Fram

[Kindred]

I just read something about Fram oil filters being the doombringer of engines. I'm just curious as to the legitimacy of this claim. I personally have never used anything but fram oil filters, and I have never had a problem. What do you guys use, and what makes one brand superior to another? I've always thought of those cheap autozone/pepboys oil filters as being the same, just some companies ask for more cash for having their logo printed on the side.

[Gro Harlem]

they are dogshit. cardboard backplates & superglued together w/piss-poor quality filter elements.

used to be good before allied-signal bought the fram name and cheapened them into the shit they are today.

super-tech filters from walmart are far superior and are made by champion. I personally use STP or Purolator filters as they have the valve built into them that is required by our engines.

[88FESTIVAGTR]

I use K&N oil filters. Yes the are more expensive, but the are awesome. Read about them. Plus a cool feature is they have a nut simulator with a hole in the end. So you can put on and off w/ a wrench and socket, and the hole is to put a wire through the hole and tie the wire to something stationary, and prevents the oil filter from backing out.

K&N oil filter, full synthetic oil. Thats what I do.

As far as the myth of that filter, well.... I've heard it too, don't know if it;s true. Before I used K&N, I used motorcraft.

[darkdan]

https://www.oilfilterstudy.com

Personally, I use supertech filters on most of my cars.

I may try the AMSOIL filters someday....after all, I am AMSOIL dealer. LOL

[FestivaBiker1971]

Wow, Dan. Very impressive study, thanks for linking it. One factor that study missed, however, was media decay. All of Fram's lines appear to have significant media decay issues, ie; the filter material starts to break down and circulate through the system. This concern has been identified by several auto and engine manufacturers, including Daimler/Chrysler and Cummins. The concern is severe enough to prompt both manufacturers to void engine warranties on any vehilce using a Fram filter (only if the vehicles returns to a dealer for oil system specific concerns). Cummins has also identified Wix as a problematic brand. I can personnally vouch for many engines ruined by Fram filters. I won't get into details, but a 3.0 Vulcan v6 in a Taurus is a nearly indestructable engine. I had one with over 300k and never had a moments' trouble. My mom and sister had nearly identical cars. I maintained my mom's, and my bro-in-law, maintained my sister's. He used Fram filters. I rebuilt her engine at 62k. Needed a crank it was so worn (down to steel shell). Both mine and my mom's needed a pan gasket around 140k. I checked the rod and mains while I was in there. Not even copper showing. I've always used Motorcraft (might be rethinking that now after looking at the study) or Purolator (might be better choice). Just some food for thought.