Fram XG Observations

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: TTZed

I was at my local walmart the other day, and they had roughly 12 XG8A oil filters on the shelf. I'm sure it infuriates the staff at Wally, but I tore open every XG8A and started testing drainback valves.


IIRC, those boxes are sealed tight with clear plastic ... right?

 

[AlienBug]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: TTZed

I was at my local walmart the other day, and they had roughly 12 XG8A oil filters on the shelf. I'm sure it infuriates the staff at Wally, but I tore open every XG8A and started testing drainback valves.


IIRC, those boxes are sealed tight with clear plastic ... right?


Not anymore!

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: AlienBug
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: TTZed

I was at my local walmart the other day, and they had roughly 12 XG8A oil filters on the shelf. I'm sure it infuriates the staff at Wally, but I tore open every XG8A and started testing drainback valves.


IIRC, those boxes are sealed tight with clear plastic ... right?


Not anymore!


Guess not ... personally, I don't buy products that were once sealed and then tore open by some inconsiderate shopper.

 

[Texan4Life]

All of the XGs I have seen are sealed, either a pull top can (older silver style) or clear plastic rap (current gold style).

I'm glad we don't share a WM. I feel sorry for the guy that buys a pre moistened filter.

I have used several XGs and not one had a bad ADBV. And as stated before just because it can pass air doesn't mean it will pass a liquid.

 

[electrolover]

i have not ha a problem with the XG either. i prefer the 820s because of price but if i could justify it i would stock up on XGs

 

[Silver02ex]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: AlienBug
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: TTZed

I was at my local walmart the other day, and they had roughly 12 XG8A oil filters on the shelf. I'm sure it infuriates the staff at Wally, but I tore open every XG8A and started testing drainback valves.


IIRC, those boxes are sealed tight with clear plastic ... right?


Not anymore!


Guess not ... personally, I don't buy products that were once sealed and then tore open by some inconsiderate shopper.

Same here, it's no different than me opened up a bag of chips, smelling it to see if it's the flavor I want and put it back. If I'm buying a sealed box of oil filter I know no one has been messing with it, but in this case when the plastic has been removed, who know what has happened to it. In this case someone's mouth has been all over it.

 

[LeakySeals]

Here is a XG autopsy video to look at. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV2VlQY6T6E

Notice on top the bypass valve, its spring clip, and gasket that keeps it in place. Some have an actual spring. The viscosity of the oil causes the bypass valve (and filter media soaked in oil) to expand some. The anti-Drainback Valve underneath is compressed and also expands to tighten the seal.

So... Air does not have the same characteristics as oil. A "blow test" is useless unless your car uses air as lubrication.

And... posts like this is why Frams reputation is so bad. Likely started with a vid of the orange can, which snowballed into internet wide paranioa...

If its rapping at startup, based on what you said so far, your likely running the wrong oil, and using too many additives.

Thicker is not better. Nor is air.

 

[123Saab]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals

So... Air does not have the same characteristics as oil. A "blow test" is useless unless your car uses air as lubrication.

 

[Sayjac]

Several thoughts. Though some here do blow in the filter to check the adbv, and swear by it, I don't know how reliable it is. While I inspect a filter before purchase, that is one thing I don't do.

As for the shrink wrap on the XG, imo, more than anything it's done for security reasons. I've twice seen in Wally where an orange can was placed in an open XG box. Obviously someone had replaced the orange can with an XG, purchased at the oc price. Sad but true.

As for the XG, a well made filter, and the only Fram close to being worth the price charged, imo. If one runs ~10k OCI's, the ~$9 Wally price is fairly reasonable.

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: ahoier
I've always wondered why they seal up the XG and HM filters.....anyone know why?


Is the extra cost only for the shrink wrapped package?


I know. People would take the expensive filter out of the box and put it in the cheapo Fram orange box. Then put the cheapo orange Fram filter in the expensive filter box. They could get an expensive filter for the price of a Fram. I saw a lot of Mobil 1 oil filter boxes with orange Fram filters inside before Wal-Mart started to have the packages sealed. I think Walmart seals the boxes, and not Fram or Mobil-1.

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: 123Saab
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals

So... Air does not have the same characteristics as oil. A "blow test" is useless unless your car uses air as lubrication.

Air bearings have a very low friction coefficient. Imagine trying to play air hockey with oil on the table.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Loobed
I think Walmart seals the boxes, and not Fram or Mobil-1.


It's probably the manufacturer and not the store. Guess you'd have to look at other retailers to verify.

 

[Jakegday]

from my experience of assembling and testing hydraulic pumps for over 6 years, i can GUARANTEE you seals, o-rings, gaskets, and all kinds of other stuff act completely different once subjected to oil for the first time.

 

[steve20]

and there you are..the final word on the subject.........

 

[R2d2]

I would have thrown you out of the store for damaging the merchandise.

 

[spasm3]

I think he is just yanking everyones chain.

 

[glum]

Originally Posted By: btanchors
I don't think the valve's behavior in room-temperature air is going to be anything like its behavior in hot liquid oil. I suspect it's quite possible (perhaps even probable) that an anti-drainback valve that fails miserably with your blowing test might work very well when the valve is immersed in hot liquid oil.

But the oil cools down to room temp once the engine is shut off... And that's of course when the ADBV matters.

 

[Jakegday]

its not the temperature that matters. its when its subjected to oil, period, for the first time, that it starts working the way its supposed to