Well this was a surprise. From my daughter's 05 Jeep Liberty. 5,000 mile run with 5w30 QS Full Synthetic. Don't think I'll be using these any more.
Fram PH 3600 at 5,000 miles. Torn pleats
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ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2026
I have not used Fram since the early 90's but that looks horrible.
Very wide pleat spacing and long pleats is a recipe for media tearing on any oil filter. I think this is the first Fram with torn media like that I've seen posted here in a very long time. Typically the pleats will bend quite a bit, but not tear ... but not on this one.
Send this thread to Fram so the production guys can get their act together.
Send this thread to Fram so the production guys can get their act together.
That looks like the infamous PH16 ones of old, somebody (or some machine) screwed up pretty badly. Normally cutting open a filter voids a warranty, but I bet Fram would like that one back.
Maybe it's just the angle but the sheet steel for the seem crimp seem to be too long and/or off center.
When was this beauty manufactured ?
Wonder if this championship level filter was made after the change over of ownership ?
We saw a Fram 6607 with a very wide pleat spacing on it big enough for it's own need for a space for rent sign....
Wonder if this championship level filter was made after the change over of ownership ?
We saw a Fram 6607 with a very wide pleat spacing on it big enough for it's own need for a space for rent sign....
Looks like the 90th day of 2021 ... unless it's from 2011.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/oil-filter-date-decoding-thread.351643/
Which would be impossible due to the silicone ADBV
The tough guard is known for much better pleat spacing and quality. They also have more pleats. like 15% more or so. But the ph3600 is longer than the 3614 and i can imagine a shorter filter is possibly more stable and rigid but that's more of an assumption. But 5k on a 3600 size is almost nothing. A ph3614 should still be able to go 10k. But i'd probably go for the tg3614 instead of the ph3600 for those short intervals.
True !
Cheap ain’t good and good ain’t cheap. If you insist on FRAM, use the Tough Guard or Ultra Guard. I refuse to use an Orange Can.
dnewton3
Staff member
I recently cut open my EG (PH2) from my F-250. 5k miles on it and not a thing wrong with it. I didn't post it because I don't really see the value in showing something that's perfectly fine.
I think there's obviously some variation in the quality of the EGs. Some are perfectly fine; others have some pleat/void issues such as this example.
I think there's obviously some variation in the quality of the EGs. Some are perfectly fine; others have some pleat/void issues such as this example.
Why buy the cheapest filter on shelf ?
Supertech is cheaper.
Plus many times cheaper is just as good as more expensive.
As for this filter, as said, long filter with very wide pleat spacing near the crimp is just a tear waiting to happen.
Hopefully this is an isolated incident and does not turn into another Purolator like tearing issue.
Here is another one I cut open 9/2020. It looked much better than this thing. Not sure what's going on with Fram.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/fram-extra-guard-ph3600-c-p-5-200-miles.331695/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/fram-extra-guard-ph3600-c-p-5-200-miles.331695/
I'm with you Mike. Fram's are a last resort.
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