DONE with FRAM filters

[RF Overlord]

FRAM filters FTL

Back story: a few years ago, my sister had to have her car towed due to a fuel leak in the back...mechanic found the FRAM fuel filter heavily rusted and leaking. Filter was approx 1½ years old. This prompted me to check the one on my daily driver that I had installed at around the same time. It, too, was heavily rusted but, although damp, was not actually leaking. And when I say heavily rusted, I mean flaky and crusty. A Motorcraft filter installed on another car for about the same time frame, and driven under the same environmental conditions, looked almost new.

Fast forward to today. I just changed the FRAM fuel filter on my company van, and although it was externally in acceptable condition, I discovered when I took it off that it rattled. I could see through the inlet and outlet that the internals had come adrift. Who knows how long it was passing unfiltered fuel...


I am DONE with FRAM filters. Period.

 

[simple_gifts]

Some picts would be nice.

 

[gregk24]

That doesn't make there air and oil filters bad.

 

[SatinSilver]

All Fram filters or just their fuel filters? The air and cabin filters seem fine. Good reports about their higher line oil filters also. I like using MC filters even in my Toyota.

 

[Warstud]

Most of the problems I've had was the fuel line nuts rusting on the filter...not the filter itself.

 

[Errtt]

Ouch... at least no restriction if you can see through it.

 

[jrustles]

Originally Posted By: RF Overlord


I am DONE with FRAM filters. Period.


But, but, but, they're the number #1 brand of filters!!!

But seriously though, looks like the "number 1" filter brand is taking a #2 on their trusting buyers... shame

Originally Posted By: gregk24
That doesn't make there air and oil filters bad.
Oh, for sure. I'm positive that their lack of quality and eternally economized manufacturing only affects their fuel filters... given how much praise their other products get....

 

[Turk]

Glad you're done.

 

[Cristobal]

What a trollish post.

A FRAM filter rusts through after 1-1/2 years in your state where they salt the roads like (the place of eternal punishment)?

A LOT of filters would rust through, and the cause of this is plain, simple, neglect.


The fuel filter thing is a totally different issue.

 

[DragRace]

Fram has never had good build quality.Thats why I'm still NOT 100% sure I want a Fram Ultra oil filter.

 

[gregk24]

Originally Posted By: DragRace
Fram has never had good build quality.Thats why I'm still NOT 100% sure I want a Fram Ultra oil filter.

You can not be 100% sure with any filter. Trust me, look around at cut open Fram Ultras. They are an EXCELLENT filter, and will easily go 10,000 miles in a well maintained engine. There is one that I know of that failed....but the reason why was because it was dented and it effected the bypass valve. Not the fault of the filter.

 

[NHGUY]

Always spray undercoating on the fuel filters after installation.That said,the original Mopar fuel filter on my 88 K car I replaced in 2010 was rustfree.22 years and over 94K miles...

 

[cchase]

After the last time I replaced the fuel filter on my truck I ended up replacing the fuel lines, I made sure I coated the filter and connection points with Boeshield so it won't happen again.

The Fram fuel filter I took off was about 7 years old and was lightly rusty, but no worse than I would have expected.

 

[andyd]

So far, the qt sized fuel filters on the BMWs and the Rat,have had aluminum housings. I forget 'zactly, but there was some sort of malfunction in the locking process of the Auto Zone filter to the cheesy excuse for fuel line fittings. Typical Ford. IIRC, I fixed it with hose barbs and clamps. I had a Mann filter last 100k in the Borman 6. I forgot what is in the SU's car, but it has been there since '06 and 75 k miles. I replaced the original FF on the Borman 6 it was made in W Germany

 

[Jarlaxle]

A filter that rusts to the point of a leak in 18 months should be recalled!

 

[Tuffy1760]

winter is tough on cars, along with a marine climate.

 

[eljefino]

I wouldn't blame the climate. The rest of the floor pan isn't getting holy in 18 months. I'd expect a fuel filter to last at least 30k miles and whatever typical length of time gets it there.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Cristobal
What a trollish post.

A FRAM filter rusts through after 1-1/2 years in your state where they salt the roads like (the place of eternal punishment)?

A LOT of filters would rust through, and the cause of this is plain, simple, neglect.


The fuel filter thing is a totally different issue.

Ah, hate to disagree but I live in a high salt area( winter roads and near ocean )just like the OP's. Actually, I am only about 1.5 hours north of the OP. A fuel filter rusting out in just a year and a half, even with neglect, is NOT normal. That is a sign of a cheap arse product.

Note I did not say anything about the mfg of said filter. Just that it would take a really poor quality fuel filter to rust out in that short of a time even in a high salt area. It is not normal nor neglect. It would be product quality if it happened.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

THe only FRAM product I would consider using is the air filter.

No oil filter. I've seen the insides, they're carp.

No fuel filter. I've heard of their quality, and I won't buy them.

But while I'm not buying anything else FRAM, I can easily not buy anything FRAM at all.

 

[GMBoy]

I will use a Fram air filter. I won't use their oil filters even though the better model filters look darn good. At their price I choose to give to a filter maker who makes NO cheap filters such as Purolator/Bosch. I won't use their fuel filters either as I prefer the OEM replacement in fuel filters.