save me a search...what is the problem with FRAM filters?

vash · vash's Garage

....oil filters.

i use to use them religiously. never had a failure, (i think)..i stay away from them now, and i cannot remember why. they suck, right? why? bypass valves?

i use WIX on all my other cars. or the OEM ones for each car.

Arizona_928 · 02-11-2010, 05:32 PM

they're too redneck?...lol

I have a spare one that a PO owner gave me for the 944. I didn't use it though.

equality72521 · 02-11-2010, 05:41 PM

I don't know. I had one on my 930 when I bought it and it gurgled a lot. I changed to Mahle and it stopped.

HarryD · 02-11-2010, 05:49 PM

Engine Oil Filters

javadog · 02-11-2010, 05:57 PM

The ones I cut apart and examined had carboard in them, different relief spring pressures...

They're cheap and nasty. Not worth risking the life of your engine, to save a few bucks.

JR

HarryD · 02-11-2010, 06:02 PM

I will add that in your P-car, the filter is subject to higher pressures than a wet sump car. As a result, you have the risk of overpressuring the filter. Lesser filters are not made as strongly and will fail under the pressure.

From Steve Weiner who has seen more engine failures than I ever will:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve@Rennsport

I used to keep a large garbage bag here full of American oil filters that I took off cars that were in here. All of them were either split at the seam and/or ballooned out. Most did not have a good oil pressure relief valve compatible with the dry-sump oiling system operating pressures and most had poorly designed anti-drainback valves. The ones that had split cost the owner an engine as the oil departed the car without the driver knowing anything was amiss until it was too late.

For my part, I simply cannot afford to take a chance with customer engines so only use OEM Mahle or Mann ones. ...

McLovin · 02-11-2010, 06:59 PM

other than poor materials, design and construction, they're fine.

onlycafe · 02-11-2010, 07:04 PM

made of crap, and cheap crap at that.

McLovin · 02-11-2010, 07:12 PM

oil filters are a weird thing, you see this in the Porsche and Ferrari world.

Here you have an expensive sports car, with fully tested, factory approved and excellent oil filters readily and cheaply available.

And people skip over those to put on some crappy Fram because . . . why?

To try and save $6?

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

I used to be on a motorcycle board that posted a one-man study on various oil filters. The guy ran and then cut apart filters from various manufacturers. The Fram was horrendous. By far the worst. Like others have mentioned above, there is a cardboard element within the filter that dissolves with time. I don't know if bits of cardboard floating through your engine passageways is bad, but it does render the filter fairly useless.

At the same time, whenever I go to vintage races, the guys with the multi-million dollar Ferraris always seem to be running Fram filters. So who knows?

Personally, with so many choices out there, I avoid Fram like the plague.

edit: Went back and did a search on that motorcycle site (YZF600R-USA.com). I couldn't find the exact post I was looking for, but one of the moderators of the site remarked how he opened up a Fram (as well as the other oil filters that get used on his bike). The wet paper element easily tore in his fingers. No other filter did that.

Reg · 02-11-2010, 07:19 PM

They are made and have been for many years about 10 miles from me. One of my employees put in 28 years there as a machinist. I never asked him if he used them on his own cars. If they were that bad surely they'd be out of business. Not sure how much longer they will be made in Canada though.

Maybe you guys are being a little harsh on them. Not many road cars use a dry sump setup do they? Maybe a Porsche should have a certain type of filter because of this but bottom line change the filter when you change the oil 3-4 times a year and I'd bet you would be OK.

javadog · 02-11-2010, 07:37 PM

I have examined the filters they made for Hondas, and they were crap, so there goes that theory.

As for why they stay in business, recall W.C. Fields and his view of the paying public. Some people are just cheap. And, some are just real dumb. I can name any number of products that do absolutely nothing and still sell well.

JR

HarryD · 02-11-2010, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noah930

I used to be on a motorcycle board that posted a one-man study on various oil filters. The guy ran and then cut apart filters from various manufacturers. The Fram was horrendous. By far the worst. Like others have mentioned above, there is a cardboard element within the filter that dissolves with time. I don't know if bits of cardboard floating through your engine passageways is bad, but it does render the filter fairly useless.

At the same time, whenever I go to vintage races, the guys with the multi-million dollar Ferraris always seem to be running Fram filters. So who knows?

Personally, with so many choices out there, I avoid Fram like the plague.

edit: Went back and did a search on that motorcycle site (YZF600R-USA.com). I couldn't find the exact post I was looking for, but one of the moderators of the site remarked how he opened up a Fram (as well as the other oil filters that get used on his bike). The wet paper element easily tore in his fingers. No other filter did that.

This may be one of them: Motorcycle Oil Filter Comparison

or this one: Opinions and Recommendations - Oil Filters Revealed - MiniMopar Resources

88-diamondblue · 02-11-2010, 08:58 PM

Fram used to be a good filter. They are riding on that reputation. I use the Purolator Pure One which is ranked high on the above study on the DD. I think they are $5 or $6 at Advanced Auto. The Porsche gets Mahle.

Jim Bremner · 02-11-2010, 09:28 PM

todays WORTHLESS knowledge.

Ferrari V-12's of the '60s uses the same oilfilter as a FORD smallblock or bigblock1 FLA-1 baby!

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Best filters I've ever seen are the fleece ones used by Mercedes (my SLK uses one). They're not cheap at about $15 a pop, but are fantastic. They're designed to work well up to 10k miles between changes, preferably with synthetic. Even at 10,000 mile intervals the oil is clean and a dark honey color. It almost makes me feel weird changing it and chucking it. That's how good those filters are. And it's not like I drive my car like a grandma either.

Wix is very good, but can be a bit tough to find - IIRC the NAPA ones are Wix in a different box, but I'd have to check, it's been a while.

P-cars get OE, wife's car gets Mobil-1. Motorcycle gets OE. I don't screw around with cheap crap when it comes to cars and engines. Fram, STP, etc.? Bleah.

onewhippedpuppy · 02-12-2010, 03:11 AM

Fram does a ton of advertising, are sold at Wal-Mart, and are cheap, that is why they are popular. The average non car-guy doesn't know the difference, as it's "just an oil filter". Plus those bright orange boxes do a damn good job of getting your attention when they're sitting on the store shelf.

Personally I buy OEM or Mobil 1 oil filters. I try to go OEM whenever possible, as they're designed specifically for the application.

berettafan · 02-12-2010, 03:42 AM

so.......it's the paper filter element. right?

perhaps fram has more than one line of filters (the F car thing)?

javadog · 02-12-2010, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berettafan

perhaps fram has more than one line of filters (the F car thing)?

I never used a Fram filter on any of my Ferraris. Ferrari dealers don't sell Fram filters.

For some owners of vintage Ferraris, perhaps "originality" is more important than performance. Or, maybe they use other filters, painted orange, with a Fram decal. You see things like that. Some guys use modern batteries that are modified to make them look like the ones from the old days. Perhaps they do the same with other things, like oil filters. Or, maybe they just don't know any better. Some Ferrari owners I know are pretty clueless when it comes to technical matters.

It doesn't matter to me "why." I'll never use a Fram.

JR

Christien · Christien's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLovin

oil filters are a weird thing, you see this in the Porsche and Ferrari world.

Here you have an expensive sports car, with fully tested, factory approved and excellent oil filters readily and cheaply available.

And people skip over those to put on some crappy Fram because . . . why?

To try and save $6?

I've been tempted by Fram filters - not to save money, but because they're available at Canadian Tire 5 minutes from my house. To get a Mahle or OEM I have to go to the nearest specialty shop, which is 30 min. away. Usually it's not a problem, I drive by there once a week or so, but still can be a PITA when I decide to do an oil change on a Sunday with no fresh filters in the garage.

I've never actually done it, mind you. I always figured running an old filter with fresh oil for a few days before I get a new one is better than using a cheap filter.