Should I use this Fram Ultra?

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J_R

Joined
Mar 15, 2007
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Location
Oakland, CA
After reading many positive posts about the Fram Ultra, I got one for my Saab 9-3. I couldn't open the box in the store to check the filter since they are taped. If I had seen this, I would not have bought the filter. The pleats are very uneven - not impressed with the build quality of this ten dollar filter. The thing is already tiny and about 1/4 of the pleats are completely squished together. I'm not sure if it really matters much, but it does not inspire any confidence. Is this safe to use for a 7500 - 10,000 mile OCI? Is BITOG giving me filter OCD again?
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I wouldnt hesitate to run it 10k or more.. I think it looks good.. but what do I know.. It looks like it has alot of surface media.
 
Is it Chinese made?

Id return it for something you can visually inspect. I am not too impressed with the flush pleats on the one side.
 
Thanks everyone for the input.
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Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Is it Chinese made?

Id return it for something you can visually inspect. I am not too impressed with the flush pleats on the one side.


It's U.S. made.
 
I'm not a FRAM-fan, although I admit the Ultra is a good filter, but look at almost any random picture of a filter here and you'll see pleats that are unevenly spaced...I don't think it's relevant as long as the total surface area is adequate.
 
Filter looks fine to me. Oil will still find it's way through. Most of the Fram Ultra I've seen cut open seem to have close together pleats. I think it's just the nature of the wire mess backed synthetic media. Here are some pics of an Amsoil and Royal Purple filters with similar pleats.

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I dont see anything wrong with it
I would run it for sure
Cmon its only an oil filter not a piece of fine art
 
OK, I guess I'll go ahead and run it. Wish it looked more like this one though..

These cars are not sludgers like some previous Saabs, but they are oil sensitive (IMO) in other ways. The engine looks spotless through the oil fill hole and I just want to make sure I keep it that way.
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It's a good thing you have a cartridge style filter.

You have the benefit of seeing "inside the can" before you put the filter on your car.

So I'd return it if you have the opportunity.

FRAM's QC was off when they built this filter and that could be an indicator of more problems.

You need to have confidence in the stuff you use.

Especially if you are paying top dollar for the part.
 
Originally Posted By: SilverC6
It's a good thing you have a cartridge style filter.

You have the benefit of seeing "inside the can" before you put the filter on your car.

So I'd return it if you have the opportunity.

FRAM's QC was off when they built this filter and that could be an indicator of more problems.

Especially if you are paying top dollar for the part.

You need to have confidence in the stuff you use.


Too bad I didn't save the receipt. I emailed Fram the pics, I'll see what they have to say. I may just throw this one in the garb. Not worth worrying about for 10,000 miles over ten bucks, lol.
 
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Originally Posted By: Nate1979
It looks fine. I don't see what you are worried about. What is wrong with tight pleats?


Nothing wrong with those pleats. They may look "tight", but as far as oil flow, it won't matter at all. Lots of oil filters look to have "tighter" pleat spacing on one side vs. the other.
 
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