They explained it but you ignored it I guess? That said why should anyone here be happy with that. Products should improve and not regress. We didn't see this just a few years ago . Why is it acceptable now?
Quite a few new Ultras have been used and cut open here, and the only real "negative" seen so far is some wavy pleats. If there was an inherent design flaw going on (ie, media tearing like some other brands) with the non-wire backed version it probably would have shown up in some of those C&Ps done here.
Lot of other filters have regressed too ... and none have gone down in price, only up because of all this inflation going on. Part of the regression may also be due to companies trying to cut costs so they can try and keep the price from going up too much. All kinds of dynamic factors going on. The performance specs of the non-wire backed Ultra have not changed, but if it did then that would be more of a concern than it now showing wavy pleats after use.
If anyone is making an oil filer with wire-backed media a main buying criteria, then spend a few bucks more and get the Endurance or similar. The Endurance is rated for 25,000 miles, so most here could run it for 2 or 3 OCIs and get a better ROI if penny pinching is also part of the criteria.
Come on Zee...so we have 10 or 15 filters cut open here..lol
Let me know when you find the first one that has media tears.Come on Zee...so we have 10 or 15 filters cut open here..lol
I get what you are saying but you know better.lol
How many were sold in the last 3 years... Please don't answer
Other than that you are okay..not wired backed but okay
As long as Fram keeps the pleat spacing in control, the chances of it happening are super slim. We all know that wide pleat spacing is the main factor in oil filters that tear media.Are engines failing catastrophically in recent years because of this ?
Sadly that won't happen as I have a VW now and don't use Fram on it. That said Fram never had a great track record on pleat spacing.Let me know when you find the first one that has media tears.
Long as you don’t buy Mexican made Auto Extras. I e cut a lot that have tore. Their pleat spacing is horrible
I suspect like a lot of people on here I cut open many filters that don't get posted. Just yesterday I cut open probably 12 filters including about 6 Fram XGs of various sizes and vintages and did quick observations before tossing. Everything looked normal, and yes I saw a little bit of waviness in newer ones that ran over the winter. Frankly, the best looking filter of the bunch was a Motorcraft FL-1A that looks really old school with a string tied around the middle of the media. But that filter only runs about 100 hours on a big old Perkins 4.236 diesel in a boat so it doesn't get cold winter starts. Looked just about perfect. In fact, I have never found a hole in the media of any filter cut open, including the old PureOnes that supposedly were notorious for it. I've cut open a bunch of Motorcraft FL-820s that ran over long winters and were really, really wavy, with some big gaps, but no failures. I've never had an actual engine failure in more than 50 years of driving, including lots of old beaters that got cheap oil and filters at long OCIs and very little care. I suspect that today's engines, oils, and filters are so good that oil-related engine failure is very rare, assuming you don't drive with too little oil. I bet most of us would not even notice if the filter had a huge hole in the media, unless we happened to cut open that particular filter. But, nothing in the operation of the car would tell us otherwise, and chances would be very good the next filter wouldn't fail, no matter the brand.
Fram PH series has had wide pleat spacing on and off ... luck of the production line draw apparently. TG and new XG not so much. Even the Fram PH filter with wide pleat spacing don't seem to tear like other brands ... media isn't as brittle and weak apparently (another tearing factor).
That's why we scrutinize oil filters here ... to watch as they change to see where it goes. Automechanic ... someone needs to watch him around beer and license plates, lol.
The basic problem we are seeing in the filter business is that new owners inevitably come in with a bunch of borrowed money they need to pay off, and they put lots of pressure on everyone to cut costs and improve sales. The marketing types are put in charge of "improving" the products, while at the same time reducing the costs of manufacturing. The consumer stuff that we purchase is highly influenced by what the Walmarts of the world want. Very few consumers have any idea idea if a product is good or bad, or worse than it was before. If it looks good, the box is nice, and the marketing is right it will sell. Just take a look at all the ridiculous YouTube videos and social media articles about filters, or even peruse car forums (and even this forum!). There is more bad information than good information out there.
Most oil filters are specified for many different engines ... so, if the filter designer has any design skills he would ensure the filter will work fine through the engine manufacture's specified OCI in terms of expected required holding capacity. The filter's size (total media area) is a big factor in total holding capacity and how the dP increases as the media loads up. "Accountants" are not engineers, and any company that allows "accountants" to determine the specified filter size shouldn't be in business designing and selling oil filters, lol.
