All Activity

The timing marks are ok, that is #1, you can turn it over until they line up and it won't change anything, the crankshaft turns twice for every camshaft revolution, I have always set up SB Chevs as your pic shows using a straight edge

Someone's been here before.... There is a receipt for a 3-piece timing set, purchased earlier this year. Is this picture something, or, nothing? I have the timing cover off and my crank is perfectly TDC and the keyed gear's locating mark is dead on 12 o'clock. The cam gear locating mark is also at 12 o'clock. Now, I'm not an expert, but all the install guides say the two locating marks should meet and be perfectly aligned when installing a timing set. The mark on the crank should be dead on 12:00 and the cam gear's mark should be dead on 6:00, and both marks should be perfectly vertically aligned. I believe the timing gear is keyed or has a dowel that ensures it can only be installed on the cam in one position, so I have to believe the cam is out of phase somehow. At the very least, with a triangular bolt pattern, it can only be installed in one of 3 different positions. Before I pulled the front cover, the truck was running alright, no service engine soon lights except an occasional P0172 / rich condition. Timing -16 timing at idle (should be +16), and total -35% fuel trim, two conditions I haven't been able to figure out. In related news, my injector tested pretty well, wasn't leaking, but I had it rebuilt anyway, and it's on it's way back to me. Along with this discovery, the good and bad: Good: The oil pan seal appears undamaged. Bad: -The timing cover has been reused, and the positioning dowels have been broken. That could explain some of the leaking. -Some kind of white paste or grease was used to try to seal the oil pan seal and timing cover (since wiped off..). -Then, someone globbed silicone all over the front of the cover and also buried the ckp sensor in it. But, they didn't put any inside the cover or use RTV to try to seal the oil pan seal with the timing cover (good).

The guy that owns K&P filters last I checked in with him has over 300,000 miles on his Dodge base Hemi using his own 35 micron absolute stainless mesh filter from its first oil change. The GM study I've posted a dozen times shows the relationship in engine life based in multiples of base units, not miles or years. That is the base unit is the number of miles the motor ran using the reference filter efficiency. The above two paragraphs dismantle anecdotal arguments IF one changes oil often enough to prevent particle formation and the motor is in otherwise good shape. That is not full of silica (no air filter) or suffering a metallurgical issue that is not part of the lubrication discussion. Poor heat treat in example. Data from UOA's I've reviewed from more than a few engines can show remarkably broad variations in oil cleanliness using the exact same filter over the course of an engines life. Lastly there is the common sense of it. Wear debris WILL circulate the engine BEFORE it ever sees a filter in route to that filter and WILL harm the pump which NEVER sees filtered oil. Alpha question then becomes, given the facts, how long do you believe is a reasonable service life from a vehicle you are certain you will not pass down? That is the junk yard will be it's resting place when you're done with it? (the moral issue most don't care about). Omega question is then how diligent are you prepared to be in general mechanical, air & oil maintenance? Preventing particulates and keeping them sufficiently dilute; preventing the precursors from generation, amalgamation and precipitation. If I get a good look at the engine bay of a vehicle I have a fair idea of the owners commitment to the inside of the power train. That 30 micron WIX is still more efficient than a sieve.

It also depends on what criteria someone is using for “best” when talking filters. Are we going off best efficiency? Best quality/QC? Etc. because the two may not mutually exclusive.

They’re not the same wiz as 10-15 years ago. QC has fallen pretty hard. The XP line was never good though in the first place. https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/wix-filter-rusted-through.386492/post-6991372 https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/i-ve-used-my-last-wix-filter.27299/ https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/looking-for-a-better-replacement-for-wix-51258.403977/ https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/convince-me-in-using-the-purolator-boss.401537/post-7420147 the forums are littered with posts and examples of not great wix filters the last couple years

*Your

I'd guess that it's because they are Mann-Hummel filters since about 2016, they own Wix and are mostly all made in China now.

Personally, I've been running Wix filters for a very long time. No adverse affects. That I'm aware of. Someone said "used to". What has changed?

We've hit that time of year...I'm ready for a good day of rain. Just a day, though. We're also into "smoke season". Have been getting a little bit of smoke over in these parts, but not too bad. Wasn't always like this, has been much worse over the last 10 years and has become an annual thing we just expect now, but times are a changin'. We have family who are affected by the wildfires around Spokane. They were evacuated and staying with friends in the area for about 2 weeks. Thankfully, their home did not burn, but the wildfires were literally just a few streets over from their home.

I think the gist is, there's data to support potential issues, or perceived issues, with every filter. Because asking what the "best" oil filter is for a particular application is like asking a group of hungry guys, what sounds good for lunch? About the only point of agreement, and even then, someone will pipe up, is that fresh oil and a new filter is probably better than old dirty oil and a used filter. In the motorcycle world, there's a phrase, ride your own ride. Well, drive and work on your own car.

I'd like to know the year of that 7.3. If newer, say 23'+ I'd be concerned that ford hasn't addressed the cam/lifter delaminating issue. Odd that the 7.3 they tore into died of the exact flaw we've heard about. From a robustness standpoint, both the 7.3, and 6.6 are absurdly overbuilt.

So, what's the issue with the WIX?

I owned a Grand Prix for over 5 years, daily drove it everyday. Had my truck for 8-9 years now, daily drove it for 5-6 years. Many other vehicles in that same time frame I listed above, always ran wix filters in all of them. I'm not easy on any of my vehicles either. Added more boost with the supercharged pontiac, tuned my truck and added parts to that. Have a foxbody with a 6.0 turbo setup now, all with those filters and good oil. I'm not being defensive, I just think people go way into the weeds with some of this stuff. I've pulled apart so many engines out of clapped out vehicles destined for the scrap pile. Some piece of junk work truck where you knew the guy didn't take care of it. Running some cheap valvoline instant oil change or fram filter on it, pulled the bearings and they looked pretty dam good for cheap filters. Oil is so good now, it just works and a filter is better than no filter even if they are cheap.

Hey buddy. Ive got a 2023 Chevrolet Suburban Captain Seats. Are you still looking to swap your second row seat?

We got some much needed rain yesterday. Started with a storm which caused a downpour, then gentle rain. 48 degrees this morning.

I'm soon to be 73, I won't worry about things so much.

Over 50 years I have never bought an OEM/ dealer oil filter.

Yeah, if it bricked if you don't keep up the subscription, that's called renting.

This is what they say about their upper line tools. How do TOPDON Phoenix Line subscriptions work? Phoenix tools require a subscription and are renewed annually. Once the subscription is renewed all updates for the tool are covered for the full year. TOPDON’s limited warranty will continue with the subscription. The tools will continue to function without a subscription; however, the tools will not be available for updates, functions may be limited, the tool will no longer be covered by the warranty, and programming functions may be inaccessible I don’t think the tools will “brick”.

With regards to the updates, I’m assuming the tool doesnt stop working when not updated right? Just that new vehicles after the last update wouldn’t work with the tool? Or how does the whole update thing work?

Not sure why this is people’s go to when they get defensive and wrong. It’s not about it blowing up right this second. It’s about taking care of your stuff. If you could get one of two products that cost extremely similar or the same but one is markedly better, why wouldn’t you get the better one? Literally makes no sense.

As Dyson used to say, like a screen door on a submarine. And how many motors have you had in continuous daily service for 15/20 years? Or are you saying of all the motors you've owned in 15/20 years, none have blown? Devil is in the details. Uncle Garry put a million miles on a Isuzu diesel delivery truck shagging parts for White Freightliner in two years without a single major repair. My mother didn't put 100K on the sum total of her lifetime of driving in 7 decades. She managed to kill every car she every drove, about a dozen. Literally. Context. It's the problem with anecdotal evidence.

I ain't blowed up an engine in the last 15-20 years running wix filters from Napa, don't see that changing anytime soon. Stats this and stats that, big deal. Run good oil, change it often and you'll be just fine.

Used to* and wix xp efficiency is god awful