I recently came back to BITOG after not using for maybe six or seven years. I was looking at posts concerning oil filters and wonder what happened. Back in the day, the best advice was to run from FRAM products. If it wasn't specific concerns about media and construction, there was always some good slams about their commercialism. There was one participant who always would say "I am not saying FRAM is a bad filter, just that there are better filters for the money." Of course, everyone knew the Acronym "OCOD," or Orange Can of Death." Back then, you could do no wrong by using a WIX filter. Now, it seems that FRAM has clawed its way to a position of respect, while WIX filters are okay, but maybe have backtracked with new owners, etc. Can somebody fill me in and let me know what the current best filters in the market are and who is best perceived. My interest is in the big names and not in the super expensive, or boutiquey products.
How did the oil filter perception change.
- Thread starter TomYoung
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Fram ultras are still the best. Sure they did "downgrade" by removing the wire backing which does cause some pleat waviness though un concerning but they did make it slightly better at filtering and added more filter surface area. Still retains the metal end caps. Sounds like you've been off for a while.
Actually, you hit on all the headline grabbing oil filter news except for the emergence of the Fram Ultra specifically.
Bashing the OCOD is frowned upon now.
Also, Mann-Hummel bought Purolator and many post that has heavily decayed any associated product thus further debasing our lives.
Bashing the OCOD is frowned upon now.
Also, Mann-Hummel bought Purolator and many post that has heavily decayed any associated product thus further debasing our lives.
I have been away for a while, and don't recall Fram Ultras being the best back in the day. Although, many today make that point.
I run Fram cans and also elements whenever they're a good deal. They are well made and posters that run them, and take them apart here, prove they are just fine. The Ultra's are really heavy and well made.
Fram hate of a generation ago was started on the Chrysler board by a disgruntled ex-employee iirc. Took Fram a good deal of time to fight back but things began turning around a little over a decade ago. Think one of the first rebuttles to the OCOD hysteria was that Fram might have fewer pleats but better media.
The one thing which is never discussed; media.
Yes, yes, I know a guy measured the thickness of various media but that hardly qualifies it in any substantive way.
To this day, I will not use an Orange Can on anything that takes a spin on filter.
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For me the jury is still out.
I was a wix basic black can user for years - based on ghosting this board and others - inexpensive, good build quality - perfect for short OCI. However Mann has doubled the price and lowered the quality - so there out in my book.
Never had any issue with Fram in General. My 86 year old father still uses the orange can with pride. However having said that, my foray into fram products leaves me wanting. Seems to me build quality is suspect. Same goes for all the name brands Fram makes.
As for the ultra - removing the wire backing seems like a bad idea on synthetic media designed for long OCI. I am sure it would work great for my typical 5000 mile OCI, but it still seems like your getting fleeced?
Microguard select seems good, but at 11 bucks for 99% @ 25 microns - it seems a little pricey.
Oh and on top of all that - each brand seems to change something about once a month, without changing the spec even though it no longer matches.
Welcome to 2022
I was a wix basic black can user for years - based on ghosting this board and others - inexpensive, good build quality - perfect for short OCI. However Mann has doubled the price and lowered the quality - so there out in my book.
Never had any issue with Fram in General. My 86 year old father still uses the orange can with pride. However having said that, my foray into fram products leaves me wanting. Seems to me build quality is suspect. Same goes for all the name brands Fram makes.
As for the ultra - removing the wire backing seems like a bad idea on synthetic media designed for long OCI. I am sure it would work great for my typical 5000 mile OCI, but it still seems like your getting fleeced?
Microguard select seems good, but at 11 bucks for 99% @ 25 microns - it seems a little pricey.
Oh and on top of all that - each brand seems to change something about once a month, without changing the spec even though it no longer matches.
Welcome to 2022
We used to obsess over products like AutoRX, Lube Control and Fuel Power too!
Ahh.. The good'ol days..
Ahh.. The good'ol days..
OCOD was based on the MiniMopar "study" and the author's perception that cardboard endcaps are bad, which spread on the internet and on BITOG.
That perception changed thanks to metal endcap Tear-o-lators, and Toyota not even using a full endcap on their filters, making people re-think the endcap paradigm.
That perception changed thanks to metal endcap Tear-o-lators, and Toyota not even using a full endcap on their filters, making people re-think the endcap paradigm.
6 or 7 years ago there were certain posters who would bash Fram products at every opportunity. It was like they only joined BITOG in order to do so. One time I made a joke about them and received a nasty-gram from one of the moderators, however I did notice they weren't around long afterwards.
There are over 77,000 members of BITOG. If you could somehow poll each one, I'm sure a great majority of them are ok with Fram.
Take what you see on any message board with a grain of salt.
There are over 77,000 members of BITOG. If you could somehow poll each one, I'm sure a great majority of them are ok with Fram.
Take what you see on any message board with a grain of salt.
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Except electronics improve over time mostly.Only product that changes faster than oil filters are electronics !
I feel like Fram Ultra was the golden child a few years ago
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Worshippers and bashers get schooled. Fanboism exists with all products.
In reality, it's much less about the "downgrade" being the removal of the wire backing, than the reason for that. The Ultra media has been significantly cheapened by the elimination of the two ply full synthetic depth media. That media type required wire backing for support. The OG media was clearly superior to the current thin synthetic layer backed by some cellulose blended media for "support". As for the rest of First Brands promotion about the new media, imo it's simply claptrap.
As for topic, the changes seen both in attitude/opinions about filters, came with changes in the filter construction, QC and QA. That imo, primarily because of new ownership of the US filter manufacturers by Mann&Hummel and the aforementioned First Brands. The general opinion is the filter construction quality and manufacturing have suffered as a result. My .02
Add me to the list of Fram users, but I am hardly a fan boi. I use whatever is cheapest among the known good filters available in the sizes i need. Sometimes this is Fram, but other times it is Supertech, STP, ACDelco, Wix, etc.
Since filters are such a commodized product, I look at it this way: if something goes wrong with the filter and damage ensues, which companies do you think will stand behind their products? This is why I wouldn't run closeout chinese jobbers from RA. At least Fram has a record of standing by their products, made in the USA, and relatively good efficiency and value for the money. I would only use major brands, OEM, and just maybe some auto parts rebrands. Out of the major brands Fram or Champ/supertech/acdelco is first on my list based on construction and price, then Wix and finally Purolator. I would probably use auto parts store rebrands (STPXL/Microguard) or OEM before Purolator/Wix these days based on the number of issues with quality control and tearing I've seen on these forums.
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I am not sure how I got hooked on WIX, I know when Nissan started producing the 9E (15208) in China, I started to use WIX XP. So then when GM started with the PF63E, I switched as well. I truly don't know if it makes that much difference given regular oil changes. Right now, the GM has an old PF63 non E on it, and I no longer have XPs, just regular WIX. My Japanese car has a Mobil 1 that I wanted to try when I saw it was $9.xx, I don't see any difference and I had to buy a new end cap wrench as it had like 1 less flute. I have another Mobil 1 and prolly 6 WIX XP. I too have stayed away from the pay me now or pay me later, I'd rather not pay at all! 
