Caution: Two Different Oil Filters on Buick Encore -- Not Interchangeable

[Riz]

Additional filter options for the UFI housing:

Champion Labs P1051 (RockAuto parts has them listed for $5.65ea)

Pronto PG2263U

Wix WL10283

Thanks. Nice to see WIX now has a solution for the UFI housing

 

[zrexrich]

Thanks. Nice to see WIX now has a solution for the UFI housing

I added a few more including a NAPA filter 👍

 

[JerryTX2009]

So, like so many others I want to thank Ken and the rest of the participants in this thread for such important discussion.

I just bought a used 2018 Encore Essence. It has the VIN "B" engine (LUV) with a UFI oil housing. First thing I did after buying the vehicle was to change the oil (because who knows when it was the last time someone did). And yes, when I removed the filter it was the PF2257G (no check valve). Since the owner's manual indicates that's the appropriate filter, I would not have known that it was incorrect and thus replace it with the same thing. Thanks to this thread I avoided that. Again, THANK YOU!!!

A few comments and questions:

1. What the valve does? Why is it important? What's its function?
2. Assuming that the previous owner always used the wrong filter, what problems should I look for? What damage may have occurred? I bought the car with 45,000 miles on it.
3. How in the world GM messed this up so badly? Why haven't they informed owners about the issue? So, okay there's a technical bulletin out, but average consumers don't even know those exist. How many other vehicle owners are driving their cars around with the wrong filter in?
4. The equivalents of the PF2263G (Fram, WIX, Napa, etc.) are not easy to find. They didn't have them at my local Autozone, O'Reilly or Napa (they are readily available online though). I finally went to a GM dealership and got the ACDelco (not a bad price, by the way, $8.95).

 

[Riz]

So, like so many others I want to thank Ken and the rest of the participants in this thread for such important discussion.

I just bought a used 2018 Encore Essence. It has the VIN "B" engine (LUV) with a UFI oil housing. First thing I did after buying the vehicle was to change the oil (because who knows when it was the last time someone did). And yes, when I removed the filter it was the PF2257G (no check valve). Since the owner's manual indicates that's the appropriate filter, I would not have known that it was incorrect and thus replace it with the same thing. Thanks to this thread I avoided that. Again, THANK YOU!!!

A few comments and questions:

1. What the valve does? Why is it important? What's its function?
2. Assuming that the previous owner always used the wrong filter, what problems should I look for? What damage may have occurred? I bought the car with 45,000 miles on it.
3. How in the world GM messed this up so badly? Why haven't they informed owners about the issue? So, okay there's a technical bulletin out, but average consumers don't even know those exist. How many other vehicle owners are driving their cars around with the wrong filter in?
4. The equivalents of the PF2263G (Fram, WIX, Napa, etc.) are not easy to find. They didn't have them at my local Autozone, O'Reilly or Napa (they are readily available online though). I finally went to a GM dealership and got the ACDelco (not a bad price, by the way, $8.95).

The valve bypasses the filter, so the engine does not starve for oil, if it is clogged by not changing the oil when it should be. I noticed the Heinst filter will distort when forced into a UFI housing but not sure if it seals well at the ends. I think the damage from using the wrong filter would happen if it was not changed before the filter started to clog. Maybe oil testing would tell you something but I don’t have any experience with that. Maybe others can chime in here.

 

[donfi]

So looking at the parts manual at GMPartsDirect there was only one oil filter listed for my 2018 Encore Premium Trim. Since I have always done my own oil changes, I ordered six of the AC PF2257G oil filters. Unfortunately when I went to change the oil, in spite of what the parts manual said for the "premium" trim, the engine had the AC PF2263G oil filter. That meant an unexpected trip to the dealer paying full retail price for the other oil filter. And, if anyone wants some of the PF2257G filters for the Hengst housing I have six brand-new ones that I can't use -- lets talk.

Here is a comparison of the two oil filter designs that are used from 2013 to 2019 on the Encore, and it occurs to me that someone in a hurry could easily put the wrong oil filter in -- as the two are very close, but the one on the right (UFI) has a built-in bypass valve! Installing the PF2257G into the UFI housing can cause serious engine damage! It might be advisable to at least show or print a tech note (link) about this and take it with you. There have been many reports of the wrong filter being installed in Chevrolet Trax, Sonics and Cruzes with the UFI housing.
View attachment 12447

 

[donfi]

This helped alot. I ran into the same problem and have 2 Hengst ones that are no good for me.
I'm not sure even if the VIN lookup works. I just looked under the hood and saw I had the Brown Cap vs the Black one. so I needed the UFI filter which has the Spring on it PF2263g

 

[Again]

It isn't limited to the Buick. Trax, Sonic, Cruze also use this same engine and they also have these 2 different filter housing. By the way to add to this fiasco. The manual states to change oil and filter every 3000-5000 miles if not using the oil life monitor, If you are using full synthetic and use the oil monitoring system, you will almost reach 8000 miles. The manual never states you should change the filter at higher mileage if using monitor. I would suggest when monitor reaches 60% to change the filter avoiding going into bypass for extended periods of time.
In fact OP posted my picture, that I made in Paint, from the Trax forum in his first post. I go by as Traxy over there.

Post #22

2016 (and newer) Trax oil filter warning!

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...

www.traxforum.com

 

[Again]

A couple of years ago I had contacted Fram and the representative told me they were testing a new heppa design and that these filters should be available soon, still haven't seen them in stores or listed on there site. But I ordered a new filter from a Korean company. Instead of a paper medium to filter the oil it's kind of a heppa material. Description said that it was made specifically for synthetic. $6.15 USd. This is for the Hengst housing not the UFI. It seems a superior quality compared to ACDelco, WIX and Fram. It also comes with new "O" ring seal.

Buy Products Online from China Wholesalers at Aliexpress.com

 

[Again]

Side question....
Wonder if you can swap out the UFI Oil Filter Assembly for the more common Hengst Assembly?
You would then have a greater availability of Oil Filters to choose from.

140.99US $ |Engine Oil Cooler & Oil Filter Assembly For Opel Astra J Chevrolet Cruze Sonic Trax Encore 55566784 - Oil Coolers - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

 

[ThatsNotABuick!]

What is scary, is that the closest Chevy dealership to me does not even carry the oil filter with the spring in it! I had to go to a Chevy dealership further down the road to get one. I usually do not go to the dealer to get parts, but I had a bunch of reward points to burn.

 

[oregon_rider]

I have two Buick encores.... One 2018 for my wife and picked up a 2019 for my daughter on June....

The 2018 has the UFI oil filter housing and the 2019 has the hengst oil filter housing.....

Just my personal opinion, but fram filters are typically bottom of the barrel crap ....

Wix filter I purchased for the hengst 2019 encore appeared to be of better quality than the o ac Delco filter. More pleats and o-ring for seal on base for wix.... (Versus felt on oem)

Wix does appear to make a filter for the UFI housing. It is very poorly listed on wix part catalog. Two filters listed without indicating which one is for hengst vs UFI.

Jeff.

 

[Again]

I'm lucky both my Trax and Encore use the Hengst

 

[oregon_rider]

The part number for the wix filter that is for the UFI filter housing is WL10283.

Whereas the part number for the wix filter that is for the hengst filter housing is 57674.

Jeff

 

[uk fan]

No secret. A few minutes doing a Google search prior to buying it would have told you that. Rock Auto has a fair number of brands of filters in both styles. You're a mechanic and you buy Mobil 1? I find that stuff to be very over priced. I use a store branded full synthetic that's Dexos approved. About $2.70 a quart on sale.

hello and I admit mechanics usually use whatever oil and filter meets dexos specs but after tearing down a few engines especially my 5.7 chevy racing blocks I found generic oil and filters even with proper service times allow more wear on the bottom of my crank bearings than if I used mobil1 or Pennzoil platinum, there is a difference in the additive packages and even though you cant tell a difference, if your keeping your buick a long time eventually you will consume oil or worse , my polished and built small blocks turn at 6800 continuously and need protection, our buicks are turbocharged and need the best oil because the heat will destroy class 2 quality lubricant and the price difference isn't worth the risk is it? for me it isn't, supertech from Walmart is a grade below quacker state which is good enough for a while but theres a reason its cheaper.

 

[Again]

Nothing but Mobil1 or Valvoline full synthetic in my Buick. You cannot use regular oil in these or you'll cook the turbo. Don't cheap out.

 

[uk fan]

Nothing but Mobil1 or Valvoline full synthetic in my Buick. You cannot use regular oil in these or you'll cook the turbo. Don't cheap out.

I like both of your oil brands + Pennzoil platinum, my buick only gets the best, a client of mine has a 14 encore and it threw the turbo bearings , her oil looked so bad it was a reddish color black, it had gone 23,000 miles since she bought it used without ever raising the hood and it was last serviced with mobil1 and a wix , the dealership supposedly told her it has synthetic oil and needs no maintenance, well they didn't mean forever and the lady is 75 yrs old so she drives to visit her daughter 400+ miles away a lot and the badly worn front tires never rotated, unbelievable how well the mobil 1 held up under that abuse , her buick has a forged crank , iron block, 5 heavy duty mains and it sucked turbo scrapnel and destroyed the engine due to the reverse draw from the impeller after the collapse, so cheap oil can destroy even the best built engine or no maintenance whichever blows first...lol

 

[DocBrown]

Just my personal opinion, but fram filters are typically bottom of the barrel crap ....

For me this is more than an opinion, it's a fact. I had one disintegrate and nearly destroy the valve train.

Regarding oil, no one has been able to show me why Mobil 1 is any better than generic Dexos approved full synthetic. I certainly hope no one is using conventional oil in these! Yikes!

 

[Again]

For me this is more than an opinion, it's a fact. I had one disintegrate and nearly destroy the valve train.

I certainly hope no one is using conventional oil in these! Yikes!

Well Fram had a high end filter that wasn't paper medium but more like heppa material made specifically for synthetic oil.

It was more money but paper medium filters did not cut it for synthetic oil, they would like you say disintegrate...

They were suppose to produce these for the Trax and Encore but haven't seen them on the shelf yet.

Apparently it is out under the number XG10246 but I haven't seen them for sale. ( For the HENGST housing only )

FRAM ULTRA® Cartridge Oil Filter XG10246 | FRAM

FRAM ULTRA® Cartridge Oil Filter XG10246

www.fram.com

 

[DocBrown]

Well Fram had a high end filter that wasn't paper medium but more like heppa material made specifically for synthetic oil.

It was more money but paper medium filters did not cut it for synthetic oil, they would like you say disintegrate...

They were suppose to produce these for the Trax and Encore but haven't seen them on the shelf yet.

Apparently it is out under the number XG10246 but I haven't seen them for sale. ( For the HENGST housing only )

http://[URL]https://www.fram.com/parts-search/XG10246/

[/URL]

This was in an older late '90s car with conventional oil. I've used either AC Delco or Purolator filters ever since and have never had an issue. I switched to synthetic oil in my HHR and Sierra about 3 years ago. Haven't had a filter issue with those either.

I haven't changed the oil myself in the Encore yet. We had a few free changes coming from GM.

 

[Wishin]

So looking at the parts manual at GMPartsDirect there was only one oil filter listed for my 2018 Encore Premium Trim. Since I have always done my own oil changes, I ordered six of the AC PF2257G oil filters. Unfortunately when I went to change the oil, in spite of what the parts manual said for the "premium" trim, the engine had the AC PF2263G oil filter. That meant an unexpected trip to the dealer paying full retail price for the other oil filter. And, if anyone wants some of the PF2257G filters for the Hengst housing I have six brand-new ones that I can't use -- lets talk.

Here is a comparison of the two oil filter designs that are used from 2013 to 2019 on the Encore, and it occurs to me that someone in a hurry could easily put the wrong oil filter in -- as the two are very close, but the one on the right (UFI) has a built-in bypass valve! Installing the PF2257G into the UFI housing can cause serious engine damage! It might be advisable to at least show or print a tech note (link) about this and take it with you. There have been many reports of the wrong filter being installed in Chevrolet Trax, Sonics and Cruzes with the UFI housing.
View attachment 12447

So looking at the parts manual at GMPartsDirect there was only one oil filter listed for my 2018 Encore Premium Trim. Since I have always done my own oil changes, I ordered six of the AC PF2257G oil filters. Unfortunately when I went to change the oil, in spite of what the parts manual said for the "premium" trim, the engine had the AC PF2263G oil filter. That meant an unexpected trip to the dealer paying full retail price for the other oil filter. And, if anyone wants some of the PF2257G filters for the Hengst housing I have six brand-new ones that I can't use -- lets talk.

Here is a comparison of the two oil filter designs that are used from 2013 to 2019 on the Encore, and it occurs to me that someone in a hurry could easily put the wrong oil filter in -- as the two are very close, but the one on the right (UFI) has a built-in bypass valve! Installing the PF2257G into the UFI housing can cause serious engine damage! It might be advisable to at least show or print a tech note (link) about this and take it with you. There have been many reports of the wrong filter being installed in Chevrolet Trax, Sonics and Cruzes with the UFI housing.
View attachment 12447