From another car forum which will go nameless. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother. This guy is responding to some oil filter study comments being made so he pipes in with this statement of authority and absolute on Frams and why they are the best filter out there....
OilFilterExpert said:Well an issue with heat could be a problem,,,probably nothing you would notice with a street car but there is a little something about filters I have found out,,,and heat is one cause of this problem I am going to mention.
Owning 11 cars up until recently, I am now down to 7 cars so you can imagine I change my oil alot. My intervals are every 2,000 miles as well. I have had a habit of cutting my filters apart for years, just for curiousity sake, especially if I suspect an engine problem. I have used many filters over the years, including wix, A/C, stp, fram, and a few others. I can tell you from my experience all those filters listed and then some weren't worth a hoot except the fram.
When I cut the other filters apart, I was shocked to find the filter element only held against the case by a simple rubber o-ring. What I found was this o-ring was shrinking, due to heat and oil, and allowing the filter element inside to rattle around inside the case. When this happens it simply not filtering anymore. Oil is getting bypassed around the element at this point. I have changed some of my oil as soon as 1,000 miles and already found the elements rattling around inside the case. Keep this in mind for those that like to extend there oil changes.
The only filter I have cut apart that has never had this loose element problem is the FRAM. Simply because Fram doesn't use the cheap #@$%! o-ring to hold the element still. They use a steel bevel,,it doesn't shrink, bend or move,,,keeping the element still and filtering the oil as it should.
For this simple reason alone,,,I stick with Fram. Any filters that use o-rings to hold the element still are junk in my book.
Keep in mind there are a couple of filters I have not cut apart,,,including K&N,,,and there may be some that I have cut apart in the past that have now changed their design since. But because Fram has always had this design and continues with it,,,I stick with Fram.
There may be better filters out there by now, I am not saying Fram is the best. Just make sure what ever you buy, the element is held still with a steel bevel. Larry.
