Fram XG7317 cut open, used for two 6000 mile OCIs (12,000 miles) on my sister's 2003 Acura 3.2TL. A Honda OEM filter went back on.
Fram XG7317 cut open - 12,000 miles
- Thread starter jeepman3071
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Pleats could look better- @car51 recently had a cheap Service Pro/Premium Guard with more miles that looked better. I wouldn't be comfortable running a newer Ultra to it's rated 20K miles, no way.
Honestly that was my feeling as well. It felt okay, but I've seen Tough Guards/Extra Guards that looked very similar, not sure the Ultra is worth the price. I put on a Honda filter, the last from a multi-pack I bought a few years ago for my family's Hondas, and after that I might start using the Supertech MP7317.
Yup, the one with the wavy pleats.
Based on the pleats i would expect so
Correct, no wire backing.
Pleat looks doesn't equate to filtering performance, unless part of the "looks" includes a failure, like torn media. Too bad the pleats don't look better after use, but wavy pleats are not a new thing seen on used oil filters.
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Not particularly impressed with that...
If you want it to make it's rated 20K life, in cold weather, maybe even thick oil, pleats that aren't all over the place would be better. Like the OG Ultra it replaced!
If it made it to 20K in those use conditions without a media failure, then it still did the job. Straight pleats doesn't make its filtering performance any better. The only "would be better" is the "looks", which is better suited for a beauty contest.
I still think it is a good filter, but I'm not sure if it is worth the price difference over the Tough Guard like it once was.
Although wavy pleats aren't nice to look at it technically doesn't matter if they simply don't split or rip entirely. As long as it's still able to filter then it'll be fine. The new ultra has more holding capacity and can filter a bit more finely so I trust it to do that as long as the seam doesn't split or the media tears open which we have yet to see from the new version. Just baseless visual opinions.
I’m not sure that pleats waving/bending around under pressure doesn’t effect it’s ability to retain debris caught inside themselves .
For sure seeing these new ultras cut open just makes me think about surfing.
They wouldn't have an ISO 4548-12 efficiency rating at 99+% at 20μ if wavy pleats effected the performance and efficiency. The ISO efficiency couldn't be that high if it wasn't retaining captured debris very well.
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To the op, a Honda oem, that would be my choice as well! 
I’ve noticed the last few ultras I’ve purchased have just not looked very quality the grip texture on the can looks awful lately, one had the o ring missing another had what looked like bubbles formed during the grip texture curing and it was dipped almost like it was on its side causing the texture to go almost halfway down one side of the can. I’m thinking of switching back to the amsoil EA15 filters
Yep you nailed it... Ultra is now a TG.
Not worthy of the money being what it is now.
The Dram Titanium is still like the real Ultra and with certain combo deals at AAP it's worth considering.
Some Titaniums are showing up with non-wire backed media now. Could be the end of them too.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/aap-fram-titanium.357549/post-6275023
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