Is Fram Extra Guard the best oil filter to run atm?

[jeepman3071]

The nitrile ADBV's on the Fram Extra and Tough Guards may be a supply chain issue. I just peeked at a few filters (PH3600, PH7317) last night with date code A23xx (300+ days of 2022) and they had silicone ADBV's.

If you can get an extra guard with a silicone ADBV, I think that is the best value for a 5,000 mile filter, but regular red Purolators also come with a silicone ADBV and don't seem to be affected by supply chain disruptions.

If you're fine with a nitrile ADBV, the Supertech ST-series seems fine, I've never personally used one.

Is this a recent change? I bought one a few months ago for a mower, and it had a black (I assume nitrile) ADBV, but looking at their website it does show that the red filters have a silicone valve.

 

[SC Maintenance]

ADBV from First Brands has been wonky for a while. I don't have a huge issue with this but if they don't meet their own spec then its not ethical, IMHO.

I have a newer Supertech MP that appears to have a nitrile ADBV, and a older one that has a blue ADBV so presumably silicon.

I have a newer Fram Xtraguard that has an orange valve while it indicated on here that earlier versions were nitrile due to supply chains. So who knows.

 

[tasch72]

Is this a recent change? I bought one a few months ago for a mower, and it had a black (I assume nitrile) ADBV, but looking at their website it does show that the red filters have a silicone valve.

I can't pin an exact time, but pre-covid

 

[ZeeOSix]

I can't pin an exact time, but pre-covid

Don't think it was that long ago. Pre-covid was 2019. Think the nitrile switch-a-roo in some Frams was more like around early 2022 per reports here. Seem to be back to silicone again now.

 

[tasch72]

Don't think it was that long ago. Pre-covid was 2019. Think the nitrile switch-a-roo in some Frams was more like around early 2022 per reports here. Seem to be back to silicone again now.

Yes, the Fram switch was more recent, but Purolator made the change to silicone on the classics a while back

 

[jeepman3071]

Yes, the Fram switch was more recent, but Purolator made the change to silicone on the classics a while back

Interesting. The Classic I purchased was a few months ago from Advance Auto, but could've been older stock.

 

[Cujet]

Still waiting for some scientific proof of that claim. Nobody has ever proven that cleaner oil doesn't result in less wear between moving and rubbing parts ... and as said many times, the longer the OCI the more important the filter efficiency becomes. Keeping the contamination level of the sump as low as possible, for as long as possible is the key to preventing wear from dirty oil circulating over and over through the engine.

Cleaner oil does extend oil life. The issue is that a typical filter does not clean the oil of its particulate load or its contamination. All it does is prevent visible debris from circulating And taking the engine out. Modern engines have little in the way of debris.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Cleaner oil does extend oil life. The issue is that a typical filter does not clean the oil of its particulate load or its contamination. All it does is prevent visible debris from circulating And taking the engine out. Modern engines have little in the way of debris.

An oil filter that's 99+% @ 20u (80% @ 5u) keeps the oil much cleaner (like an ISO code or two) compared to a filter that's 50% @ 20u (99% @ 40u). If you research engine wear, it's the particles that are 20u and smaller that do the most wear damage.

 

[4WD]

The nitrile ADBV's on the Fram Extra and Tough Guards may be a supply chain issue. I just peeked at a few filters (PH3600, PH7317) last night with date code A23xx (300+ days of 2022) and they had silicone ADBV's.

If you can get an extra guard with a silicone ADBV, I think that is the best value for a 5,000 mile filter, but regular red Purolators also come with a silicone ADBV and don't seem to be affected by supply chain disruptions.

If you're fine with a nitrile ADBV, the Supertech ST-series seems fine, I've never personally used one.

betting there are various grades of both elastomers … they are widespread in industrial facilities

 

[haggler]

The best for the price is Supertech 10k filters, since they all seem to be 3.42 even for applications that cost more with Fram. They are pretty good quality filters but use a nitrile ADBV. Great filter for 3-5k runs. Depending on your application, Fram Extra guard might be in a similar price range; if so I'd buy that. Example is with my Toyota Camry, the Fram cost 4.14 or less and should include a silicone ADBV. For my Kia the Fram filters start at around $7, so I'd use Supertech or OEM which I've sourced for 5.74 in a 6 pack.

 

[SC Maintenance]

The best for the price is Supertech 10k filters, since they all seem to be 3.42 even for applications that cost more with Fram. They are pretty good quality filters but use a nitrile ADBV. Great filter for 3-5k runs. Depending on your application, Fram Extra guard might be in a similar price range; if so I'd buy that. Example is with my Toyota Camry, the Fram cost 4.14 or less and should include a silicone ADBV. For my Kia the Fram filters start at around $7, so I'd use Supertech or OEM which I've sourced for 5.74 in a 6 pack.

The ST filters I have seen taken apart are essentially the Fram XG (paper end caps, thin can, etc) but with a nitril ADBV.

 

[SC Maintenance]

An oil filter that's 99+% @ 20u (80% @ 5u) keeps the oil much cleaner (like an ISO code or two) compared to a filter that's 50% @ 20u (99% @ 40u)

Is there a magic chart somewhere that you can reference if you know one point, you can estimate the others?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Is there a magic chart somewhere that you can reference if you know one point, you can estimate the others?

If you look at this test data, typically filters that are 98-99% @ 20u are not going to fall on their face as fast below 20u as filters rated at 50-60% @ 20u.

Would you all like to see ISO 4548-12 Oil Filter Lab Testing Comparison, Efficiency & Capacity, Pressure vs Flow, Bubble Point, and Burst?

I have this as a “watched” thread, so if you do happen to start a new one, could you put a note or link in this one to direct followers to the new thread? Thanks!! Yes, no problem I can do that.

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[camrydriver111]

Well - that depends upon how you define "best" ....

This has been discussed a bazillion times here; pretty much since the website started umpteen years ago.

Poorly worded questions that are not well defined are likely to incur the wrath of just about everyone here (including me) for a host of reasonable complaints. Context really helps if you are serious about trying to find the "best" filter for YOUR application.

Choosing ANY product (oil filter, sports shoe, stereo speaker, etc ...) is going to be either a really well-reasoned choice or hap-hazard guess because of the effort (or lack thereof) in the process of selection. That in mind ...

Is the Fram EG a good fit for your application? Dunno. Not until you can add some more info ...
- what's the application? (what car/engine combo)
- what is the history of that car/engine combo? ( are they clean running? known sludger? any known design flaw(s) that no oil or filter can solve?)
- what's the intended OCI?
- what's the intended FCI?
- what are the operational considerations? (environment, uncontrollables, etc)
- what is the condition of the equipment currently? (well maintained; abused; neglected)
- what is the intended ownership plan? (new vehicle, lease vehicle, beater you only need to last another year, etc)
- what are the cost considerations? (do you have a threshold on what you're willing to spend)

Fram EGs are a great fit for some uses, but not all uses. Just as Fram XGs are a great fit for some uses, but not all uses. And the same is true for most other brands. They pretty much all offer a "good/better/best" marketing line-up. You gotta consider those criteria above to know which is the best fit for your specific need.

Caveat Emptor and YMMV.

Of course, there is no "best" but you can always make some generalizations.

In the last sentence I hinted at the application - normal engine, normal oci, value oriented shopper.

Sometimes going with better or best doesn't offer tangible benefits, and the products are merely designed to extract more money out of the customer. My question was whether the extra guard (OCOD) is the best value filter.

I hasten to add that Hagerty user the orange can in their videos. If they are using it, it can't be that bad.

 

[dlundblad]

Is this a recent change? I bought one a few months ago for a mower, and it had a black (I assume nitrile) ADBV, but looking at their website it does show that the red filters have a silicone valve.

FWIW, I just bought an extra guard for my blazer and thankfully it was back to silicone.

I’m hoping they changed back and it wasn’t just older stock.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

DENSO.

Yep, Denso or Toyota OEM filter made by Denso.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Yep, Denso or Toyota OEM filter made by Denso.

I have never seen a Denso or Toyota published spec on the filtration. All the cut opens show a well constructed but very basic filter.