Fram ToughGuard

[jorton]

This sight is amazing. I was surprised I didn't find it until now because I've been looking for this info for a long time.

Do you think the Fram ToughGuard will harm my F150 V6? I ask this after seeing how it performed differently in the Oil Filter Test.
Thanks, Joe

 

[G-MAN]

There is only one Fram filter that I would even remotely consider putting on my car, and that's the X2. The rest of them have crappy construction. Do a search on Fram filters and you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[sbc350gearhead]

I used the fram toughgard for years on my truck and I don't think it really did any damage. I never had one fail and the oil pressure was fine (although it may have stayed in bypass the whole time). I switched to a ac delco ultraguard gold and the valvetrain noise I have had, seems to have gone away. I don't think I will ever go back to fram.

 

[MNgopher]

I'm going to sound like a parrot here, but there is good reason for that!

Using the filter isn't going to harm anything. It should be fine for a regular oil change interval.

That being said, the filter is not of the same quality offered by other manufacturers for the same price. I'd rather spend my money on a higher quality product for a similar price.

The only Fram filter I'd consider using is the X2, as it has generally the same construction as all of its competitors, but at a price - generally 10 bucks or more.

Its also interesting to note that Fram uses higher quality materials in the only filter it advertises for longer intervals (7500 miles). Wonder why they didn't use the same stuff in all its other filters?

 

[Mystic]

I have to agree with MNgopher. The FRAM X2 ExtendedGuard is apparently a good oil filter (although Bob did notice a lot of oil flow restriction with this filter in his oil filter flow tests) but when I checked the price of this oil filter at my Checker Auto Parts Store, it was something like 12 bucks. You can buy a Mobil 1, K&N, or Amsoil oil filter for that price.

FRAM uses metal endcaps in the case of the X2. Why? Cardboard in used in their other oil filters for car, light van, light truck, and SUV use. They may use metal endcaps in their oil filters for heavy truck use-I don't know. On the other hand, Purolator has apparnetly used cardboard endcaps on some of its oil filters and I saw a Casite that had been cut apart that had cardboard endcaps (unless somebody had switched the internals). FRAM had some explanation for the use of metal for the endcaps in the X2, but I can't remember what that explanation was.

Bob did get very low wear results using a cheap basic FRAM oil filter and Schaeffer's MicronMoly motor oil. It may be that flow ismuch more important than filtering quality. Maybe not much junk gets into the engine if you have a high quality air filter.

FRAM does have a confusing many leveled line-up of oil filters. Other people have one quality level or only a few. WIX, as far as I know, has just one quality level for ordinary vehicles, and they also make oil filters for race cars. I can buy a WIX with a silicon adbv at a story in a nearby city for less than 5 dollars. Why should I buy the FRAM X2 at more than twice the price.

 

[jorton]

Thank you for your replys. I know it's too soon to tell but today I didn't hear the piston slap. I have always used Motorcraft FL400 and this TG is the first time I've switched. I'll be listening very carefully because that sound has worried me for a year.
Joe

 

[unDummy]

I don't think that the filter will harm your F150. I also wouldn't draw a conclusion on an entire product line based on one single event. I didn't see an oil pressure change after switching from the TG to a Wix.
But, why would you pay extra for a TG filter when there are so many good filters out there cheaper and in that price range?

I just ordered a bunch of Fram HP filters. I don't think that Fram has crappy construction. I just think that they are asking too much for a cheap filter.

 

[jorton]

Piston slap returned.