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Why pick on Fram?

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vping

vping

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Just a thought. I saw a 1952 TD Vintage racer at a car show last Sunday. This guy races all the time and was running a Frame filter. If he is running one in a very expensive racer, why is Fram knocked on this forum. I have no stock in the company but when the subject of oil filters comes up many say to avoid it at all costs.
Again just a thought.
 
part of it has to do with die hard habits, the other part has to do with personal experience from some people, and then there's the part where some guy on the internet dissected a bunch of oil filters and found some disturbing information about the construction quality of the filters.

Google "oil filter comparison" and the first link (it should be "Engine Oil Filter Study") that comes up has all the data for you to look at and decide for yourself. Mind you there is a particular line of Fram Oil Filter that is on that bloke's "OK" list.
 
From what I have seen, Fram filters most likely won't cause any damage, but for the same price, there are other brands who appear to be better engineered or rather more effort was put into make them better than making them cheaper to produce.
 
Think of it this way, Fram (Allied Signal) spend millions to
advertise their product, which costs less than most of the
other manufacturers filters. Think about it for a few minutes...

SteveL
 
The website mentioned above is pretty hard on *most* filters.

The author, although he does not like Fram, has said that the Fram TG ("Tough Guard") is a decent filter.

By coincidence, I have been using a spin-on Fram TG for a number of years on the race car. I change the oil at least 12 times a year and have done so for a good many years now. I occasionally cut up a filter to see if all is well inside. I've never had a Fram TG fail, so far.
 
For what it's worth, there was a problem with Fram's oil filters that were intended for Honda's Goldwing motorcycle back in the nineties. The filters would disintegrate and start to float around with the oil. You can imagine what resulted once that happened.
 
Race engines are rebuilt far more often than street engines. Pushing an engine to 100,000+ miles requires the best filtration possible. Race engines are often rebuilt before their time is up due so reasons other than wear.
 
The folks on the Miata Forum also have low opinions of the Fram oil filters. Apparently it lacks some kind of valve that the OEM Mazda filters (and others) have.
 
I used to pick up Luberfiner truck filters at Champion Labs in Illinois. Our customer was Oshkosh truck.

I was pretty amazed at the variety of filters they made under many different brand names...including Lee and AC Delco. I talked with the guys in production and they told me there are several differences in the quality of the different brand names filters they manufacture.

Buyer beware.
 
So there isn't a "Large Manufacturuer" cranking out filters and selling them to smaller companies?

Again just a question. I purchased a $9 Napa gold and am going to return the $2.50 Frams. I will be changing my oil frequently as it is very dirty. I see no way of removing all oil from the system with the oil cooler in place.
 
vping said:
So there isn't a "Large Manufacturuer" cranking out filters and selling them to smaller companies?
Click to expand...

There is. Allied Signal seems to be the source of many of the "low quality" filters.
 
Why pick on Fram?

Possibly because they suck!
 
I'm not sure what he means.:smile:
 
I, like a lot of other folks, have used Fram filters for years with no problems up until a few months ago. I have a 93 Chevy custom pick up that I bought new, with a 350 engine in it. Oil gets changed every 3000 miles faithfully. Recently, I was noticing a fluctuation in my oil pressure. It would go from 30 lbs to 55 lbs at different intervals while driving. Checked everything up to changing oil and filter. Changed oil and installed a NAPA Gold filter and the problem went away. Something was loose in the Fram filter causing a flow problem. Evidently their quality control has deteriorated immensely. I am not promoting any brand of filter, that's for you to decide, but because of my last experience, I will not use any more Fram filters. PJ
 
Buy a Fram, slice it open with your band saw, look at how large the openings are & imagine what can get through them! Then you'll understand what I mean!
 
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