a plugged or partly plugged filter. If the bypass was always open even partly, I would think that we would not be seeing engines last well over 100K miles.

 

[Howard Khim Hong]

If the wrong filter is used, is there a Check Engine Warning? If not, does that mean we need to confirm the correct filter is used during each oil change? I only ask cause I imagine not every employee at a quick oil change station would necessarily know this and accidentally put in the wrong filter. I.e., based on what I’m seeing, if you go to autozone or any parts store and asked for the oil filter for your car, they will hand you a Hengst filter without even asking what type you needed. I don’t even see that any local retail auto parts place even carry the UFI filter.

 

[Traxy]

Never seen the engine that uses the spin-on on north american car. It would be pretty hard to put in the wrong cartridge since it is pretty specific for this 1.4l Ecotec.