Fram PH3387A cut open....

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 24, 2005
Messages
1,861
Location
Southeast Louisiana
This is only my 2nd filter cutting, but I have noticed 3 major differences from the Motorcraft I cut open a few days ago. Im sure theres more but the 3 that jumped out at me is that the can on this one is waaaay easier to bend and cut. It seems that being a way smaller filter it would be a little tougher but not in this case. The second is that the ADBV is made out of some hard shoe sole rubber and is not very pliable as the silicone one in the Motorcraft was. The third is the number (or lack of) pleats. I cant be sure with this one because I didnt count the pleats on the Motorcraft but there are gaps present here that wasnt present with the Motorcraft filter.

On to the pics. This comes off of a 2005 Chevrolet Aveo, 1.6 Ecotec running PYB 5w30. Oil and filter was ran for 3500 miles, PYB 5w30 and a ST3387A went back in.

IMG-20111004-00209.jpg

IMG-20111004-00210.jpg

IMG-20111004-00211.jpg

IMG-20111004-00212.jpg

IMG-20111004-00213.jpg

IMG-20111004-00215.jpg

IMG-20111004-00216.jpg


A couple of other I noticed were different, the ADBV stuck to the "cap" of the can instead of the filter, also the leaf spring. I dont know what kind of difference that makes, just an observation. Also even the gasket is orange on the OCOD lol. Thanks for looking.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for that. Unfair comment here, but regardless of the real quality of these filters, it always seem like the filter element looks like a kindergarten construction paper project after a regular OCI. The end caps were traced with a tuna can and cut out with dinky scissors. Green handles for rightys, Red handles for lefties.

Full disclose, I don't have an issue with using their premium stuff.
 
That one looks pretty good. Usually the filter media on the frams is about as wavy as the ocean. But that's not the case here.
 
Anti-drain hard like shoe was a funny observation. I still wouldn't touch one of those with a stick. Sorry.


Thanks for the pics and report though!!
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: beast3300
Anti-drain hard like shoe was a funny observation. I still wouldn't touch one of those with a stick. Sorry.


Thanks for the pics and report though!!


It comes off of my mom and step dads car, not mine. I wouldnt even use Fram before I knew better.
 
Thanx for the pics! Fun stuff isn't it!

Well I have to say, one of the best EGs I remember seeing. Looks like it did it's job and held up well. These ain't going to kill your engine for a short to normal OCI.

Specifically I like seeing the filters that fit my cars, which this one does. I'll have to see if the nitrile ADBV on the Baldwin I have in now gets hard like this one did. My current OCI will probably be close to this distance as well.
 
Originally Posted By: 97f150
Originally Posted By: beast3300
Anti-drain hard like shoe was a funny observation. I still wouldn't touch one of those with a stick. Sorry.


Thanks for the pics and report though!!


It comes off of my mom and step dads car, not mine. I wouldnt even use Fram before I knew better.


Ok, I wasn't criticizing just saying. Definitely edumacate them.
 
Originally Posted By: beast3300
Originally Posted By: 97f150
Originally Posted By: beast3300
Anti-drain hard like shoe was a funny observation. I still wouldn't touch one of those with a stick. Sorry.


Thanks for the pics and report though!!


It comes off of my mom and step dads car, not mine. I wouldnt even use Fram before I knew better.


Ok, I wasn't criticizing just saying. Definitely edumacate them.


I did. There were two flaws with the last oil change. The first was letting Wallys change it, and then of course Wallys did the 2nd by installing that. I wrote in marker on a piece of paper and left it in the car "ANY FILTER THAT IS NOT A FRAM!!!!" lol.
 
Watched one of these go for 13k miles on a 98 Buick Regal with the 3800 series II. The oil looked like muddy water, the filter had to of gone to bypass at around 6-8k and was completely loaded with sludge and the end caps had deteriorated and come free from the media. Bad deal. Instructed my buddy to run 3, 3k mile OCI's with PYB and a pureone, surprisingly seems to be working so far lol.
 
Originally Posted By: RF Overlord
What is an ExtraGuard PRO?...and why would it have a silicone gasket but a nitrile ADBV?


The "PRO" just means it was sold as a bulk product for use in an automotive shop rather than stocked on a shelf for a consumer to purchase. There are no other differences.

Typically, it seems like Wal-Mart uses the FRAM ExtraGuard PRO filters.

The gasket is not silicone. In fact, it looks like the gasket came off this particular filter (that's why you see the orange).

By the way, the color of the gasket or ADBV doesn't always indicate the material type... though orange usually means silicone.
 
Actually, within the last year or so, Fram started using orange gaskets on most (but not all) of their filters. I believe it is silicon or teflon, not sure which.
 
Originally Posted By: 97f150
Originally Posted By: beast3300
Originally Posted By: 97f150
Originally Posted By: beast3300
Anti-drain hard like shoe was a funny observation. I still wouldn't touch one of those with a stick. Sorry.


Thanks for the pics and report though!!


It comes off of my mom and step dads car, not mine. I wouldnt even use Fram before I knew better.


Ok, I wasn't criticizing just saying. Definitely edumacate them.


I did. There were two flaws with the last oil change. The first was letting Wallys change it, and then of course Wallys did the 2nd by installing that. I wrote in marker on a piece of paper and left it in the car "ANY FILTER THAT IS NOT A FRAM!!!!" lol.


Your mistake. You assumed the Walymart automotive jockeys could read (English). You should have drawn a picture of a Fram filter with a circle around it and a slash through it.
laugh.gif
 
Quote:
the ADBV stuck to the "cap" of the can instead of the filter


Sounds like the ADBV valve is doing a great job, you do realize that this implies no oil can leak past the valve back into the engine? From your photos it was obvious that oil was being brought into the filter properly via the ADBV valve. Despite the constant complaints on the various boards regarding Fram filters, I still have no qualms with installing them in my vehicles and have done so without issue, putting over 400,000 miles on them, which is by no means a record, but certainly suggests that from an engineering stand point, they are doing their job at this end...
 
97f150: The OCD is ok for less than 3k, but since you are running in the hot humid swamp area you might want to upgrade to at least a napa silver or a pur classic. The price will be about the same as the fram and you have better peace of mind if you have to go over your target mileage.. Good Luck.. Please ck out the You tube videos on some of the fram failures. Nice job on the cutting and the picks...Rick
 
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
That one looks pretty good. Usually the filter media on the frams is about as wavy as the ocean. But that's not the case here.


Usually? The brand has nothing to do with it. I lost count how many Purolator that's been posted on here that has wavy media.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top