Friends don't let friends use Fram.

There is no doubt that, at one time, Fram built a good oil filter.

This is not that time.

Fram has been bought up by, first, BendiI think), then Allied Signal, and now Honeywell. It has been subjected to every corporate bean counter's whim and marketing cost-cutting manufacturing short-cuts. On top of that, it has historically been THE most counterfeited filter on the market. Assuming that you get a real Fram when you buy one, it's quality is, at best, mediocre. If you get a counterfeit, you might get an orange can full of third world newspapers or noodle wrappers.

 

Very good.

 

I've sadi it before and i'll say it again- you use what you want to. I'll drive around all day if I have to(though I never do) to find donaldson,wix, or motorcraft filters.
All of my heavy trucks get donaldson,IH,or cat filters.
All of my stock fomoco's get motorcraft.
All of my non stock fomoco's and other makes get wix or VW filter's.

I like manufacturer specific filter's, If i ever have a problem, under warranty, It makes my pockets stay a little more full when their techs see man. specific filter's on the product.

A good friend of mine had a series-60 grenade on him with 300,000 miles, DDC refused to warranty the engine because it had allways had off-brand filters on it since the first service. Cough up that $15,000 bill and you'll pay the extra money to put what the manufacturer recomends on that engine.

Yes this scenario is very uncommon but, that don't mean it can't happen to you.

 

i run bosch filters. there a dollar more than motorcraft and about the same filtering area (little more) and they filter down more microns so its worth it to me.

 

I'd never think about using a fram. My dad still thinks I'm nuts, but it's all a matter preference. The Fram has cardboard end caps, and often a cardboard anti-drainback valve.. What does this mean? DRY COLD STARTS. I urge you to go buy two 200 dollar vehicles with roughly the same mileage. Check the main bearing clearances. Then use a Fram filter and your favorite oil in one, and use a motorcraft or ac-delco or whatever filter in the other with the same oil. After a year pull the motor back apart and re-check the bearing clearances. That will tell you the story. I've seen BAAD things happen from using fram filters. We have an '88 E150 with a 302 that likely ran fram filters, it needed bearings and a crankshaft at an early age. We put a used crank and bearings in it (bad I know but when money is tight you do what you gotta do), we've put 50k miles on it since and it still carries great oil pressure at 315+k miles. We use only motorcraft filters.

 

I've had good luck with fram. Up until I bought the new f-150 then I switched to motorcraft for no reason except for the possible warrenty issue that could arise if I went with anything else. Now that I have actually done research on fram never again will I buy a fram filter I'll stick with the motorcraft filter and castrol or motorcraft oil. the best thing about the fram IMO is the end coated with rhino lining for better grip

 

in the past i would run whatever cheap filter was around
never understanding that 10 seconds of lifter tapping
at start up was caused by my cheap filters
since seeing it here and at bobs i only go with
motorcraft and no more dry start ups
10 seconds of lifter noise is equal in my book to 5 seconds
of no oil on the mains and rods

 

In the past I've used Fram filters on everything I've owned and in the future I will continue doing so. Never had noise on startup and never had a bad Fram filter. I am currently using Fram TG filters on a 1989 F-150 and a 2001 F-250 w/5.4 engine.

 

If you dont care for your truck use what ever you want

 

Norvous, My vehicles will last just as long or longer than yours and a Fram oil filter is not going to have any negative affect on the longevity of my engines. Get over it!

 

There are several levels of Fram oil filters. I think the only one really in question is the Extra Guard. However, it does meet OEM specs and nobody would have a leg to stand on with not honoring a warranty due to using a Fram filter.

Cardboard end caps aren't a real problem unless they don't do their job. I haven't ever read an account of the filter failing due to carboard endcaps. Based on that argument, an oil filter with 1/4" steel endcaps would be even better than a motorcraft or Mobil1 filter.

Sure, they are cheaply made, but if it does the same job as a more expensive filter and is changed at the proper intervals who cares?

There is nothing wrong with Fram filters.

 

There isn't?

Purolator Premium Plus
Filter area - 316 square inches
Anti drain back valve - Nitrile rubber diaphragm
Bypass valve - Spring loaded steel
Price $3

Fram Tough Guard TG8A
Filter area - 248 square inches
Anti drain back valve - Silicone rubber diaphragm
Bypass valve - Spring loaded plastic with screen
Price $5

Motorcraft FL1A
Filter area - 400 square inches
Anti drain back valve - Nitrile rubber diaphragm
Bypass valve - Spring loaded steel
Price - $3

Wix 51515
Filter area - 349 square inches
Anti drain back valve - Nitrile rubber diaphragm
Bypass valve - Spring loaded steel, nitrile seal
Price $5

All this came from this site. Read all about it at:
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html#l30001

The thing that is most glaring is the Fram's small filtering area size. A filter's ability to do it's job is directly related to the 'pore' size of the filtering media and the amount of filtering media it contains. The pore size is not specified in this study but if we assume it is the same as the other filters, that means it will go into bypass quicker than any other filter listed above. The only way it can last as long as the other filters is if it's 'pore' size is larger, which means you would be getting substandard filtering compared to the rest. No matter how you slice it, the Fram shows itself to be an inferior filter--either the filtering quality is low, or the time it can stay on the engine is low; take your pick. Also note that this is the next-step-up Fram filter; their Extra Guard is even worse. Also, notice the price. None of the other filters is any more expensive than Fram.

Undoubtedly someone's going to chime in with "I've always used Fram and haven't had any problems" stories. But answer this question: Do you think you'd have had worse luck by using a better filter? (and for the same money, at that)

 

As far as I am concerned, the Knize report is not a study. He cuts open oil filters and makes judgements. He tells you himself not to take what he says as gospel because he is not an expert.

Cutting open filters makes pretty pictures, thats about it. Produce a test that says that Fram has poor filtration. Produce a study that says Fram damages engines on a regular basis. Produce solid data to back up what you claim, then I might give it further thought.

If this product was as defective as everyone here claims, there would be more data to support the claims. They always use the Knize report, that is older than dirt, and it is not valid in my opinion.

In my opinion, using a product for thousands of miles without any problems is a pretty darn good test in itself.

As an afterthought Gm, Chrysler, and import drivers make the same assertions that factory oil for their vehicles is the best there is. jd

 

Let's see some pictures of engine damage caused by Frams, or any filter for that matter. I get tired of hearing about having a friend of a friend who had an uncle that that heard about someone that lost an engine to a defective filter. I know any filter can fail, nothing is perfect. Lets see some real proof, not some pictures of some cut up filters.

 

Suit yourself. The lack of filtering area is a fact and that alone makes it an inferior filter. But, Fram depends on people like you to buy them, so don't let them down.