Ferrari Oil Filters......

Flimflam · Nov 30, 2003

Heard from a very reliable source, Ferrari, like Honda, uses the dreaded, cardboard construction, FRAM oil filter. I just wonder, how many Ferrari's have had problems because of bits of cardboard getting stuck in their crankshaft Big Ends and shutting off oil flow to same.

Incidentally, I was a FRAM user when I had my Ford Bronco 351 v-8, in mid-1990's. I know better now, and will only use OEM oil filters, or if I cannot get OEM where I happen to be travelling, I use Purolator or AC.

Ray H · Nov 30, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Flimflam:
...I just wonder, how many Ferrari's have had problems because of bits of cardboard getting stuck in their crankshaft Big Ends and shutting off oil flow to same.

Probably about the same percentage as that of other makes of cars having the same problem from bits of paper filtration media in other brands of oil filters or toilet paper from certain bypass filters disintegrating and causing similar catastrophic damage. (Scary, isn't it? Thank goodness your information came from a very reliable source.)

[ November 30, 2003, 05:27 PM: Message edited by: Ray H ]

Steve S · Nov 30, 2003

IMO it's not the cardboard as is the quality in general, the filter media is probably the same as the end caps.

jsharp · Nov 30, 2003

I was watching Speed Channel the other day and they had a 60's Ferrari on one of the classic car shows. Here was the proud owner/restorer showing us the engine of his factory perfect $250,000 restoration and there, one in front of each cylinder bank was a bright orange Fram filter.

The filters are mounted upside down on those engines and you just know that quality Fram ADV was working well for him.

Just think, 12 cylinders worth of expensive bearings to replace often thanks to all those oilless starts. Sad...

Mykro · Nov 30, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Ray H:

quote:

Originally posted by Flimflam:
...I just wonder, how many Ferrari's have had problems because of bits of cardboard getting stuck in their crankshaft Big Ends and shutting off oil flow to same.

Click to expand...

Probably about the same percentage as that of other makes of cars having the same problem from bits of paper filtration media in other brands of oil filters or toilet paper from certain bypass filters disintegrating and causing similar catastrophic damage. (Scary, isn't it? Thank goodness your information came from a very reliable source.)

Cellulose will not breakdown or decompose in oil..
Especially toilet paper..

JPowers · Nov 30, 2003

I highly doubt that Ferrari would use cheap Fram filters. Ferrari requires owners of the new Ferrari Enzo to specifically use Shell Helix 10W-60 ($60 a quart) when oil changes are done or there won't be any warranty coverage on the engine. At 12.2 quarts of oil, that comes out to $732 for just the oil. Now do you honestly think that they'd put Frams on that engine? No way. I'm sure there are owners of older Ferraris that use Frams because they don't know any better.

wizzells · Nov 30, 2003

We had a friend that owned an early 60's 330 GT and lo and behold he always had Fram filters on that thing. Now that I think of it, Ive been to a few Concours D'Elegance shows and seen many Ferraris from this era with Fram oil filters. Quite a shame really.

edwardh1 · Nov 30, 2003

I went to the Amelia Island car auction last spring - several Ferrari with the big red Frams

FowVay · Nov 30, 2003

I'll go this morning and buy a filter for the most common Ferrari of all time - the 328. Actually I'll ask them about pricing and if it's feasible then I'll get a filter from their most expensive car. I'll cut it open and get pictures. This will take a few days though since I don't have a digital cam and my friend from work will have to take the pictures and get them e-mailed to me.

I sure hope these things don't cost over $20.

Will someone on here post the pictures for me? I don't know how to get pictures in my posts. Thanks.

[ December 01, 2003, 10:51 AM: Message edited by: FowVay ]

FowVay · Dec 1, 2003

OK, I bought the oil filter for the Ferrari 328. This filter fits nearly all Ferrari engines. It was a pricey little sucker at $26.23 plus tax.

I'll cut it open and make it look pretty and get pictures tomorrow.

FowVay · Dec 1, 2003

OK, the filter is cut open..... and there are NO paper end caps. The filter has a .021" housing, a nice sturdy base plate, no by-pass valve, a fancy little anti-drain back valve made of black rubber that sealed wonderfully as I gave it the blow/suck test, and the pleats are nice and uniform. The biggest disappointment is that the media is paper thin. I mic'd it at .020" (thick paper) which is about 2/3's of what I normally measure for a German made Mann.

In my personal opinion this filter is a complete rip off. It appears to be made by a company named UFI and it is imported from Italy. The UFI part number is 23 162 01 and the Ferrari part number is 191993 which replaced the previous number of 111782.

If I owned a Ferrari I'd be using SuperTech from Wally world

.

SL8Brick · Dec 1, 2003

quote:

I sure hope these things don't cost over $20.

quote:

It was a pricey little sucker at $26.23 plus tax.

FowVay, I'm sure you made the investment to satisfy your own curiosity as well. But all I can say is Wow!, thats what I call dedication to the board.

Patman · Dec 1, 2003

That is definitely dedication!

To quote Crush from Finding Nemo:

"You so totally rock dude!"

SL8Brick · Dec 1, 2003

Ok FowVay, I realize pics are pending...but now I'm curious. You said the pleats are uniform and the media seems thin, but is there any density to the pleats? Do you think Ferrari was going for higher flow with the thinner media?
I work with a former Ferrari/Alpha(factory trained) technician who might be able to shed some light on this, but he's on vacation this week.

FowVay · Dec 1, 2003

All I can say is that this filter was never ever intended for extended drain intervals. It probably filters the typical particle size and percentage per pass but judging by the thickness of the media it definitely isn't intended to hold much dirt.

The by-pass valve is obviously built into the engine itself and there is a aluminum tube the extends into the filter 3.35" which serves as a oil dam to keep the filter full after shut down. Oil can't flow through the outlet as long as the tube is inside and oil won't flow backward through the inlet thanks to the effective anti-drain back valve.

Other than having a thin filter media I guess it's a nicely made filter.

jsharp · Dec 1, 2003

As the former owner of two different Fiat models I can say this about the Italians. They are famous for elaborate yet functional designs made with poor quality materials. Sounds like you've spotted one more...

FowVay · Dec 2, 2003

I have my first picture if someone can tell me how to post it on here. I took a X-ray of the media which only shows the holes in the center tube and you can slightly see the oil dam inside of the perforated tube. You can definitely see that it doesn't have paper end caps though.

Ray H · Dec 3, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Mykro:
Cellulose will not breakdown or decompose in oil..Especially toilet paper..

THAT was precisely the point of my apparantly too subtle sarcasm. I used the examples of paper filter media in general and highly regarded toilet paper bypass filters in particular to point out the Fram-slammers' logic inconsistencies. It's my contention that entirely too much is made of Fram's use of cardboard endcaps. My chief objection to Fram oil filters is their pricing when measured against their light construction. In short, Fram makes the best buck-and-a-quarter oil filter out there. (Hint: that was more sarcasm...)

Ferrari Oil Filters......

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