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I was reading on the internet about this Delco Ultraguard Gold, so I tried looking for it at the local auto parts stores... Couldn't find it, but there were plenty of the regular Delco PF53.
The PF53 oil filter comes in two varieties:
1) the older style, which appears to be exactly the same as the SAAB OEM filter, with a "Made in England" sticker on it, and also with a circumferential indentation/groove in the filter shell;
2) a newer model, with no clues as to its origin, and no "groove"
I inspected a few of these newer PF53's, and was shocked to find that in some of them, thin, hair-like, metal burrs were to be found in the threads of the center hole! These came out without much force needed.
I shudder when I think about what could happen if one of these metal burrs made it into a car's engine.
If you're going to use the PF53 filter, I'd advise using ONLY the "Made in England" version, or buy the OEM SAAB filter, which appears to be identical.
As for me, the metal burrs totally freaked me out; my baby's getting Mobil 1 Oil Filters (M1-102), even if they're $10 a pop.
Also, I found some good info on engine oils... the MB oil classification. The two highest MB oil specs are MB 229.3 and MB 229.5.
http://www.whnet.com/4x4/oil.html
There are only 5 motor oils approved under MB 229.5 spec, and I don't think they're available in the United States. (Maybe the MB dealer sells these!)
MB 229.3 is probably strict enough; MB lists a 25,000 mile drain interval for oils meeting this spec.
Under the MB 229.3 specifications, only ONE GRADE of Mobil 1 w/Supersyn is approved: 0W-40. Fortunately, this *IS* available in the United States, although it's kinda hard to find. Autozone (autozone.com) stocks this oil, and it costs the same as the other Mobil 1 grades: $4.99/qt.
For you AMSOIL fans out there, only the 10W-30 grade is approved under MB 229.3 spec; however. this grade is not acceptable for the 9-5. There's an AMSOIL 5W-30 listed, but it's for diesel engines... probably too much detergent for a gasoline engine (can cause spark plug fouling)
The 2002 9-5 owner's manual says 5W-30, 0W-30, or 5W-40 (semi- or fully synthetic) oil is approved, and goes on to state that fully synthetic oils in grades of 0W-40 and 0W-50 of "well-known brands" are also recommended, especially for extreme driving conditions.
Well, Mobil 1 0W-40 is a well-known brand of fully synthetic oil, which also happens to be approved by MB under their MB 229.3 spec sheet. So that's what's going into my engine. No purple stuff, no semi-synth, no FakeTec!
So, in conclusion: for the DIYer, it's about $30 for an oil change using probably the best oil available for your 9-5 (Mobil 1 w/Supersyn, 0W-40) and a premium Mobil 1 oil filter... not bad.
Jason - Mobil 1 and Saab fanatic
'02 Aero
posted by 24.46.48...
, Wed, 11 Sep 2002 01:54:28
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