The New Fram Ultra......

[IndyFan]

My thoughts are that the RP's efficiency is nearly as good the Fram Ultra while still having wire backed full synthetic media. RP's cans are built to racing specs with 625 burst psi and overall it is a very heavy duty, quality product. I actually like the fact that it has an e-core because the wire backing will be absorbing most of the oil pressure so the e-core should never be too stressed while in all likelihood allowing for substantially better flow characteristics.

$14-$15 may seem high by comparison to a $9-$10 Ultra with wire backed media but the additional upgrades you get with an RP can should legitimately make up the difference to justify the higher price. I would buy an RP can filter without hesitation because I like how they are built.

I just can't see paying 50% more for wire backing that isn't necessary for that performance. That's a huge premium. But each has his own priorities.

Certainly the cartridge filter for the Pentastar has construction that is less different than the Fram. I seriously doubt there is a metal backing for that application. Not much room for that. (Which is why Fram used a nylon or polymer backing) I'd love to see one pulled apart.

I obviously don't have to worry about can thickness with a cartridge filter.

 

[bullwinkle]

All the moaning in this thread about the Fram and loss of value and some are turning to these suckers are $15.99. I just don't get the logic there.

The media (as shown above) is thinner & fragile enough that tearing would be possible. If someone is crazy enough (like me) to actually run multiple OCIs on a filter, for up to 20,000 miles, I think, in fact I HAVE ACTUALLY DONE IT on a the xB in my sig, you want the extra reinforcement and thicker media. I won’t do it with the new ones. So why the heck spend $10 an OCI instead of $4 or less??

 

[bullwinkle]

Adding-the RP has a thicker can than any Ultra, new or old, and the Fram Sure Grip can & does flake off, exposing rust prone bare steel underneath. $16 is a lot for a filter, but my daring prediction is, RP is going to sell a lot more filters pretty soon!

 

[OVERKILL]

I just can't see paying 50% more for wire backing that isn't necessary for that performance. That's a huge premium. But each has his own priorities.

Certainly the cartridge filter for the Pentastar has construction that is less different than the Fram. I seriously doubt there is a metal backing for that application. Not much room for that. (Which is why Fram used a nylon or polymer backing) I'd love to see one pulled apart.

I obviously don't have to worry about can thickness with a cartridge filter.

The Ultra was arguably the best deal on the market for a premium synthetic wire-backed media filter. That's one of the reasons it was so popular. It wasn't just the filtration efficiency, it was the additional benefits that the synthetic media brings with it, like superior holding capacity and flow performance over cellulose, while simultaneously filtering better. Now, it's like a fancy PureONE.

If I wanted a fancy PureONE, I'd have bought a PureONE. Those of us who want the superior wire-backed synthetic media will simply shop alternatives since the bargain has now vanished.

Nobody is saying it's a bad filter or doesn't offer excellent filtration. It's simply been cheapened so that it can be produced on the same line as all the other filters and that totally torpedoes its allure.

 

[Blagoje]

Adding-the RP has a thicker can than any Ultra, new or old, and the Fram Sure Grip can & does flake off, exposing rust prone bare steel underneath. $16 is a lot for a filter, but my daring prediction is, RP is going to sell a lot more filters pretty soon!

Well we can also look at what is comparable to RP:

Purolator Boss - Similar price, lower efficiency
Wix XP/Napa Platinum - Lower price, MUCH lower efficiency
Amsoil - effectively the same product at a higher price, has grippy coating

Anyone can perceive these as being expensive but frankly the $14-$15 you pay for an RP is about the average going rate for these filters that meet similar criteria, it might even be a bargain considering what you get all things considered.

 

[Obi Wan Noobi]

Nobody is saying it's a bad filter or doesn't offer excellent filtration. It's simply been cheapened so that it can be produced on the same line as all the other filters and that totally torpedoes its allure.

Why didn't FRAM simply do a slight price increase? Everyone else is doing it, it wouldn't have been that unusual. Instead, we get this tragedy of a "revised" filter. I get your disclaimer that "nobody is saying that it's bad...", however, you know it's not what it used to be. Heck, the spun micro-glass media went bye-bye. Might as well put a Purolator BOSS on there and call it a day. Oh, Wix XP still have wire backed filter media, I wonder for how long. Not that they're any good...

 

[IndyFan]

The Ultra was arguably the best deal on the market for a premium synthetic wire-backed media filter. That's one of the reasons it was so popular. It wasn't just the filtration efficiency, it was the additional benefits that the synthetic media brings with it, like superior holding capacity and flow performance over cellulose, while simultaneously filtering better. Now, it's like a fancy PureONE.

If I wanted a fancy PureONE, I'd have bought a PureONE. Those of us who want the superior wire-backed synthetic media will simply shop alternatives since the bargain has now vanished.

Nobody is saying it's a bad filter or doesn't offer excellent filtration. It's simply been cheapened so that it can be produced on the same line as all the other filters and that totally torpedoes its allure.

For me, it was and remains about filtration efficiency. The can makes no difference in my application. Really in any of my applications. I've never run 20k on any filter and never will. 12k tops. When I run one in my Pentastar, I'll pull it apart and we'll see how strong the media is. Can't be any weaker than the Mopar or Mobil 1 filters I've run.

Btw, everyone talks about the old media being weak. Not in the cartridge. Even without the nylon backing, the material felt at least as strong as the M1 and Mopar, neither of which had any kind of backing. I've not torn apart the can version, so I can't speak to those.

It'll be interesting to see if the XG11665 has changed at all. I just got 3 from Amazon. Packaging is new, for sure. But the filters themselves look and feel exactly the same as one I've got with the old packaging.

Ironic that the guy who doesn't care about or fear the new media might be the only one who gets to keep the old.

 

[IndyFan]

Have any of you thought about going to the Supertech 20k filter? Filtration efficiency looks as good as M1, price is the best bargain on the shelf.

 

[Blagoje]

Have any of you thought about going to the Supertech 20k filter? Filtration efficiency looks as good as M1, price is the best bargain on the shelf.

I would rather use a Fram Extra Guard because I don't trust that the Super Tech can go more than 10,000 miles just because it has a silicon ADBV.

 

[demarpaint]

For me, it was and remains about filtration efficiency. The can makes no difference in my application. Really in any of my applications. I've never run 20k on any filter and never will. 12k tops. When I run one in my Pentastar, I'll pull it apart and we'll see how strong the media is. Can't be any weaker than the Mopar or Mobil 1 filters I've run.

Btw, everyone talks about the old media being weak. Not in the cartridge. Even without the nylon backing, the material felt at least as strong as the M1 and Mopar, neither of which had any kind of backing. I've not torn apart the can version, so I can't speak to those.

It'll be interesting to see if the XG11665 has changed at all. I just got 3 from Amazon. Packaging is new, for sure. But the filters themselves look and feel exactly the same as one I've got with the old packaging.

Ironic that the guy who doesn't care about or fear the new media might be the only one who gets to keep the old.

I agree, I'm reasonably confident, at least at the moment in the XG11665 filters. It's the spin on filters that concern me, for those I'm going to wait on the dissections before buying any.

 

[Obi Wan Noobi]

Did anyone from FRAM confirm that this change is permanent? Their entire marketing material for the FRAM Ultra says "wire backed..."

 

[blufeb95]

I agree, I'm reasonably confident, at least at the moment in the XG11665 filters. It's the spin on filters that concern me, for those I'm going to wait on the dissections before buying any.

I'm concerned whether they've screwed up the pink media Made in USA cartridge filters like the XG9018, it's suck if they did, the wire backed are preferred in that application because the filters get so twisted up.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Did anyone from FRAM confirm that this change is permanent? Their entire marketing material for the FRAM Ultra says "wire backed..."

Product info updates on websites is on the back burner after customer support winding up to speed. I'm sure it's a permanent change ... maybe the first step in more changes to come.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I switched away from an Ultra XG8A, because of a failed ADBV.
I was getting horrendous start up clatter on the second half of a cross country journey, and the filter was half empty when I unscrewed it( ~ 45 degree angle upwards)
Its xg8a stash replacement seemed fine, but it too began a pattern of start up clatter after more long extended cross country drives, and I was all set to replace it prematurely, when the start up clatter stopped and I left it in place until the next OCI.

The ascent filtration data really made me wish the ADBV issues did not occur with my XG8A's

I'm using a M1-301 now, but other than the thread end bypass, am not feeling the warm and fuzzies that 99% at 20 microns that the old ultra gave me, before the adbv failures occurred.

 

[demarpaint]

I'm concerned whether they've screwed up the pink media Made in USA cartridge filters like the XG9018, it's suck if they did, the wire backed are preferred in that application because the filters get so twisted up.

There's always that concern. I counted my stash of those as well and I'm good for about three years. I'm sure there will be some commentary here about those as well. It's times like these I'm glad I took advantage of buying lots of six from Ebay. I do have one vehicle I need a filter for, my 88 E-150 in November. Hopefully I can grab on old style Ultra, and I'll have two years to worry about what to use next.

 

[bullwinkle]

Product info updates on websites is on the back burner after customer support winding up to speed. I'm sure it's a permanent change ... maybe the first step in more changes to come.

It's kind of frustrating, I bought 4 from Meijer for the son's Accord K24, 3 of them were the new style, before all this came out. They slipped one by me, they may end up going back. I have enough "one shot" PH7317 sized filters already-Densos & Pure Ones, mostly-I don't need to pay $9-10 for more. Shouldn't have been surprised, Trico wipers have been junk for years, they were bound to drag Fram down to their level.

 

[Sayjac]

The previously referenced XG11665 cartridge construction has for a long time, been quite different than any spin on XG. First it's made in S Korea and doesn't use the metal screen. Media is white and it uses a nylon type mesh backing. So, it's not really comparable to any topic spin on XG. Now, whether that specific application stays the same or for how long remains to be seen.

Otoh, 'imo' very safe to say the XG cartridges made in the US that used the metal backing and pink "2 ply synthetic" media, will also be a thing of the past, likely sooner than later. I don't see FB/Fram keeping the previous design around just for the lower volume sales US cartridges. In other words, the cost saving measures will be extended to the US XG cartridges too.

 

[wemay]

Perception is reality in the eye (and wallet) of the consumer. My perception is that the ULTRA has lost all its value when compared to a TG and the EG for 10k miles is now the best value in the FRAM line.

 

[DuckRyder]

Robert that quote is from 2015, over six years ago. I do not have the information available to me to verify or dispel the claim. I can only provide information that I have available at present, which I have already done. If more information becomes available soon, it will be published on the website.

 

[wemay]

XG9688 now screenless at my location too...