LS vs. Vortec

[HotWheelsBurban]

This illustrates the size difference between the old style TBI/Vortec oil filter and the LS style. The size in filter body and amount of filtering media (or lack thereof) seems to me, that it contributes to the oiling issues that these engines seem to have. When you have a filter that's not even half as big, and the recommendation for oil change interval is so much longer on the newer engines....my gut tells me that isn't necessarily a good thing.
I use the Dairy Queen items because the size difference is similar to the filters....

 

[MrPink]

The oiling systems are completely different between the SBC and LS based engines though, thus the ability to run a "smaller filter". The filter media size is identical between them, if i remember correctly, the case size is different.

 

[TreeGeared]

Also keep in mind that the LS based engines were developed when synthetic and synthetic blend were more prevalent. The LS engines also seem to wear less over time so maybe they determined there was less metal and debris that needed trapped over a given period. These engines seem to last even with the smaller filters.

When running synthetics even if I change the oil every 10k miles I still change filter at every 3-5K. With the dead dino dinner oil by the 3-5 it has accumulated enough suspended particles that the whole system is changed.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

It's the area of the filter media inside that matters. You'd have to open the two filters up to compare.

You can also run a longer filter on the LS. I used to do that on my Firechicken, couldn't do it on the C5 because it hung down too far.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

BTW, the only LS oiling issues I'm aware of are pump related. Either the relief spring gets stuck and dumps all the fluid back to the pan, or the o-ring on the pickup tube fails and basically the same problem.

 

[MrPink]

BTW, the only LS oiling issues I'm aware of are pump related. Either the relief spring gets stuck and dumps all the fluid back to the pan, or the o-ring on the pickup tube fails and basically the same problem.

yep and there is fixes for both issues.

 

[stutaeng]

BTW, the only LS oiling issues I'm aware of are pump related. Either the relief spring gets stuck and dumps all the fluid back to the pan, or the o-ring on the pickup tube fails and basically the same problem.

When my 4.3 started getting low oil pressure I saw some videos about guys changing the oil pick up tube o-ring...I was going to tear into it to change that o-ring, LOL. Don't laugh! We all have to start somewhere, no? Good thing I somehow figured out the SBC-based engines came before that o-ring design.

I did replace the o-ring on the 5.3 when I swapped it for the 4.3. Old one was a bit flat, but no too bad.

I think @HotWheelsBurban has some oil pressure issues with her Denali/late-LQ9. At some point those engines got a little filter on the oil pressure sender; not sure if that was part of DOD/VVT deal or not? Now that I think about it, wasn't the LQ9 a Gen III, so no DOD/VVT for that one? Next engine was the LY6? Or L76?

 

[618 Syndicate]

I have similar issues on my Denali. No DOD on an LQ9, and so far I've been too lazy to change it and too cheap to pay someone to fix it. I just add oil and go on.

 

[someotherguy]

It's the area of the filter media inside that matters. You'd have to open the two filters up to compare.

You can also run a longer filter on the LS. I used to do that on my Firechicken, couldn't do it on the C5 because it hung down too far.

Yep - my 2006 LQ9 calls for M1-107 (3" dia, 3-3/8" tall), I use M1-206 (4" tall) for more capacity. It has listings for LS engines but surprisingly also fits some much older ones like the squarebody C10's and cars that had the horrible 5.7 Olds-derived diesel engine.

While the original size filter is likely far more than adequate, it still makes me nervous to have such a tiny filter on there. I do run full synthetic, and the point about these engines being developed "in the synthetic oil age" - keep in mind that even the 2006 model does not specifically call for synthetic. Just suggests 5W30 and the GM standard GM6094M which is an outdated spec, with no API spec listed in the 2006 manual - just the symbol indicating "for gasoline engines" LOL. I run Mobil 1 full synth 5W30. I did get a chuckle out of buying their "truck" version one time because it's what the store had; pretty sure my truck didn't know if I was feeding it "truck" or "car" oil..

Richard

 

[454cid]

GM downsized the filter on the 454 in 99. I suspect that at least part of the downsizing of filters is newer oil technology, not just newer engines.