Fram Ultra poor construction

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I was at Walmart today picking up oil and a filter for my sisters 2011 Honda Civic. I have been maintaining it since she purchased it and up until now I have used nothing particular as far as brands go. The first oil change was a mix of VW spec 0w20 and PP 0w20 with a Fram Extra Guard and the most recent was Super Tech 0w20 with a Tough Guard. Now that is has had a few oil changes under my care I'm ready to put the "good stuff" in it. I went with Mobil 1 0w20 and Fram Ultra with the intention of running two oil change intervals on the filter. I've always been a fan of the Ultra and have never had an issue with them so this was my first pick. I opened the box to inspect as is my usual custom and found the media to be extremely deformed. It was quite wavy and un-uniform, as if the media had been crushed. The anti drain back valve and everything else appeared to be normal. I know these things happen but I can't help but say between this sighting and the recent application of nitrile valves where silicon is specified I have a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. All the more reason to go with a Honda OEM filter next time as I did recently for my Accord. I was going to take a pic but I had a Walmart worker that kept eyeing my as if I were going to steal it or switch the box out with an Extra Guard box :cautious:. I ended up putting the Ultra back and getting a Tough Guard. If I can get my sister to let me know when she gets to 7,000 miles on this oil change I'll run this filter twice, but she often goes over that and I don't want to exceed the 15,000 mile recommendation from Fram. Especially considering we don't know the maintenance history on this car. Just wanted to share.
 
I've always been a fan of the Ultra and have never had an issue with them so this was my first pick. I opened the box to inspect as is my usual custom and found the media to be extremely deformed. It was quite wavy and un-uniform, as if the media had been crushed. The anti drain back valve and everything else appeared to be normal.
Sounds like this was a spin-on since you refered to the ADBV (cartridge filters doen't have an ADBV). If so, how could you clearly see that the media was deformed and wavy?
 
I was at Walmart today picking up oil and a filter for my sisters 2011 Honda Civic. I have been maintaining it since she purchased it and up until now I have used nothing particular as far as brands go. The first oil change was a mix of VW spec 0w20 and PP 0w20 with a Fram Extra Guard and the most recent was Super Tech 0w20 with a Tough Guard. Now that is has had a few oil changes under my care I'm ready to put the "good stuff" in it. I went with Mobil 1 0w20 and Fram Ultra with the intention of running two oil change intervals on the filter. I've always been a fan of the Ultra and have never had an issue with them so this was my first pick. I opened the box to inspect as is my usual custom and found the media to be extremely deformed. It was quite wavy and un-uniform, as if the media had been crushed. The anti drain back valve and everything else appeared to be normal. I know these things happen but I can't help but say between this sighting and the recent application of nitrile valves where silicon is specified I have a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. All the more reason to go with a Honda OEM filter next time as I did recently for my Accord. I was going to take a pic but I had a Walmart worker that kept eyeing my as if I were going to steal it or switch the box out with an Extra Guard box :cautious:. I ended up putting the Ultra back and getting a Tough Guard. If I can get my sister to let me know when she gets to 7,000 miles on this oil change I'll run this filter twice, but she often goes over that and I don't want to exceed the 15,000 mile recommendation from Fram. Especially considering we don't know the maintenance history on this car. Just wanted to share.

Ultra is a 20k filter not 15k. Second the pics of the wavy pleats. I've been ugh over the new Ultra without the wire backed synthetic media but so far the ones I've come across have looked good to the eye. But that is certainly a limited sample size. I hope your discovery is a limited issue.
 
This is quite the mystery thread. Yes the boxes are sealed, and I too wonder how you see "media to be extremely deformed. It was quite wavy and un-uniform, as if the media had been crushed" through a metal can. At first I thought it was a cartridge until he started talking about an ADBV.

Perhaps the OP will return and give further details on this epic failure.
 
Let me clarify. Yes, this was in fact a Fram ULTRA spin on filter in the sealed box. I always break the seal to inspect the filter itself before purchasing. There have been times that I have found a dented filter, and a filter where the ADBV was not placed properly in the center tube and was pinched (not forming a seal) so I have good reason to inspect prior to purchase.

In this instance, you could clearly see when looking down into the center tube that the filter media (which is visible looking through the cut outs in the metal center tube) was not uniformly horizontally pleated, rather it appeared the media had been crushed. Similar to what you would see in a Purflux filter. If you don't know what that is, look it up so you will understand.

I really wanted to snap a picture but again, there was an employee who kept peaking around the corner at me. I presume since there is a lot of theft in this department and he was just keeping an eye out. I was just an innocent filter phene and didn't want to be questioned as to why I was taking a picture of an oil filter :ROFLMAO:.
 
Do you do the honorable thing when you want to purchase a filter and open the unsealed box to inspect it? D you give the damaged filter to the store manager, or do you put it back on the shelve for an unsuspecting buyer? I usually open the sealed material at the register.
 
Sounds like this was a spin-on since you refered to the ADBV (cartridge filters doen't have an ADBV). If so, how could you clearly see that the media was deformed and wavy?
The OP clearly has super powers, so he used X-ray vision to see through the can. The punched holes aren't that big, to easily see the filter.

And I have tried to purchase a Fram ultra for my old car, but someone else put an extraguard filter in it. I usually don't buy items which the seal as been tampered with, but since it was the last one on the shelf, I might as well took a peek.
 
The OP clearly has super powers, so he used X-ray vision to see through the can. The punched holes aren't that big, to easily see the filter.
LoL ...

1649370890720.jpg
 
I have bad vision, but even I can tell when a line is not straight. It's right there in plain sight.
I have a Fram Ultra sitting on my desk. The holes aren't that big to easily see the filter pleat orientation. If you're lucky, you might see a pleat through a hole, but not enough to make a determination with certaintly.

CAE6646F-DEB1-45A4-9EA0-CF9986B99CAD.jpeg


An E-core, different story.
 
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I have a Fram Ultra sitting on my desk. The holes aren't that big to easily see the filter pleat orientation. If you're lucky, you might see a pleat through a hole, but not enough to make a determination with certaintly.

View attachment 109591

An E-core, different story.
Not true. In the right lighting it is very easy to tell.
 
If I can get my sister to let me know when she gets to 7,000 miles on this oil change I'll run this filter twice, but she often goes over that and I don't want to exceed the 15,000 mile recommendation from Fram. Especially considering we don't know the maintenance history on this car. Just wanted to share.
Since you are changing the oil once during the filter run, I would not worry too much about exceeding the 15,000 mile filter rating, just don't exceed it by a whole lot.
 
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