In the picture below you see a Fram Ultra #10348 on the left and a CarQuest Premium 83018 on the right that fit my 2017 Jeep Wrangler. The Fram is too short to properly fit the Jeep housing and doesn't seal properly which can allow unfiltered air to bypass the filter. It isn't easy to see when changing the filter, but I had my housing off at the time and it was very apparent that the Fram is incorrectly manufactured. I checked several other brands and they were all the correct size like the CarQuest. The Fram was short by about 3/16" to a 1/4". This Fram is going back to Walmart, and the Carquest Premium looks like a better filter anyways.
Fram Ultra Air Filter Manufacturing fail
- Thread starter another Todd
- Start date
Got more pics? I am not sure, but I think it uses the same filter that my 08 Wrangler used. I ran an Ultra before I sold it and it fit just fine. So it could be, as you state, a manufacturing defect. Or did they pack the wrong filter into the box?
Do you have more pics from different angles? Just trying to see the overall shape. From this angle, it looks like the same filter that my old 3.8 used.
I will certainly be watching closely during fitment when I run a Fram. I have a stash of 4 or 5 generics that are identical to the Mopar before I get back to a Fram on my 3.6 engines, which use a different part #. But if it can happen to this part #, it can happen to others. Hope it isn´t a trend.
Thanks for the heads-up!
Do you have more pics from different angles? Just trying to see the overall shape. From this angle, it looks like the same filter that my old 3.8 used.
I will certainly be watching closely during fitment when I run a Fram. I have a stash of 4 or 5 generics that are identical to the Mopar before I get back to a Fram on my 3.6 engines, which use a different part #. But if it can happen to this part #, it can happen to others. Hope it isn´t a trend.
Thanks for the heads-up!
^^^This.
I can say that all my 'car life' every air filter was fit immediately after removing the old one; with some time used cleaning the air box as needed. and all have fit perfectly.
I've consistently felt the difference in newer, softer, plumper gasketing. The lid almost always needs careful alignment when closing on a new filter....and that's a good thing.
Also, I wouldn't be surprised if incorrectly sized product comes in part from goods being bulk produced and reboxed en masse.
Import cratesful of whatever product and have warehouse monkeys put it into retail boxes as per contract agreement.
The sloppiness is going to happen.
There's nothing holy and sacred about these products or their brands.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
I think this is just Frams way of being more consistent with its product line.
Here is the same Fram 10348 (rear filter) compared to a WIX 49018 squared up between their boxes.. The WIX was the exact same size as the Carquest Premium. I like the Carquest premium better than the WIX because the WIX has a felt seal while the CQ Premium (and the Fram) has a rubber seal. I have no more pics of the CQ Premium, and it is installed in the Jeep. The difference is about 1/4".
Even if that Fram fit, I still like the Carquest style. I´ve run that a few times and I feel like there is more filtering area and less obstruction from the framing.
It is funny, I knew this about the FRAM air filter for the 3.6L JK air box, but forgot and bought one today at Walmart. I was only reminded when I went to install it and noticed it was too short, then I remembered. I ordered another WIX (which is what is currently in the Jeep). Really unacceptable problem. I wonder how many Pentastars have these Frams in the airbox? It is a serious problem. I can confirm that this has been a problem for as far back as I can remember.
Wow.
Well, I guess it depends on whom is installing it. Anyone with any measure of skill or common sense would see that it doesn´t fit properly or snugly. If the seal didn´t fit in the housing groove, I would have never completed the installation and would have noticed the problem.
Maybe someone with one of these should contact Fram and inform them.
With the airbox installed on my Jeep, it would not be easy to see that it doesn't fit because of the angle it sits at. I think most would set the filter in and align the upper part that they can see easily and assume the bottom hard to see portion is also aligned. It may be aligned, but there is a gap that you cannot see without a flashlight and mirror, and honestly, who does that? I also think it is impossible that Fram is not aware of this already, but for some reason is not addressing it. It is possible they are combining 2 part numbers into one because they are very close in size, but it doesn't work out for us Jeep owners. I wonder how many engines using this undersized filter have met an early demise because of dirty air bypassing the short filter. Fram quality isn't what it used to be way back in the 70s. Every other brand I checked was correct, Fram was the only one that was wrong.
I always pulled the top of mine up high enough to see that it sits in the groove all the way around. I never needed a mirror to see that it fit. Maybe the 3.8 had more room and the view or flexibility of the top is less on the 3.6? I don´t know. But I do know my filters always did fit. I am pretty confident if I had one of the flawed filters, I would have caught it.
I haven't bought a filter like that since 2011, but I can tell people that the oem is the best fit but not price. I've got AEM panel and cone on everything now.
