Fram Endurance Flashlight Test in canister

Tested on a new Fram Endurance FE7317 purchased at Walmart.

The question was “Does the Fram Endrance still have a gap in the bypass spring while under pressure?”

The answer is yes on this one. Also has a gap outside of the canister as Whip City and Sayjac have already found. I also carefully put some drops of oil on the gap areas to check every 10 minutes. It only took seconds for the oil to leak through with gravity.

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Why didn’t you tell us you used filter for target practice. 🤣🤣

Nice work. Thank You
 
Thanks...good work!
Now for my "wet Banket" on what this all means>>>>

Just as I expected. ALL these Fram filters are built and designed the same. So, the GAPs we see are not flukes.
I maintain that all the Fram filters tested for particle filtration ( posted the results here) have minute gaps below the bypass valve.
So>>>>The argument that the superior results of the Endurance tested could have come from one without a bypass gap (The Immaculate Filter 👼) , is looking very lame. This filter has superior particle filtration....gaps and all.
 
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Just as I expected. ALL these Fram filters are built and designed the same. So, the GAPs we see are not flukes.
I maintain that all the Fram filters tested for particle filtration ( posted the results here) have minute gaps below the bypass valve.
So>>>>The argument that the superior results of the Endurance tested could have come one without a bypass gap (The Immaculate Filter 👼) , is looking very lame. This filter has superior particle filtration....gaps and all.
I’m glad your 100% certain the ISO tested filters had gaps……
 
Just as I expected. ALL these Fram filters are built and designed the same. So, the GAPs we see are not flukes.
I maintain that all the Fram filters tested for particle filtration ( posted the results here) have minute gaps below the bypass valve.
So>>>>The argument that the superior results of the Endurance tested could have come from one without a bypass gap (The Immaculate Filter 👼) , is looking very lame. This filter has superior particle filtration....gaps and all.
You nor anyone else still doesn't have any proof of what the actual filters efficiency tested were like.

Plus, did you see this post in the other thread?
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...th-bypass-flashlight-test.386754/post-7001706
 
Same issue i found when cutting open the FE7317 a few months ago, the leaf spring stamping is very poor quality with ridges around the hat flange surface.

Seems like more harm than good was done since First Brands aquisition into the filtration business.

You should send them an email about this, unacceptable level of quality.
Glad I didn’t purchase and Endurance filters. I’ll use my white can Donaldson then my OG ULTRA’s up
 
IMO the leaf spring/bracket is the defect. You can really see the ripples in it from stamping. The metal is super thin and I can flex it by hand.

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That one looks a little better than the one @Sayjac posted. All those ridges on the side area however isn't good. Plus in the assembled photos it doesn't look flat. The leaf spring in the Titanium in the other thread is flat and smooth ... a winning combo, lol.
 
So that is light coming though on the assembled filter? Looks like it even in the fuzzy photos.

Yeah, those Endurance leaf springs have some pretty ratty metal stamping going on.
Yes, light coming through fully assembled filter. Between my phone camera not focusing in the dark and a top angle vs side, the pictures don’t look good. Of course after cutting open the filter I realized if I allowed some light in the room the pictures still picked up the light leakage….
 
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That one looks a little better than the one @Sayjac posted. All those ridges on the side area however isn't good. Plus in the assembled photos it doesn't look flat. The leaf spring in the Titanium in the other thread is flat and smooth ... a winning combo, lol.
It definitely didn’t sit flush. After all my pictures and trying not to disturb the bypass valve I attempted to push on it. Couldn’t get a good fit.
 
Fram really went and messed up their perfect filter line; the OG Ultra, and what’s worse is offer an “upgraded” super premium line that is apparently defective out of the box.

Corporate greed strikes again. I don’t want to buy their brand anymore based on their ethics alone. You have a perfect product and then go this route. 🙄

Thanks for doing the work to dissect these!

Wonder if an email would make any difference or what kind of response it would generate?
 
Yes same filter, as well as Royal Purple. Champ Labs made.
Ugh! I’ve got 2 of these set aside for my next extended OCI, as I recently swapped back to Signature Series.

Part of me is hesitant to use them now. But without proof that the ones I have are defective, I may just have to eat the cost. 😕

Currently, I’m running with an OG Titanium. Any place that still sells the OG Titanium?
 
But, it's most likely still "filtering more oil than it isn't." /s ;) Imo, not what one should expect to see/find in any filter, but even more so in a premium one costing ~$13. The fit and finish of the bypass seal area just doesn't get it done.

Thanks for the effort and good work.

I would say this pretty much settles it. The Fram Endurance cannot be relied on to be a highly efficient filter. Actual performance will vary based on how well the leaf spring is formed and how well it seats against the end cap. I guess it is fine for someone who wants to run extended drain intervals and isn't overly concerned about efficiency.

The original Ultra design had some sort of gasket material on the bottom cap which allowed the leaf spring to create a proper seal. That has been removed, likely a decision from some extremely highly educated individual who had a great idea to reduce the bill of materials and save the company money.

The stamped metal leaf spring is fine if it is sealing against a nonmetallic end cap or gasket that has some "give" to it and lets it bite into the material. You can see the impression it leaves on filters with fiber end caps. The same spring design is also fine when it is being used with an end cap that has an integrated bypass valve (or solid end cap on filters with no bypass valve).
 
You nor anyone else still doesn't have any proof of what the actual filters efficiency tested were like.

Plus, did you see this post in the other thread?
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...th-bypass-flashlight-test.386754/post-7001706
This what you say in the other thread>>
"Again, you nor anyone else here doesn't know if the ones tested for efficiency were leakers or not. You're assuming they were, but they could have been built better then, and not have had any leak paths. This is why I keep saying the only way to know would be a cut open and inspect after every test. Or get Superman in the test lab."

This video was from March 2023 and compares old Ultra and new Endurance. You can see new bypass seats differently and undoubtably has the leak defect from the get go.
The Filter test I refer to is from DEC 2023....so we know the Endurance tested that I refer to...9 months later...has the same bypass. The screen shot shows side by side….the blue valve is the Endurance and you can see it seats differently.
For those new to all this>>> I'm saying this new "leaky Bypass" design has had minimal impact on the filter performance. Not making excuses for why they took a step backward.



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Ugh! I’ve got 2 of these set aside for my next extended OCI, as I recently swapped back to Signature Series.

Part of me is hesitant to use them now. But without proof that the ones I have are defective, I may just have to eat the cost. 😕

Currently, I’m running with an OG Titanium. Any place that still sells the OG Titanium?
I’m still finding OG Titanium 7317’s at AAP. Boxes aren’t sealed so it’s easy to look in the tube to double check.
 
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