Defective MicroGard MGL6607

[flstffxe]

Picked this up as part of a O'reilly's oil change deal. As I have a stock of various filters that do meet Subaru's bypass valve PSID spec, I had no intention of using it.

Seen the missing center support tube for the element and I had to grab it. The filter element pleating is in a nice even circle where the tube should be.





My assumption is that it was there when the element and end caps were assembled and some thing happened where it was allowed to fall out and quality control never caught it.

Before the Fram(This is a rebranded Fram) bashing starts, It is part of manufacturing that bad product will get out the door. No matter how rigorous your controls are if you do it long enough some thing is bound to get by. Fram has been around for over 75 years.

The moral is simply to inspect before buying/installing as it could happen from any manufacture.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Must be the new invisible ecore design.

I doubt the center tube ever made it into the filter during the assembly process.

 

[sunfire]

Two words... Epic Fail. Send it back to Fram and demand a reward. I hope nobody is going to try justifying that oil filters don't need a center cage/tube. This must be Fram's super ultra low grade oil filter.

Kudos to OP for sharing.

 

[Texan4Life]

Yikes

thx for the pics

 

[sunfire]

If you really want to do the right thing... go back to O'reilly's see if the reset of them are like that. Notify the employees and Fram. I'm sure that filter has siblings that they'd want to track down.

There is probably a huge reward for saving their behinds.

 

[flstffxe]

The parts guy(I showed him and we chuckled) and I went through what was on the shelf, this was the only one in the store.

For me it was just a filler item, so I didn't mind taking it as it allowed me to post it, reminding people to always inspect before buying/installing.

Originally Posted By: sunfire
If you really want to do the right thing... go back to O'reilly's see if the reset of them are like that. Notify the employees and Fram. I'm sure that filter has siblings that they'd want to track down.

There is probably a huge reward for saving their behinds.

 

[Topo]

More than likely they had a automated line went down, working on the equipment. Restarted line and the robot/automated equipment skipped one filter in the queue or the photo eye didn't catch that one for some reason. It happens. Should have been caught by final inspection, but I understand no process is perfect.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: sunfire
Two words... Epic Fail. Send it back to Fram and demand a reward. I hope nobody is going to try justifying that oil filters don't need a center cage/tube. This must be Fram's super ultra low grade oil filter.

Kudos to OP for sharing.


What are you singing about?

 

[fxrider]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Must be the new invisible ecore design.

I doubt the center tube ever made it into the filter during the assembly process.
I Agree ..

 

[SubyRoo]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Must be the new invisible ecore design.

I doubt the center tube ever made it into the filter during the assembly process.


Invisi-core maybe?

 

[Sayjac]

Manufacturing error or new design?

I don't know. If it's a manufacturing error, it's a doozie imo. QC/QA? I agree that the centertube likely never made it to the line.

If it is a new "invisicore" design, is the leaf spring with bypass supposed to be supported by the engineered media end caps and pleat strength alone? Surely not. So most likely, it's an error.

While I'm no fan of Fram orange can based on price for construction, when asked about using the MG black can with the recent O'R oil/filter promos I've said should be fine for 3-5k oci's and the price is right too, basically free with promo. So I've been fair.

Add this to the new cheapened tapping plate though, and I'm wondering if this is what can be expected from Rank? Or, is the MG black can not included in the new 'Fram Proving Grounds?

Thanks to the OP for dissecting and pics, not sure you could get some type of a refund since the filter has been cut open? Likely be on your dime if you boxed it up and sent to Fram, but I'd be curious to see the response if any.

 

[cp3]

Originally Posted By: SubyRoo

Invisi-core maybe?

At least it isn't a cardbo....oops sorry Engineered Media Core!

Stuff like this happens everyday. I can only imagine the number of filters that must come out of a factory in a day, mistakes are bound to slip through! That is a bad one though and a good reminder as stated. Thanx for sharing!

 

[Zako2]

This makes me nervous about using my MGL2 filter.

 

[steve20]

nice of you to pull it off the shelf so someone who doesn't know anything about filters didn't buy and install it

 

[ltslimjim]

You have to wonder if one of these errors is from human handling? Or just the brains behind the operation?

 

[Zako2]

Here is one issue that I don't just get. If this manufacturing defect is an extremely small probability event, then isn't it very odd that it happened to be the filter that the OP dissected? I wonder if something worse might have happened, such as.. a whole batch of such filters. If the OP has more of them, it might be a good idea to cut another one open for a study.

 

[flstffxe]

If you read my posts, I dissected it because, I found it defective on the shelf at the parts store. Where no other filters were missing a center tube that we could find.

It is a easily spotted defect just by looking inside the tapping plate. Had it not been defective it would have likely been put in my stash of filters and used down the road.

Originally Posted By: Zako2
Here is one issue that I don't just get. If this manufacturing defect is an extremely small probability event, then isn't it very odd that it happened to be the filter that the OP dissected? I wonder if something worse might have happened, such as.. a whole batch of such filters. If the OP has more of them, it might be a good idea to cut another one open for a study.

 

[Zako2]

I see. However, those Fram clones still worry me. I have seen many of them dissected and compared to Purolator/Motorcraft/etc. The Frams have the least amount of media and use cardboard end-caps. It's surprising that for extra 0.50c or so one can go from [censored] that Fram is to much better filter. Motorcraft and most others come with metal end caps and a lot more media, by area.

 

[bullwinkle]

When you can get Purolator (in Quaker State form) for $2 from Menards-why even risk MG/Fram in any form?

 

[postjeeprcr]

The FRAM group think will never end