Fram Ultra Oil Filter Failure Before 5,000 Miles

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Originally Posted By: mr_diy
I believe the dent is just evidence of a fairly high drop on the end of the filter. The weight of the filter element hitting the against the leaf spring is what fatigued, deformed, or stretched the leaf spring so it no longer was providing the necessary pressure to hold the element tight. A coil spring likely would survive such a drop. Someone could test this by dropping a used and empty filter to see if it loosens up and allows the twisting action to make the noise.


Yes, this. It's not the dent as much as the impact and what happened inside (the leaf spring was overstressed), the Ultra is a heavy filter. The dent just lets us know it happened.
 
I'm looking at a spare Ultra purchased from Walmart sealed in its box. Inspecting the packaging - thin cardboard, thinner than a cereal box. Squeezing it with my fingers - side to side the box is slightly larger, but top to bottom there is no compression, the box is roughly the exact same height as the filter. I knocked the filter around on my desk to simulate stocking shelves, shipping, etc. Because the dimensions of the box are so close and the packaging so thin, you can hear the can taking direct hits as I knock it on its side, flip it, etc. Opened the sealed box, gave the filter a shake and inspected it closely for dents. Its ok AFAIK.

Opinion: The packaging of the Ultra filter is unforgiving and provides little if any protection. Any drop along the way means a direct hit to the can with no absorption or insulation from the packaging whatsoever. Also noticed I can give it a pretty good whack with no box damage. No box damage because the box is approx the exact size of the filter so it can't dent (unless its a corner hit). Unfortunately I do not have a different brand of filter to compare the packaging to. If somebody has an Ultra in its box and some other brand would like to know how the Ultra packaging compares.
 
No oil filter I've ever seen comes in protective packaging. I think they are all subject to possible damage if the box is dropped from a decent height.
 
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
No oil filter I've ever seen comes in protective packaging. I think they are all subject to possible damage if the box is dropped from a decent height.


I agree 100%. Let's not try to fault fram for their packaging, all oil filters come in a paper thin box.
 
This guy certainly has an axe to grind, and is enjoying the attention. Carry on , Fram Hate Guy, carry on.
 
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
No oil filter I've ever seen comes in protective packaging. I think they are all subject to possible damage if the box is dropped from a decent height.


This.

If it's damaged, take it back, people.
 
The dent would put the spring into a perpetually over stressed condition if in the right spot. Picking some arbitrary numbers as an example, the normal state could be 10% compression and forces might exert up to 15% more. If the dent is there, the new state could be 40% with up to 55% in operation. This would wear the spring much faster, especially if it is in borderline(or outside of) normal operating conditions.

Just a single shock would have an impact on the life, but shouldn't be so drastic as to have it fail under normal use.

As for box size, tighter is probably better. We recently had some electronic equipment that was damaged while being transported. The assemblies were in the original transport cases that had foam padding inside to hold the equipment. Over the years the padding had worn out and the extra play created enough travel that the equipment could vibrate and develop harmonics. It was much worse than transporting the equipment directly strapped to the body of the vehicle.

Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Originally Posted By: mr_diy
I believe the dent is just evidence of a fairly high drop on the end of the filter. The weight of the filter element hitting the against the leaf spring is what fatigued, deformed, or stretched the leaf spring so it no longer was providing the necessary pressure to hold the element tight. A coil spring likely would survive such a drop. Someone could test this by dropping a used and empty filter to see if it loosens up and allows the twisting action to make the noise.


Yes, this. It's not the dent as much as the impact and what happened inside (the leaf spring was overstressed), the Ultra is a heavy filter. The dent just lets us know it happened.
 
Originally Posted By: jfking106
This guy certainly has an axe to grind, and is enjoying the attention. Carry on , Fram Hate Guy, carry on.


I think that's an unfair statement, if it was directed at Mullick. Sure, he vented a little early on but his common sense reasserted itself and I think he's learned a few things on this road... as have all of us. Yes, there are plenty of irrational Fram haters on the board and I can understand railing against that irrationality. Probably best to quote the statement that set off your comment, though, so we can see context. Then we know whether to agree, disagree or beat you about the head and shoulders ( : < )

signed Jim "Ann Landers" Allen
 
Originally Posted By: jfking106
This guy certainly has an axe to grind, and is enjoying the attention. Carry on , Fram Hate Guy, carry on.


Quite the opposite actually. If you would have read the whole thread you would see that yes I was upset in my first few posts . It was the first oil filter in 10 years I have discovered failed. I have since learned it is not a nuclear attack it happens. And no damage probably came from it. I have actually been defending this filter saying I liked the design and will continue to use them. If you are talking about my recent comments on leaf spring design it was just me thinking about how it happened. 90% of filters have the same design of spring so if I did say anything negative about it it was about the spring in general not directed at Fram.I am not here seeking attention I'm just here to learn what I think to be the best oil and filter to get my cars past 250,000 and even further. I continue to post and update the thread to hopeully get to the bottom of why this rare failure occured. So maybe something can be learned from it and save somebody the hassle. If anything comes from this thread I think it should be if you are going to be using 1 filter for more than one oil change or long OCI's You may want to check the filter more often

Maybe you were talking about leakyseals comment I certainty hope you were not talking about me.
 
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Received my care package today. I must say it was a nice package with some things I will definitely be using ( have the perfect spot for most of the stickers). I had requested the Fram xg3387a filters that fit my Mailbu. I do not know how long we will have the ford but I know I will run the wheels off the Malibu. Fram definitely came through on this one. Thanks jay for the quick response and sticking behind your product. I am going to use all these filters in my chase of 250,000+ on the Malibu

If anyone would like I could create an image of the disk and post it here so everyone can enjoy.


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Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
Way to geaux FRAM and Jay!
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But, isn't a case (12) oil filters?
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I actually looked it up before hand. The XG2 filters com in 6 per case I believe and the 3387a come in 12. I only expected 6 since that's what I would have got originally. I wasn't trying to get more filters or anything just trying to make sure I'll be able to use them Both the filters are the same price I believe or very close.

Fram did come through great customer service. Of course you will all eventually see the inards of all these filters. With ever increasing mileage until they become sufficiently used up.
 
Originally Posted By: Mullick2001
Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
Way to geaux FRAM and Jay!
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But, isn't a case (12) oil filters?
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I actually looked it up before hand. The XG2 filters com in 6 per case I believe and the 3387a come in 12. I only expected 6 since that's what I would have got originally. I wasn't trying to get more filters or anything just trying to make sure I'll be able to use them Both the filters are the same price I believe or very close.

Fram did come through great customer service. Of course you will all eventually see the inards of all these filters. With ever increasing mileage until they become sufficiently used up.

Hopefully they will only be used for (1) OCI, so we can see them sooner.
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Are you donating the stickers to KevGuy? I know I wouldn't want to display them on anything I own.
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(Unless it were a FU decal)
 
I have always been a 1 filter 1 oil change kinda guy. Im actually gonna use a few of the smaller stickers. Don't know what to do with the big one. Open to any ideas
 
Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
Are you donating the stickers to KevGuy? I know I wouldn't want to display them on anything I own.
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(Unless it were a FU decal)


That's what you need ... a big sticker in the back of your window saying "I Love the FU".
 
Originally Posted By: Mullick2001
I have always been a 1 filter 1 oil change kinda guy. Im actually gonna use a few of the smaller stickers. Don't know what to do with the big one. Open to any ideas

You can do a raffle. Start a thread to see who would like the decal. Have them subscribe to the thread. After a week, choose a member from a hat of written down names of members that entered.
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Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
Are you donating the stickers to KevGuy? I know I wouldn't want to display them on anything I own.
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(Unless it were a FU decal)


That's what you need ... a big sticker in the back of your window saying "I Love the FU".

More like, "I Love Me Some FU!"
Or, "I Love to FU!"
 
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