Fram Ultra Synthetic failure at 8,000km

[mva]

I found the Fram XG10575 had failed with 4 holes through the media after 8,000km of use on my 2014 F150 3.5 Ecoboost!

Admittedly it has been in service 3 years and annual drain and fill oil changes with good quality 5W30 synthetic oil each time. And the air filter was in good condition throughout.

A Fram Endurance, with mesh backing, went back in but I will not be using Fram XG on my vehicles in the future.

 

[Hootbro]

Wide pleat spacing did it no favors. Also could have had moisture issues assuming it sat for extended periods during those three years.

 

[CleanSump]

A no longer produced consumable failed.

 

[OVERKILL]

But remember folks, the "blend" media was just as good, if not better than the OG wire-backed stuff according to Worst Brands

 

[ZeeOSix]

But remember folks, the "blend" media was just as good, if not better than the OG wire-backed stuff according to Worst Brands

Just as good in efficiency was Fram's claim. But since the new media design isn't backed with anything then it's susceptible to tearing like seen here if the pleat spacing isn't good. Haven't seen many instances of the non-wire backed Ultras tearing, but wide pleat spacing will make any non-backed media susceptible to tearing. Back when the Purolators were tearing media like crazy it as due to wide pleat spacing, plus the media in them back then was weak and brittle which made them even more supportable.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I found the Fram XG10575 had failed with 4 holes through the media after 8,000km of use on my 2014 F150 3.5 Ecoboost!

Just think of that combined with a leaky ruffled up leaf spring.

 

[OVERKILL]

Just think of that combined with a leaky ruffled up leaf spring.

A veritable medley of subparism!

 

[Sayjac]

I've said current XG "max" 7500 miles, best ~5k miles. But here, three years in in CA with the cold/heat cycles and condensation and moisture, too much time for the current media. The wavy media some indication of moisture. If the 8000km done in 1 year max, 'might' have made it. Unlike the OG XG, imo current XG not a multiple oci filter.

Thanks for c&p.

 

[QwikKota]

My stash of XG filters are from 2017. Were these made with the wire backing?

 

[OVERKILL]

My stash of XG filters are from 2017. Were these made with the wire backing?

Take a look down the centre tube, if they are, you will be able to see the mesh.

 

[duck__dodgers]

Amazon kept its prices for the XG line (at least for my size), the same for > 1 decade! If you want to be cynical, Fram was designing its filters around a price to make retailers happy, and Fram was happy to keep cutting corners to maintain its market share cuz 99.9% of people never cut open a filter.

Can I prove it? no, but wouldn't be surprised.

https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B000C33MI2

 

[QwikKota]

Take a look down the centre tube, if they are, you will be able to see the mesh.

Thanks, will check. I think the bypass valve changed as well but can't see that from the center, I don't believe.

 

[ZeeOSix]

My stash of XG filters are from 2017. Were these made with the wire backing?

Yes, the non-wire backed media happened well after 2017.

 

[Oliveoil2]

The filter failure is not the problem…..look at how full that filter is. I’m sure it was in by-pass. How about a photo of the oil fill hole? How many miles on the vehicle?

 

[wemay]

Just think of that combined with a leaky ruffled up leaf spring.

The horror

 

[mva]

The filter failure is not the problem…..look at how full that filter is. I’m sure it was in by-pass. How about a photo of the oil fill hole? How many miles on the vehicle?

Yes there was quite a bit of carbon deep in the pleats and lots of short trips therefore moisture.

The truck has only 113,000km on it.

Shouldn’t the bypass open if the media becomes plugged?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Shouldn’t the bypass open if the media becomes plugged?

It would have to be majorly clogged to make the bypass valve start to open. Bypass valves have at least 8 PSI of headroom above a new filter's dP level at operating conditions. The carbon debris that collects deep down in the Vs of the pleats only blocks a small fraction of the media's flow area.

 

[demarpaint]

Three years in service, short trips, and it looks very dirty, I'm not really surprised.

 

[K2K2]

The filter failure is not the problem…..look at how full that filter is. I’m sure it was in by-pass. How about a photo of the oil fill hole? How many miles on the vehicle?

This! That filter appears to have failed because it was full. Obviously, three years is too long in that application.

 

[ZeeOSix]

This! That filter appears to have failed because it was full.

It only had ~5000 miles on it (8000 km). Doubt his truck engine is producing that much debris.