Well, if I just had a clue how to post this without having to do it several times, it would be esier. If the links to pics load, they are of a Fram air filter from my 04 SCrew, 4.6. As you can tell from the pics, the underhood is quite dirty. It gets spotlessly cleaned at every oil change which is around every 4-5,000 miles depending on the oil I am testing. I will not comment in regards to the status of the engine as there may be a point of litigation and I am not going to give up my position. Make your own judgement calls.

My recommendation to all that have a Ford with this type of air filter is to run an additonal bead of glue or caulk around the end ring. I'm not sure that this is not a design flaw because as the pressure from a dirty filter will build on the ring causing it to possibly come loose. This filter has less than 15,000 miles on it. My type of driving is hiway and construction/ oil field /ranch environments. I would strongly suggest that you keep an eye on your air filter.

 

Hey, that's cool! You have one of Fram's new two-piece air filters.

What will they think of next...

 

flash,

holy crap.

i posted the same thing a few months back. i was told i was nuts and the only one. i went camping and found this out on the return home. i just about wet myself. the amount of dirt was scary and the the uoa showed 92 ppm of silicon since then it has dropped to 5 ppm with a new filter.

 

also in the box with that fram filter saying how fram went from the cone style end to this new rounded end. then it says this produst meets or exceeds oem specs. i had my doubts and they were backed up 10,000 miles later.


also there was anohter member here that had the same thing. i think it was titled "check your fram air filter" so at least 3 of us

 

Here's a novel idea, Fram makes crappy filters, buy a better brand.

I have heard many complaints, usually dealing with oil filters. I talked to a diesel mechanic a while back. Said he has this kind of Fram problems alot. Said he had a trucker call him on the phone, he had changed his oil and when he got down the road a few miles he lost oil pressure. The mechanic asked if he used Fram filters, he said yes. The mechanic told him to change the new ones to something else, problem solved.

I quit using Fram in 1980, I had a 65 Chevelle with the canister type oil filter that you put a cartridge in. I put in a Fram and when I went to change it later I found it flattened out on one side, it looked like I had stepped on it before installing it.

 

Well now, isn't that nice.

That would lead to a engine's normal lifetime injestion of dust in just a few days or weeks.

I would be one unhappy camper.

edit: this is something many more folks should see. It's a shame those who don't frequent the Oil and Lube forum will likely never see it.

 

flash maybe put a link to this in the modular engine forum and f series. you also have the same color truck as me is that medium wedgewood blue?

 

Thats just another reason why I will NEVER use any Fram filters {air,oil or fuel} on ANYTHING I owen!!!!
Just pay a little now and a lot later,ues Fram filters.JMO

 

ford390gashog, yeah, my Screw is Wedgewood Blue with an Arizona beige bottom. Regardless of this outcome, it will be gone come the middle to end of December. The Boss is so put out over this that he has bought me an 06 SD with the 6.0 PSD Supercrew. I take delivery in January. I guess this means job security as he has stated that I no longer need a personal truck.

 

You think after awhile people who visit these forums would get the clue and not bother with fram products. I'am all about being inexpensive, but not at the cost of an expensive repair.

 

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By the end of the week, you'll see 10 people stating: "What's the big deal? that never happened to me? Show me where this is Fram's fault?! I need much more than this to convince me, no way. I've used Fram filters since LBJ was in the White House, I'm not switching...Fram, all the way, orange crush rules... You know those replies are on their way!! Ed

 

yep i know they are on the way. but i really could care less what they have to say.

 

Although I don't know of a data base that lists all the defective filter problems since LBJ there is some good testing data on filters and which ones do a better job. I can't find one on air filters now but here is one on oil filts this one has the 3 synthetic filters separate on one end. You can see Fram is on the wrong end of the scale no matter what group it's compared to. Yes it's a combined eff & cap chart but Fram comes in way down on either test (I thought why search out/post the others). But as always it's your motor and everyone has their favorites.

 

I thought I would look around for some air filter tests, but I found a site with some interesting oil filter tests. WARNING it's a Mopar site, just so you know.
They make the filters the same no mater Ford, Mopar or Chevy so.....

Here is a link to the Fram page: http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html#fram

Here is the bad list....Ouch (do read to the end, there is good news).


Filters To Avoid

The following list of filters have known problems. You will see well-known names here and will probably be disappointed. This is because many of these brands have stopped making their own filters and buy from a common manufacturer.

Fram extra Guard
Years ago Fram was a quality filter manufacturer. Now their standard filter (the radioactive-orange cans) is one of the worst out there. It features cardboard end caps for the filter element that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals against the cardboard and frequently leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak all the time. The stamped-metal threaded end is weakly constructed and it has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow. I had one of these filters fail in my previous car. The filter element collapsed and bits of filter and glue were circulating through my system. The oil passage to the head became blocked and the head got so hot from oil starvation that it actually melted the vacuum lines connected to it as well as the wires near it.

Fram Double Guard
Another bad filter idea brought to you by your friends at Fram. The filter itself is a slightly improved design over the Fram Extra Guard, but still uses the same filter element. It has a silicone anti-drainback valve, a quality pressure relief valve, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The big problem is that they are trying to cash in on the Slick 50 craze. They impregnate the filter element with bits of Teflon like that found in Slick 50. As with Slick 50, Teflon is a solid and does not belong in an engine. It cannot get into the parts of the engine that oil can and therefore does nothing. Also, as the filter gets dirty, it ends up filtering the Teflon right out. Dupont (the manufacturer of Teflon) does not recommend Teflon for use in internal combustion engines. Please do not waste your money on this filter.

Penzoil
This filter is a Fram! It is the exact same design as the Fram Extra Guard filter and it is junk. On the up side, it costs $1 less than the Fram version.

Quaker State
This is another Fram Extra Guard that I have seen at K-mart. It used to be a Purolator, but Quaker State is now owned/controlled by Penzoil...

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Now for the good news, he sort of liked this one.

Fram Tough Guard

Even with all the problems of the other Fram filters, this one is not too bad. It has a heavier filter element with more surface area, a silicone anti-drainback valve, the cheap pressure relief valve, but with a clever integral screen to keep out large particles, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The only other drawback to this filter is that it is capped on each end with cardboard instead of metal. Looking in through the center outlet does not reveal any paper end caps, but they are there. I personally do not use this filter, but the design didn't have enough bad qualities to cause me to tell others to avoid it.

Pay me now or pay me later......

 

budman, thanks for the synopsis of those Fram oil filters...