new style Fram Ultra XG3614
- Thread starter BrendanC
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OP photos would make it the centerfold of the day.
Theres a lot going on in those pics and most importantly looks heavily loaded for a near 6k run.
Nah ... only laser straight pleats make it into the centerfold.
Don't do it... Buy a jack-in-the-box instead. It won't be as scary.
Bud_One
Site Donor 2025
That’s what I’m thinking.
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Okay, i got like 900 miles left before i pull out some good OG laser straight titanium media for you centerfold addicts running on HPL.Nah ... only laser straight pleats make it into the centerfold.
Moisture in the oil is the most common theory. Media with cellulose in it can absorb moisture and swell. The ends have no where to go, so if the pleat grows it's going to get wavy.
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Jack in the box is overpriced. Youll get a burger twice the size for the same money going with Carls jr.Don't do it... Buy a jack-in-the-box instead. It won't be as scary.
I am wondering if it really was 5800 miles. Something is not right.
Zee09
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If it came from Rock Auto that's a fresh one..
Zee09
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I'm sure the OP will research it further. He isn't a Fram basher.
IMHO only - it suggests either lower quality materials, assembly or design. If it doesn't tear, does it matter - probably not. However we have seen at least some number of tears here.
So lets analyze the possibilities. These are purely brainstorming ideas. I have no clear proof of any of these. Furthermore, filtering tech is far outside my wheelhouse. Mechanical design however I am a little more adept at. So my guesses:
If its a hybrid media temperature changes could do this maybe? Different temperature coefficient materials. Bad design?
Possibly the material itself isn't structurally strong enough to support the surface pressure. Possible poor quality materials?
Maybe bypass valve not opening as designed, or not opening fully, subjecting the filter media to increased pressure.
Possibly imperfect assembly causes high and low stress areas causing deformation.
There are a number of possibilities?
Given the number of C&P here that look perfectly straight, everything from the $2 jobber and up, including older FRAM's something here is clearly off on these filters. Its not every filter - some remain perfectly straight. So possibly its in the assembly? Or filter size anomalies in design?
Does it matter you ask? Tell me why it shouldn't matter? Because it didn't tear (this time)? Why pay a premium for a filter that clearly is different from industry norms?
I don't buy this one, given we have hundreds of C&P of even the cheapest filters with no waviness. Surely if moisture in the oil is an issue, or even gas dilution, we would see it outside of Fram - no?
And there has not been anything posted that proves that wavy pleats tear. Widely spaced pleats can tear, regardless if they are wavy or not. Wide pleat spacing and wavy pleats are clearly two different things going on. Wavy pleats that are not widely spaced do not tear. Therefore, it's only a visible aspect and doesn't cause any problems. Torn media of course could cause problems.
I could be a number of things, or even a combination of things. Absorbed moisture as mentioned before can also be a factor.
Wavy pleats seem to "matter" to some people ... and whatever floats their boat is fine. But when they claim it actually "matters" with nothing more than it "looks bad" without any proof it causes problems then all I hear is crickets.
We do see it "outside of Fram". You think wavy pleats are happening only on Fram filters? Where you been?
Talk and comments about "wavy" pleats has been going on ever since I joined this board ... on all different brand of oil filters.
Well I have only been here a couple years, and if we do see wavy pleats in other brands its far less pronounced and far less often in other brands. In fact, a lot of the cheap jobber and OEM filters are purely cellulose media - so if anything they should be more common and worse than a mixed media fram, yet there not. So water in the oil theory doesn't work.We do see it "outside of Fram". You think wavy pleats are happening only on Fram filters? Where you been?
Every engine gets condensation in the oil on every cold start, and some engines may not totally burn off that condensation, especially ones that are short tripped. Once the media absorbs moisture, even if it's later "burned off", them media may be permanently swelled and not "snap back" to it's original shape. Other searches will find the same kind of information. We never seen wavy pleats in 100% full synthetic media.
https://www.sealingandcontamination...nce-between-cellulose-and-glass-filter-media/
"Some cellulose media also inherently absorb water. This property may be a benefit or disadvantage, depending on your filter’s purpose. Some hydraulic systems are exposed to water contamination, and a cellulose element is excellent at absorbing free water (just not dissolved water). Please note that as water content increases, so does pressure drop as the fibers swell in size."
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