The Infamous FRAM

[sleepingbag]

Yeah, its funny how oil changes in general have turned into this low budget item, 12.99 type deals.... and damn if I didnt fall into that catagory myself, until a year ago. I was hired by Royal Purple to sell their products into the NAPA system, and recieved a machine to show how RP film strenght compared to the other high end oils....it is amazing how the adpacks in AMsoil and RP differ from the others like Mobil 1 and Castrol. When you see the metal damage done to the bearings when you use the other oils you have to wonder how the filter is handling the by products of metal to metal internal parts of our motors. I swear to gosh, I will never use anything but the best oils and filters in my vehicles. RP sells a very high end filter, but I cant sell it to NAPA due to corporate issues, but I hear its REAL good.

[Brock]

I had an uncle that NEVER changed oil...he would throw on a new filter and add a quart every 2000 miles. Not recommending this but thats what he did and he drove everything he ever owned until it literally rusted apart. I have no idea what filter he used.

I run a K&N oil filter on the racecar for two reasons...K&N reputation and that convienent nut to take it off with. Any opinions on the K&N filters. They seem to work great on the track.

Comment on the Royal Purple...The XPR (I think thats the initials) is GOOD stuff. It'll last 2-3 times longer than other brands, at least on the track. Understandable that not too many daily drivers turn 6500rpm for 10-15 minutes.

[Hubscrub]

i've also been a fram/ac delco guy i'm useing delco at the moment because wal-mart was getting rid of the ones that fit my motors and had them on sale for $2 so i bought every one of them.

[sleepingbag]

Originally Posted by Brock

I had an uncle that NEVER changed oil...he would throw on a new filter and add a quart every 2000 miles. Not recommending this but thats what he did and he drove everything he ever owned until it literally rusted apart. I have no idea what filter he used.

I run a K&N oil filter on the racecar for two reasons...K&N reputation and that convienent nut to take it off with. Any opinions on the K&N filters. They seem to work great on the track.

Comment on the Royal Purple...The XPR (I think thats the initials) is GOOD stuff. It'll last 2-3 times longer than other brands, at least on the track. Understandable that not too many daily drivers turn 6500rpm for 10-15 minutes.

you should try the motorcycle oil< it has like ten times the zinc and phosphorus and wont hurt a motor with no oxygen sensors and cats>>>

[Longhorn Man]

Originally Posted by CG

So using this analogy you will not use a Fram filter because even though you never had a problem with one you don't want to take a chance on forking up an engine ... But you wont do the same with cigarettes even though the chances are good they will kill you, even though they haven't yet??? Tsk tsk Andy

For the record, I recently attempted to quit (again) and failed (obviously, again).
I have only used fram a handfull of times. I have actually seen the oil pressure drop thing once at work. So I have actually seen an issue with them, and I have personally pulled one off the shelf and cut it open.

I haven't cut my lungs open, so i don't know what's in there. I'll assume that everything is fine since there is no problems observed.

Neither one knows I said it, but I told my dad (when he was in a coma last year) and my son (who was only a few months old when i told him) that I am going to quit. And I will, just don't know when.

[jerry moss]

as a lot of people on here know, i've been in the muffler business for a long time. years back i built a filter crusher to work on my bender since they charge the same price to pick up a drum of used filters and smashed filters take up much less space. anyway, over the years i've noticed FRAM filters will crush down to nothing where WIX, HASTINGS,K&N, etc. will be 2-3 times thicker after crushing which leads me to believe that FRAM has much less filtering material inside. pick up a pair of new filters--one FRAM and a WIX, HASTINGS, etc and you can feel the difference.

[treveiger]

My wix filter for my car was A LOT cheaper then the fram I use to run.
Posted via Mobile Device

[slikside]

My stock '72 C-10 has had nothing BUT a fram filter on it since I've had her. That's nearly 30 years and 249,000 + total miles on the original engine.

But along comes a thread like this....full of testimony I was never aware of... and it really makes you think... are they REALLY that bad?? Have I just been lucky this whole time?? (if so, I thought be'n lucky felt better than this!)

Come to think of it, the oil pressure doesn't seem to be where it used to be, but that was years ago, and maybe somewhat normal for the milage on her?....(she doesn't see a lot of miles anymore.)

Anyway, sure makes think of cuttn and runn from the fram all right.

[smallblockchev]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Fram is not what it used to be back in the day. Years ago, my dad had an 87 Dodge Ram pickup (beater/driver). After numerous bad experiences at the Jiffy Lubes, he opted to change the oil himself, just like all his older cars and hot rods. He experienced super low oil pressure, and asked around as to why all of the sudden? Someone asked him if he was using Fram oil filters, and he was... After changing to another brand, oil pressure was restored immediately.

Fram sucks.

I might be a little slow but how would the oil filter affect your oil pressure?

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by smallblockchev

I might be a little slow but how would the oil filter affect your oil pressure?

If the filter is restricted or obstructed, oil pressure is affected immediately.

[tasian]

i look at fram filters about the same i look at those crappy foam air filters lots of people use them all the time but you do hear about how they got to watch there **** burn to the ground

[mikey531]

Originally Posted by treveiger

Ams oil filters the best of best, next in line wix. Won't ever use anything else other than ams oil filters an if they don't have what I need I go to wix. Run them in quads, cars, diesel, anything I have or work on.
Posted via Mobile Device

Same here. Amsoil or Wix.

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by 69heavychevy

like an old timer once told me, "if you want a good filter, just grab the heaviest one..."

An old hotrodder once told me the same thing about batteries. Or batt-trees if you listen to how old timers say it. He claims that all other things equal - outside size of the case - buy the heavier one no matter who put their sticker on it.

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by mikey531

Same here. Amsoil or Wix.

amsoil is a baldwin filter marketed by amsoil. its kind of overpriced when it really not any better than the baldwins. like i said earlier wix is used in the plants a lot ,Baldwin is to

http://www.baldwinfilter.com/

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by slikside

My stock '72 C-10 has had nothing BUT a fram filter on it since I've had her. That's nearly 30 years and 249,000 + total miles on the original engine.

But along comes a thread like this....full of testimony I was never aware of... and it really makes you think... are they REALLY that bad?? Have I just been lucky this whole time?? (if so, I thought be'n lucky felt better than this!)

Come to think of it, the oil pressure doesn't seem to be where it used to be, but that was years ago, and maybe somewhat normal for the milage on her?....(she doesn't see a lot of miles anymore.)

Anyway, sure makes think of cuttn and runn from the fram all right.

No, i had a 1986 Corvette and it had 287,000 plus miles on it when i sold it in 1995. i changed the oil and used fram filters. never had a problem. There are better filters as shown but I would not say that Frams are crap

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by 1972RedNeck

Are Napa Gold filters any good?

Yes they are. They are made by Wix and carry a very good warranty with them. I gave up the Fram line years ago, after the NAPA people came to our construction company's shop and did a seminar on the different filters on the market and what they provided. Now I purchase my NAPA filters when they are holding a filter sale (about twice a year) and I get my filters at a good price. I do all of my own oil changes and do not let others screw with my engines.

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by smallblockchev

I might be a little slow but how would the oil filter affect your oil pressure?

The media in a filter makes a differance. some are designed for deeper cleaning filtering to like 10 microns and some are designed for higher flow and don't filter that small. any filter in a system affects the pressure. when its in the bypass mode the exception. the more it restricts the pressure goes up.
Red blood cells are around 5 microns for an example

[Shane]

Originally Posted by mbgmike

There are better filters as shown but I would not say that Frams are crap

Finally ... a voice of reason.

[MikeyMan]

Wow, excellent thread. Really gets me thinking.
I usually purchase filters when they're on sale. I've got some Frams that I found on clearance at Wal-Mart. In my 30 years of driving, I've used any and all brands and never had an oil or filter related issue. I assume the manufacturer has to meet certain requirements.
Well, in the future I will be buying the premium filters.
Is there a shelf life for oil filters? Can unused filters go bad over time?
My elderly neighbor has a case of AC Delco PF35 oil filters stored in his outdoor shed. I'd hate to see a deteriorated filter cause engine damage. He also has a case or two of Valvoline oil in the old flat top cardboard cans!

[Longhorn Man]

i don't think there is anything to worry about as far as old filters on the shelf at the parts store, but something that's sat around (esp in an outdoor shed in Chicago's high and low temperatures) for more than 5 years... I think I might be inclined to pass.
The oil cans, if in good shape is worth some cash to collectors for garage art, or in automotive displays. A brand like Valvoline is a perfect one for the job too since it is such a well known company and the look of there name (talking like the font and design of the label) has evolved so much over the years.