Well there are a couple issues to deal with.
First is, most who post in here are more meticulous in their oil change intervals and what filters they use. Which is why pics from filters taken off their cars don't show the media tearing.
So any brand of filter will work for those motor heads in here.
Second is the small filter issue with newer engines. I've mentioned this before but i'll repeat it again.
People are thinking 70-80's about filters, when all the oil filters were the larger size. That was because the media's needed to have certain dirt holding capacities. With developement of medias the last 10 years or so by inducing synthetic fibers and controlling the pores in the pleats better...this has allowed for similar dirt holding capacities with less media needed.
So the smaller filter design today has just as much capacity of a PH8A from the 80's.
The key to this is that the engine companies didn't reduce their oil change interval just because some of their OEM oil filters are smaller did they? In some cases they went longer drain intervals ( 3,000 is now 5,000).
Third... what people are reacting to in this thread is probably not what goes with their filter. Again, because of the meticulous oil drain intervals used by posters in here and probably better oils.
What the pics in this thread are..are from older engines, probably not maintained well in both the oil and air filter ( more dirt in the engine oil). Which adds to sludge in the pan from extending the oil drain to long.
So when the owner, finally, changes oil after running to long..there can be the results seen in these pictures. It is generally caused by sludgy oil and running the filter to long. The sludgy oil impacts the fresh oil. The fresh oil pics up the sludge and takes it to the filter. The filter does it's job and stops the sludge and contaminant from going any further. To a point. That point being the filter plugging. As it reaches this point at some point the oil pressure (probably at cold start) rips the pleats because the relief valve can't react quick enough to allow the unfiltered oil downstream. Or the relief valve is stuck closed due to some sludge. So the oil "finds" a way through the media.
What owners of these type vehicles should do is put a cleaner in their engine. Drop the pan and clean everything down there. (I bet their oil pan screen is something to see as well.) And follow basic maintenance procedures on oil and air filter changes in the future. Or risk the same thing happening on their next filter regardless of brand. But as long as the engine is still running, what do they know or care..
Everyone else in here can chill about their own filter...
