# LE2 oil filter usage.



## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

As many of you know, the ACDelco UPF64R is the recommended service filter for the LE2. The PF64 is not recommended not is any of its cross references due to issues with many of them having the PF48 bypass specification, not even the newer, higher, PF64 bypass spec. Many companies finally released 20psi+ bypass filters as PF64 replacements, and listed the UPF64R as a cross reference as well.

There has been speculation that besides the burst pressure rating(and therefore can thickness) that the UPF64R had an even higher bypass spec than the PF64. Only ever corroborated by Rock Autos spec sheet, and assumptions based on GMs changing of the filter recommendation and the involved Engines usage of variable electronically controlled oil pumps.

Today I noticed that Wix no longer lists their PF64 equivalent (WL10290 and XP variant) as a cross for the UPF64R.

Their information now shows the UPF64R as a valid competitive part number, but they do not offer an equivalent. 

I take this as tertiary evidence that the R filter does indeed have a 30-35psi+ bypass rating and will continue to use only ACD filters until I see Wix or another major brand further update their catalog. 

I'd suggest others think about this as well when they try to save $1.50 vs the R filter, or when they buy expensive filters just because cross references list part numbers, when we dont have specs yet. Cross references for this car, across the entire vehicle, from filters, to brakes, to bulbs, have widely been found to be inaccurate.


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## booyakashao (Dec 7, 2018)

Thanks for the post it's very informative. I think the higher bypass rating is meant for 5w-30 oil that just meets dexos 1 requirements during cold starts at very low temperatures. Is this the case?


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

booyakashao said:


> Thanks for the post it's very informative. I think the higher bypass rating is meant for 5w-30 oil that just meets dexos 1 requirements during cold starts at very low temperatures. Is this the case?


Probably not, as the 4.3 and the 3.6 engines that use 5w30 and have variable output pumps didnt get a new spec filter.

It's due mainly to the higher pressure differentials create across the filter, even a clean one, by the high flow rates of the system.


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## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

Ma v e n said:


> Probably not, as the 4.3 and the 3.6 engines that use 5w30 and have variable output pumps didnt get a new spec filter.
> 
> It's due mainly to the higher pressure differentials create across the filter, even a clean one, by the high flow rates of the system.


I didn't realize the oil pressure system was running at an unconventional spec. What the psi out of curiosity?


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

Iamantman said:


> Ma v e n said:
> 
> 
> > Probably not, as the 4.3 and the 3.6 engines that use 5w30 and have variable output pumps didnt get a new spec filter.
> ...


Typically 35psi or so in low pressure mode. The 1.4 and the 3.6 can generate over 100psi oil pressure.


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Here is a link to some info from Sandy Blogs I posted awhile back that relates to some of this.


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## 17Cruzer (Apr 18, 2017)

Ma v e n said:


> As many of you know, the ACDelco UPF64R is the recommended service filter for the LE2. The PF64 is not recommended not is any of its cross references due to issues with many of them having the PF48 bypass specification, not even the newer, higher, PF64 bypass spec. Many companies finally released 20psi+ bypass filters as PF64 replacements, and listed the UPF64R as a cross reference as well.
> 
> There has been speculation that besides the burst pressure rating(and therefore can thickness) that the UPF64R had an even higher bypass spec than the PF64. Only ever corroborated by Rock Autos spec sheet, and assumptions based on GMs changing of the filter recommendation and the involved Engines usage of variable electronically controlled oil pumps.
> 
> ...


Thank you for this update!


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## CRUZE-66 (May 4, 2019)

My experience with this concurs with Maven. The filter that came on my '17 Premier was a reg. PF64. Odds are this was done by the dealership for the TSB on the LSPI oil change. As we've seen that TSB says it's OK to use a PF64 if the UPF64R isn't available.

At 200 miles I put in a made-for-oil-filters internal magnet *inside* the filter. After carefully breaking in the car including driving it very gently when first started, I changed the oil at about 1,000 miles and I found a decent sized sliver of metal on the magnet :evil3: In all the years I've used these magnets I've never seen anything but a super fine paste on them. And the only way that sliver of metal is getting thru the filter media is bypassing it. Keep in mind too, this was done in warmer months(May-Aug) without super cold thick oil. Since the TSB allowed putting on a filter that really didn't belong on there I'm glad I used the magnet as soon as I did.

Second oil change I used a Napa Gold 100290, which also stayed on for just 1,000 miles. Luckily there was no slivers of metal on that run. Then winter was approaching and I figured out that our cars should probably have the higher psi UPF64R. Just like the manual says. Just like Maven says. Just like the sliver said.

It's had the UPF64R on since last November.


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## SONICJIM (Aug 23, 2016)

I do all my oil changes. The original filter on my 2016 Gen2 was a plain PF64 which really ticked me off. I've been using UPF64R's obtained from Rock Auto ever since.


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## booyakashao (Dec 7, 2018)

I am now worried. I have been using mostly Wix filters. I don't want to have to go back under my car again ugh... Would switching to 0w-20 help?


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## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

booyakashao said:


> I am now worried. I have been using mostly Wix filters. I don't want to have to go back under my car again ugh... Would switching to 0w-20 help?


I'd actually like some clarification here as well. My oil cap shows 0w20 on it but on my recent oil change at the dealer they put 5w30 in it and I questioned them on it. They said that's what it takes now and I was a little skeptical. I know that there isn't much difference between the two to cause any real damage but I am definitely curious why they are going against what the manufacturer recommends for my car. 

I plan to put 0w20 int it when I do my next oil change unless someone has some good intel they can share.


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## CRUZE-66 (May 4, 2019)

If your LE2 Cruze is a 2018 or '19 then the spec is 0w-20. LE2s thru 2017 were 5w-30. Since the '18s had the redesigned pistons from the start, my best guess it's the biggest reason GM switched to the 0w-20 spec on 2018s. After developing a brand new engine for mid 2016 release I can't see how 20 weight was not intended from the start but in the end didn't make the spec until 2018


My reasoning is, have you ever seen a direct injected (DI) Corvette piston? It's VERY strange. And you can bet that its funky design is to keep its combustion as complete as possible with DIs tendency to dilute the oil. I remember the first gen. DI VWs and Porsches from about a dozen years ago would show huge dilution on UOAs like Hondas do now(you'd seriously think Honda would have learned from others mistakes after more than a decade.) There was a LE2 UOA, a 2017 I think, on here that showed about 2.5% fuel dilution from winter and frequent short trips. Not bad at all considering near worst case scenario conditions with DI. But with the LSPI fiasco, GM probably refined the piston to reduce fuel dilution further to primarily prevent LSPI events with less raw fuel floating around the rings and combustion chamber. 


And if GM was successful with it, they could also keep a 20 weight oil in grade for the whole oil change even in less than ideal conditions - like lots of short trips in winter.

So in my view 20 weight oil would probably work fine is all LE2s if fuel dilution could be kept to about 1% max, give or take. But people really can't count on that for their '17 and earlier LE2s so it's best to stick with 5w-30. And since I found that even driving my car gently with 5w-30 in warmer months and still apparently getting a bypass event(with the filter the brand new car came with from the Chevy dealer :RantExplode , 0w-20 would likely also bypass in severely cold weather with 22psi relief filters. The reason this post was started. It's probably best to get a UPF64R soon or by your next oil change and definitely by winter.


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## booyakashao (Dec 7, 2018)

CRUZE-66 said:


> And since I found that even driving my car gently with 5w-30 in warmer months and still apparently getting a bypass event(with the filter the brand new car came with from the Chevy dealer :RantExplode , 0w-20 would likely also bypass in severely cold weather with 22psi relief filters. The reason this post was started. It's probably best to get a UPF64R soon or by your next oil change and definitely by winter.


Interesting. I always thought having 0w-20 would mean the oil filter would be fine with a lower psi rating. It's like sucking a liquid out of a straw. Water requires less pressure than a smoothie for example.


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## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

CRUZE-66 said:


> If your LE2 Cruze is a 2018 or '19 then the spec is 0w-20. LE2s thru 2017 were 5w-30. Since the '18s had the redesigned pistons from the start, my best guess it's the biggest reason GM switched to the 0w-20 spec on 2018s. After developing a brand new engine for mid 2016 release I can't see how 20 weight was not intended from the start but in the end didn't make the spec until 2018
> 
> 
> My reasoning is, have you ever seen a direct injected (DI) Corvette piston? It's VERY strange. And you can bet that its funky design is to keep its combustion as complete as possible with DIs tendency to dilute the oil. I remember the first gen. DI VWs and Porsches from about a dozen years ago would show huge dilution on UOAs like Hondas do now(you'd seriously think Honda would have learned from others mistakes after more than a decade.) There was a LE2 UOA, a 2017 I think, on here that showed about 2.5% fuel dilution from winter and frequent short trips. Not bad at all considering near worst case scenario conditions with DI. But with the LSPI fiasco, GM probably refined the piston to reduce fuel dilution further to primarily prevent LSPI events with less raw fuel floating around the rings and combustion chamber.
> ...


Ugh. I'm gonna check this weekend but I'd bet my life that it doesn't have the right filter if they didn't even know what oil to put in it. It says the oil on the friggin cap for cryin out loud!

Thanks for the info though. I really appreciate it.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

CRUZE-66 said:


> If your LE2 Cruze is a 2018 or '19 then the spec is 0w-20. LE2s thru 2017 were 5w-30. Since the '18s had the redesigned pistons from the start, my best guess it's the biggest reason GM switched to the 0w-20 spec on 2018s. After developing a brand new engine for mid 2016 release I can't see how 20 weight was not intended from the start but in the end didn't make the spec until 2018
> 
> 
> My reasoning is, have you ever seen a direct injected (DI) Corvette piston? It's VERY strange. And you can bet that its funky design is to keep its combustion as complete as possible with DIs tendency to dilute the oil. I remember the first gen. DI VWs and Porsches from about a dozen years ago would show huge dilution on UOAs like Hondas do now(you'd seriously think Honda would have learned from others mistakes after more than a decade.) There was a LE2 UOA, a 2017 I think, on here that showed about 2.5% fuel dilution from winter and frequent short trips. Not bad at all considering near worst case scenario conditions with DI. But with the LSPI fiasco, GM probably refined the piston to reduce fuel dilution further to primarily prevent LSPI events with less raw fuel floating around the rings and combustion chamber.
> ...


My last one was ~5% dilution (2016, 9200 mi interval, 5W-30).


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

2016-17 LE2s spec 5w30
2018-19 LE2s spec 0w20

None of the engine mechanical specs or internal clearances changed. Just the oil recommended. Purely for fuel economy afaik.

I use 5w30 in my 18. I drained the 0w20 well before the first oil change was required.

As a matter of fact if you compare the ~150hp 0w20 LE2, the ~300hp 5w30 4.3V6, and the ~700hp 0w40 LT5 you'd find most of clearances to be as near as makes no difference to each other.....Food for thought.


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## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

Ma v e n said:


> 2016-17 LE2s spec 5w30
> 2018-19 LE2s spec 0w20
> 
> None of the engine mechanical specs or internal clearances changed. Just the oil recommended. Purely for fuel economy afaik.
> ...


Yeah that's not too surprising to hear. I always figured it was just for less rolling resistance of parts in an effort to squeeze every possible mpg out of it. Plus better cold weather protection so win win. 

Any reason in particular you use 5w30 in your 18?


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## CRUZE-66 (May 4, 2019)

A few things: I was assuming(not that I know) nothing was changed spec wise with the LE2 but we do know the pistons were changed by the beginning of the '18 year production and GM has not back specced 0w-20 oil for '17 and earlier LE2 Cruzes 


The Corvettes oil spec until just this year, '18 or '19 , was 5w-30 synthetic since the early 90s and the factory fill was regular mobil 1 5w-30. The 0w-40 change is said to be so people who will lightly track their cars like autocross and hot laps at road courses etc.(not wheel to wheel competition) can use the dexos 2 oil with a higher HTHS(high temp high shear) rating and forget about the oil between street and track. That being the case, if an LE2 Cruze is not diluting its oil, I'm good with a Dexos1Gen2 synthetic 20 weight oil. With easier cold starts , less stress on parts and better mpg there's lots of benefits besides the CAFE boogie man.


And as far as the 0w-20 and the lower filter bypass rating; keep in mind that I probably started my car at a low of about 40*F with 5w-30 during that first filter run as May turned to full out summer. So say at 10*F or colder, there's no way at that point a 0w-20 is going to start out thinner on a cold engine. At this time of year 0w-20 might be ok with a regular PF64 on a cold start but we'd need to see it tested to really know. Definitely by winter I'd have a UPF64R


By the way JBlackburn, the near 5% fuel dilution was a bit of a bummer. And though I hadn't seen a lot of UOAs with LE2 the hightest I had recalled seeing was about 2.5%, closer to your first UOA. I would love to see a winter UOA on an '18+ Cruze but for now at least it sort of explains the 5w-30 for 2017s


Here's a UOA I sampled about a month ago. It's also posted in the UOA section now


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## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

Revisiting the oil filter issue:
There is now a UPF63R, but it's even harder to find than UPF64R, and a bit more expensive.





ACDELCO UPF63R Oil Filter | RockAuto


RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.



www.rockauto.com




And I've been unable to get the UPF filters to ship from the same warehouse as anything else I want to buy, so shipping adds to the cost. 

Those $4 bulk pack UPF64R I saw at Rockauto last December?
Not anymore, they sell them by the each, no discount for buying the case of 12.

I got good results with M1-113A, but from now on it'll be M1-212A (the equal to PF63). 
A 790GPH filter will have less resistance at cold start than a 640GPH filter, and be less likely to pop the 22psi bypass. The PF63/M1-212 does hang down a bit lower, so if you're in the habit of driving over football sized rocks I'd stick with the stock size.


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## Pdqrunner (May 24, 2020)

I'm very confused by this whole thread. I contacted the Gm dealer and GM recommends the PF64 for my 2017 Cruze. 1.4 turbo I'm not sure if I would trust the opinion of a forum over a GM engineer. I get it if the car was 10 years old GM would want to unload parts, but these are the filters GM technicians are installing if you take your car in for service.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.


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## WillL84 (Aug 5, 2019)

Following


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

Pdqrunner said:


> I'm very confused by this whole thread. I contacted the Gm dealer and GM recommends the PF64 for my 2017 Cruze. 1.4 turbo I'm not sure if I would trust the opinion of a forum over a GM engineer. I get it if the car was 10 years old GM would want to unload parts, but these are the filters GM technicians are installing if you take your car in for service.
> Please correct me if I'm wrong.


According to my notes, for 2017, for the LE2 1.4T, the owner's manual lists the AC-Delco UPF64R, and AC-Delco's website also lists the PF64 and the PF663.

So I would be comfortable with any of those three.

Doug

.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Pdqrunner said:


> I'm very confused by this whole thread. I contacted the Gm dealer and GM recommends the PF64 for my 2017 Cruze. 1.4 turbo I'm not sure if I would trust the opinion of a forum over a GM engineer. I get it if the car was 10 years old GM would want to unload parts, but these are the filters GM technicians are installing if you take your car in for service.
> Please correct me if I'm wrong.


Read the manual then. It's in the manual


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## Pdqrunner (May 24, 2020)

Your right jblackburn, it says in the manual to use a ACDelco UPF64R Why would two GM dealership lists a PF64 as the correct filter? 
Thanks I've learned Cruze talk.com is the trusted authority on the mighty Cruze


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## Pdqrunner (May 24, 2020)

plano-doug said:


> According to my notes, for 2017, for the LE2 1.4T, the owner's manual lists the AC-Delco UPF64R, and AC-Delco's website also lists the PF64 and the PF663.
> 
> So I would be comfortable with any of those three.
> 
> ...


Thank you


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Pdqrunner said:


> Your right jblackburn, it says in the manual to use a ACDelco UPF64R Why would two GM dealership lists a PF64 as the correct filter?
> Thanks I've learned Cruze talk.com is the trusted authority on the mighty Cruze


Likely just what they have in stock as a few other models use this filter.


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

Pdqrunner said:


> I'm very confused by this whole thread. I contacted the Gm dealer and GM recommends the PF64 for my 2017 Cruze. 1.4 turbo I'm not sure if I would trust the opinion of a forum over a GM engineer. I get it if the car was 10 years old GM would want to unload parts, but these are the filters GM technicians are installing if you take your car in for service.
> Please correct me if I'm wrong.


The PF64 comes up in the GM EPIC Parts catalog as a filter that fits. It's not the filter called for by the owner's manual or the service manual. Many parts guys "know" what filter an engine takes and don't even look it up, if they looked it up properly they'd see the UPF64R. It's not an engineer that told you the car uses a PF64, it was a parts advisor.
Some GM techs are installing them, and some install the appropriate part called for in the owner's and service manuals.

As an addendum, Wix/Napa have a new filter with a higher (400psi) burst rating and a 36psi bypass rating. It's a cross for the UPF63R, it's a tall UPF64R essentially.

I've been looking for a new filter as my stock of blue painted UPF64Rs dwindles, as I don't want to use the "new" black painted version, as it now has plastic internal poppets/bypass, and is no longer made with the same all metal thread end bypass as the blue version. I hope to be grabbing one tomorrow to check out.


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

The PF663 is a Chinese filter. I'd never run it, or recommend it.


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## Pdqrunner (May 24, 2020)

Ma v e n said:


> The PF663 is a Chinese filter. I'd never run it, or recommend it.


Thanks for your reply. You give me a lot to think about. I'm new to the Cruze. My go to car for the 15 years have been the Geo/Chevy Metro


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

NAPA 100412/WIX WL10412. Cross reference for UPF63R, which is just a tall UPF64R. Filter is all metal inside, no plastic poppet like the current ACDelco filters.
It's taller than a 64, but not so tall that it hangs way low. It's the same height as the WIX 57502XP which I've been using instead of PF63E on my v6 Impala. Pictures of the new filter I'll be using on my Cruze and comparison to the Napa 4100290(WIX WL10290XP) I had decided I was going to use if I couldn't source any blue UPF64s. As well as pic showing heights of the 63, 64, and the Napa/WIX


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## Pdqrunner (May 24, 2020)

Thank you for this great write up. I'll check that out. The local NAPA store people know me by name. I feel like Norm from Cheers when I walk in.


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## JustCruzin17 (Sep 30, 2020)

Ma v e n said:


> As many of you know, the ACDelco UPF64R is the recommended service filter for the LE2. The PF64 is not recommended not is any of its cross references due to issues with many of them having the PF48 bypass specification, not even the newer, higher, PF64 bypass spec. Many companies finally released 20psi+ bypass filters as PF64 replacements, and listed the UPF64R as a cross reference as well.
> 
> There has been speculation that besides the burst pressure rating(and therefore can thickness) that the UPF64R had an even higher bypass spec than the PF64. Only ever corroborated by Rock Autos spec sheet, and assumptions based on GMs changing of the filter recommendation and the involved Engines usage of variable electronically controlled oil pumps.
> 
> ...





Ma v e n said:


> As many of you know, the ACDelco UPF64R is the recommended service filter for the LE2. The PF64 is not recommended not is any of its cross references due to issues with many of them having the PF48 bypass specification, not even the newer, higher, PF64 bypass spec. Many companies finally released 20psi+ bypass filters as PF64 replacements, and listed the UPF64R as a cross reference as well.
> 
> There has been speculation that besides the burst pressure rating(and therefore can thickness) that the UPF64R had an even higher bypass spec than the PF64. Only ever corroborated by Rock Autos spec sheet, and assumptions based on GMs changing of the filter recommendation and the involved Engines usage of variable electronically controlled oil pumps.
> 
> ...


does anyone know if the 15,000 mile m1-113 mobile 1 filter is any good ?


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## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

Ma v e n said:


> NAPA 100412/WIX WL10412. Cross reference for UPF63R, which is just a tall UPF64R. Filter is all metal inside, no plastic poppet like the current ACDelco filters.
> It's taller than a 64, but not so tall that it hangs way low. It's the same height as the WIX 57502XP which I've been using instead of PF63E on my v6 Impala. Pictures of the new filter I'll be using on my Cruze and comparison to the Napa 4100290(WIX WL10290XP) I had decided I was going to use if I couldn't source any blue UPF64s. As well as pic showing heights of the 63, 64, and the Napa/WIX
> View attachment 287391
> View attachment 287392
> ...


Hey thanks for taking the time to look into this. I might try to find one of these other filters for my next change. I've been using the PF64 because it's whats available everywehre (and what my manual calls for) but I'd rather use the updated part if possible. 

Also I cringed a bit when I scrolled and saw your pic of the oil fitlers face down on your dash. I know they're new and clean but it still got me for a split second like omg no haha.


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## JustCruzin17 (Sep 30, 2020)

Iamantman said:


> Hey thanks for taking the time to look into this. I might try to find one of these other filters for my next change. I've been using the PF64 because it's whats available everywehre (and what my manual calls for) but I'd rather use the updated part if possible.
> 
> Also I cringed a bit when I scrolled and saw your pic of the oil fitlers face down on your dash. I know they're new and clean but it still got me for a split second like omg no haha.


Do you know about the m1-113 a filter mobile 1? Is it any good can’t find a thread on it .


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## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

JustCruzin17 said:


> Do you know about the m1-113 a filter mobile 1? Is it any good can’t find a thread on it .


Nope sorry never used it.


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## JustCruzin17 (Sep 30, 2020)

Iamantman said:


> Nope sorry never used it.


Well I’ve give review and update about it


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