Virgin Fram Endurance FE9688 Cut Open

[Slow Car Sport Mode]

Decided to rip it apart during my morning breakfast.

This filter feels really well made. Some sort of satin metal finish.

Date code on this one is 22355AF 15:37

No idea if these are only at Walmart or not..
As shown yesterday, no more sealed boxes..

@Kira noted correctly that the gasket seems VERY wide and thick.

Let's see all all of these things in the first two photos, before we get to cutting. Mashing the packaging and relevant portions of the filter. Not into the core parts yet of the filter.

Now let's cut it open.

And Oh no! I see chocolate glue...

Media is for SURE wire-backed and those stains were put there from my lovely screwdriver and I'm just oily in general.

I think that's 10 photos...

 

[Bellavita]

Decided to rip it apart during my morning breakfast.

This filter feels really well made. Some sort of satin metal finish.

Date code on this one is 22355AF 15:37

No idea if these are only at Walmart or not..
As shown yesterday, no more sealed boxes..

@Kira noted correctly that the gasket seems VERY wide and thick.

Let's see all all of these things in the first two photos, before we get to cutting. Mashing the packaging and relevant portions of the filter. Not into the core parts yet of the filter.

View attachment 162842View attachment 162843
Now let's cut it open.
View attachment 162844

View attachment 162845View attachment 162846View attachment 162847View attachment 162848
And Oh no! I see chocolate glue...

View attachment 162849View attachment 162850
Media is for SURE wire-backed and those stains were put there from my lovely screwdriver and I'm just oily in general.
View attachment 162851

I think that's 10 photos...

Great work with the photos . . . thank you.

It looks like a well made filter. The only negatives are the two loose pieces of glue in pictures #9 & #10 and also the glue smudges. I'm surprised about this because my perception is the manufacturing process has a high level of automation. This may be caused by the process rejecting the filter and then goes to rework and is manually corrected.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Thanks for the post.

Is it just me or do some of those louvers look a little marginal. Not to the point I wouldn't use, but I would rather see them more open?

 

[CharBaby]

Thanks for posting. Well made indeed!
I have not seen these at W*M in my area but I'll look from now on.

 

[Slow Car Sport Mode]

Great work with the photos . . . thank you.

It looks like a well made filter. The only negatives are the two loose pieces of glue in pictures #9 & #10 and also the glue smudges. I'm surprised about this because my perception is the manufacturing process has a high level of automation. This may be caused by the process rejecting the filter and then goes to rework and is manually corrected.

You may be right!

I've worked light industrial line manufacturing before but never with oil filters. Looking at it more closely the chocolate glue appears to be on one side of the filter and not the other one.

I am seeing some benefits to cutting it open Virgin because I'm not sure how visible this would have been saturated with oil.

Maybe I'll randomly cut open another one soon to see if we get more glue on the media. Glue has always been a point of contention on what you're not supposed to see in a filter.....

@SC Maintenance also makes a good point on that these holes look a little small, possibly odd. There are just more of them.

Enter discussion about PD that's Positivr Displacement pumps, bypass, and why using OE oil filters is not as necessary as everyone thinks it is because only certain specific situations can put the pump in bypass and most of the time it's NOT in that.. right?

Though they actually seem bigger than the old Ultra.

 

[racer12306]

Gluing still looks better than the Amsoil filter I just took apart.

Amsoil EA15K50 Cut Open 4636 miles - HPL PCMO

First run of HPL Oil changed at 56,305 miles Filter changed at 60941 miles I strained the oil left in the can through a coffee filter. Filter element is currently wrapped with a second wrapping paper towels. Found a couple interesting pieces. They're pretty hard and tricky to get a picture of.

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[ZeeOSix]

No idea if these are only at Walmart or not..

Yes, that's what the Fram website shows.

 

[FowVay]

My local WalMart has these in my flavor and it's a good thing. They are identical to the Royal Purple filters that I like so much and oddly enough they're identically priced ($12.99). My source for Royal Purple, Summit Racing, is out of stock on the Royal Purple for my application until some time in October.

Thanks for the sacrifice of a rather expensive filter. Fram seems to have really stepped up their game lately.

 

[Furious]

Louvers look to be open, I seen some the other day with closed louvers at my local Walmat, not really worried about the glue being on that portion of the filter.

 

[odie]

Flashlight test for the louvers ? Let there be light !

 

[odie]

Flashlight test for the louvers ? Let there be light !

Example .

 

[ZeeOSix]

Flashlight test for the louvers ? Let there be light !

Good luck doing that test without cutting it open. Gotta learn how to read the louver formation by just looking down the center tube.

 

[Slow Car Sport Mode]

Example .

Oh, it's got wire backing, all right. (I pulled it out a little with my hand/fingers.)

Here is that test in darkest area of my home (a closet) I could find.

 

[odie]

Thanks . Could use all the cut open filter center tubes for TIKI lights .

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Nice work, thanks for the pics. Seems we know Fram is the filter king again, but with a different model line name.

 

[Bellavita]

You may be right!

I've worked light industrial line manufacturing before but never with oil filters. Looking at it more closely the chocolate glue appears to be on one side of the filter and not the other one.

View attachment 162854View attachment 162855View attachment 162856

I am seeing some benefits to cutting it open Virgin because I'm not sure how visible this would have been saturated with oil.

Maybe I'll randomly cut open another one soon to see if we get more glue on the media. Glue has always been a point of contention on what you're not supposed to see in a filter.....

@SC Maintenance also makes a good point on that these holes look a little small, possibly odd. There are just more of them.

Enter discussion about PD that's Positivr Displacement pumps, bypass, and why using OE oil filters is not as necessary as everyone thinks it is because only certain specific situations can put the pump in bypass and most of the time it's NOT in that.. right?

Though they actually seem bigger than the old Ultra.

View attachment 162858View attachment 162859

With the significantly greater amount of glue on one side that confirms for me manual rework.

My speculation is the glue dispenser on the automated line may have run out or the tip needed cleaning. This is also a new product so its possible the assembly process is on new equipment. Glue smudges are from the operators gloves applying the glue where it was incomplete.

 

[bbhero]

Nice work, thanks for the pics. Seems we know Fram is the filter king again, but with a different model line name.

From the trailer house with wheels to a custom built house in a high end neighborhood.

 

[2015Corolla]

She's a sturdy gal.