Best oil filters to help with oil pressure?

[j91z28d1]

“ 97 Tahoe with 40K rebuilt 5.7, FWIW”
Fram filters would let pressure drop at idle to zero and gradually drop to 20 at 2000 rpm highway. 10W30 non-syn.
Switched to WIX or Delco and problem went away . YRMV.

do you remember which fram you ran? they have 3 or 4 levels of filter, and I wanna say the one for the older Gen one sbc had the bypass in the block, well in the filter adapter housing but didn't need one in the filter. these ls need one in the filter. so totally different and much smaller setup.

for a while the best fram was considered the best bang for the buck. but I haven't kept up. someone said they changed a bit. might not be any more


my 96 had 325k on it. never rebuilt, had literally whatever oil I had laying around for free and whatever the cheapest filter was, anything from stp to wix thrown on it over the 20 years of driving it. and it never had any oil pressure issues. like every other sbc I've been around. oil is just not an issue, they just run till you scrap the truck. these ls engine oiling systems while seem better on paper. see all kinds random issues. gm even had to come up with a half dry sump for the track model cars and they can still run dry on long high g turns. the drift kids that swap ls engines rod knock the first 3 before they realize they need $3k in oiling system to keep them alive.

then they somehow made it even worse on the LT with pumps themselves failing.


man I miss the Gen 1 sbc when you didn't have to worry about anything. 50hp more at a rpm I never use in a suv for all the extra hassle feels silly when I type it out lol.

 

[TxVet33]

2013 Yukon 6.2L 199k miles. Recently new to me - installed a new oil pressure switch and changed the oil

I have noticed low(er) oil pressures - maybe within spec but would prefer to be higher. About 15psi idle and 25 crusing hot. I installed a Fram Ultimate filter and have seen that sometimes different filters will affect your oil pressures.

Does anyone have any recommendations for oil filters that will help with oil pressure?

Primates One

 

[swathdiver]

@swathdiver Please provide a link to K&N oil filter data.

That was seven years ago, don't remember anymore, Don. Maybe they've since revised their data?

Though my memory is not great, I don't remember any mention of an ISO standard during my research back then.

Back then I made a huge list and began compiling the data and then stuck with furthering the research/data collection on what appeared to be the top filters. As usual, there was nobody to peer review the research/data so errors are possible/probable!

 

[PatDTN]

Since this thread took a fork to just oil and filters I thought I'd bring it back to the most likely cause of low oil pressure. A couple of folks have already mentioned the oil pump pickup tube O-ring. I tore down a 6.2 with less than 100k miles and the O-ring was hard as a rock, flattened, and broken in half. Like the others that have mentioned I did other work that affects oil pressure but I feel certain that ring would have caused low oil pressure.

 

[donjetman]

@thefrey
I've changed the O-ring twice. O-ring changes were for preventative mx.

In 2018 we bought a road hard hung up wet 07 Yukon Denali w/6.2L w/130k miles. It was leaking and burning oil like crazy. but oil pressure was good/normal.

I immediately changed the rear main seal w/cover, dropped the oil pan to replace the pick-up tube o-ring, and add the deflector shield to the pressure relief valve. The old o-ring was brittle and broke when I removed it. I installed a Felpro# 72401.
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/thr...ket-change-6-2-yukon-l92.108487/#post-1292681

In 2024 @ 194k miles I dropped the pan again just because and changed the o-ring again. Oil pressure was good/normal. The o-ring was still soft and pliable but was losing its round cross section shape. This time I installed a Mahle# B32790 O-ring.
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/valley-cover-crank-pulley-etc.149036/#post-1886005

Oil pressure today @ 199k miles is still good/normal. I'll probably drop the pan again this summer and change or plug the pressure relief.

 

[Marky Dissod]

K&N doesn't manufacture oil filters, they are a marketer.

So who the L makes them then?

 

[donjetman]

So who the L makes them then?

Ask K&N.
or
do research at BITOG. Its probably there.

There are a lot of Marketers
but not many manufacturers of oil filters.

 

[j91z28d1]

So who the L makes them then?

that's the million $ question. no one really knows. it's all just a guess.

someone will find a good filter and it will change along the production run. usually to cheaper build. and every part number can be made some place different with the same label. if you see a good filter review, it only counts for the part number tested at that time. a year from now it could be totally different.


it's probably why sites like bob the oil guy exists.

 

[Marky Dissod]

Ask K&N.
or
do research at BITOG. Its probably there.

M&N would NEVER tell the hoipolloi, and my eyes cross every time I spend more than 20min @ BITOG.

 

[scottp1951]

2013 Yukon 6.2L 199k miles. Recently new to me - installed a new oil pressure switch and changed the oil

I have noticed low(er) oil pressures - maybe within spec but would prefer to be higher. About 15psi idle and 25 crusing hot. I installed a Fram Ultimate filter and have seen that sometimes different filters will affect your oil pressures.

Does anyone have any recommendations for oil filters that will help with oil pressure?

Okay I am probably going to start an argument here period. Is the oil pressure switch from GM is it an aftermarket switch? The OEM is the way to go. Underneath the sensor is a filter and if it gets plugged the oil pressure sensor will get a lower reading. As you were saying the vehicle is new to you. So don't know what previous owner may have done for oil changes in maintenance. If you get that filter out of there or if it came out when you went to replace it get a manual oil pressure gauge and screw it right into where the sensor was. Then check the oil pressure with that gauge. The gauge on the dashboard may have a bad stepper motor and at that age and miles I would probably believe that. General Motors had a technical service bulletin out that explained the only filter to use in there would be ac Delco preferably from the dealer and the oil to use is a synthetic 5w30 weight oil with the dexos star on the front of it period. I have a 2014 chevrolet SilveradoWith a 5.3 in it and it takes 0W-20 oil. 183,000 mi and I've never had a problem with any oil pressure issues whatsoever. Let's hope that this solves your problem. Again we don't know the history of this vehicle so you might want to use it's something to clean the sludge out of the engine. I've never had anything like that fixed the problem but what happened to you. Otherwise you're going to have to look at your oil pickup tube and the O-ring that's on it. That involves dropping the oil pan and replacing the pickup tube. Good luck to you you're going to need it.