why is fram really so bad?

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Originally Posted By: TTK
Card board end caps!
tired.gif
Look at the OEM BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, and most if not all other drop in filters. They all have fiber end caps. "Card Board End caps",Red Herring if there ever was one. Also, a few highly regarded OEM spin on filters have fiber end caps.


My point was Fram only uses it on their cheapest filter. If they thought it was a great idea, why not use it on them all?
 
Over the years, I have many times used Fram filters with no problems. I have used other brands, too. Inasmuch as I only change my oil once a year, the price of a filter, be it $3 or $5 makes little difference to me.
 
I think Fram filters (orange can variety) get a bad rap on BITOG because they are exactly the opposite of what most BITOGers want in an oil filter - I mean we're all on a motor oil website to research the best available oil/parts for our engines, or the best available at a reasonable price. If we didn't care about the quality of the materials we put on/in our engines, we wouldn't be on this site.

IMO, most of us have concluded, based either on experience or word of mouth (or keyboard), that the orange can Frams are overpriced for their inherent quality - a bottom-tier product at a mid-tier price.
 
Way back when, CR did an oil filter test, and the Fram orange can did show good filtering efficiency.
This was way back in the 'eighties, and based upon that test, I used Fram orange cans as a matter of preference for many years.
Sometime in the middle of the last decade, I began lurking here and switched to other brands, although I've used a few Frams since.
Bottom line is that the Fram orange can is no better and no worse than any other lower tier oil filter.
I'd use one again at the right price.
Purolator white cans are usually cheaper, though, and I'm pretty well stocked up on good deal filters right now.
 
The roughly 50K BITOG members are insignificant as far as % of car owners go.

I say (guessing) 1/3 go to dealer and get OEM filter, 1/3 go to a Jiffy Lube kind of place and get a cheap Champ Labs filter, and 1/3 go to an indy and get a NAPA silver or similar.

Most go between 3K and 5K OCI and their cars will last 100K which is when you get tired of it or its rusty.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: TTK
Card board end caps!
tired.gif
Look at the OEM BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, and most if not all other drop in filters. They all have fiber end caps. "Card Board End caps",Red Herring if there ever was one. Also, a few highly regarded OEM spin on filters have fiber end caps.


My point was Fram only uses it on their cheapest filter. If they thought it was a great idea, why not use it on them all?


They probably would use fiber end caps on all their filters of they could. All FRAM filters have fiber end caps except for the Ultra. Only reason the Ultra uses metal end caps is because of the full synthetic media and the wire mess backing. Have to use metal end caps with lots of potting material to get a secure adhesion and seal.
 
I don't mind fiber end caps, the main negative about Fram Extra Guard is it has much less filter media than other filters with similar price, actually Fram Extra Guard costs more than some others such as Purolator Classic.
 
Originally Posted By: RF Overlord
It isn't that FRAM oil filters are bad, it's that they are overpriced for what you get. There are better-made filters out there for less money.


I thought "You get what you pay for" was the rule here.

Now we have value entering into the equation.

So which is it?
 
by only the cheapest filter you mean everything but the most expensive right?

Extra Guard, Tough Guard, High Mileage are all fiber end caps
 
Fram Extra Guard: 95% Dirt Trapping Efficiency
Fram Tough Guard: 99% Dirt Trapping Efficiency

Purolator Classic: 97.5% Efficient
Purolator Pure 1: 99.9% Efficient

Which would you choose if they are priced equal ? If Purolator is slightly cheaper then which one you choose ?
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Fram Extra Guard: 95% Dirt Trapping Efficiency
Fram Tough Guard: 99% Dirt Trapping Efficiency

Purolator Classic: 97.5% Efficient
Purolator Pure 1: 99.9% Efficient

Which would you choose if they are priced equal ? If Purolator is slightly cheaper then which one you choose ?


Yes, the specs are very close, and even if they were both the same price (or even if the FRAM was slightly cheaper) I'd chose the Purolator because I like the metal end cap construction better.
 
Originally Posted By: ChemicallyChargd
Amsoil states they're filters are ~97% efficient at 14 microns
-srv

I thought Amsoil claimed their filters are 98.5% @ 20 microns now. Either way, the Fram ultra is 99.5% @20 microns if I heard Motorking right. Plus the ultra is rated for 15,000 miles as well.
 
I have a friend who almost lost a 30,000 dollar race engine because of a collapsed Fram filter. That is enough to keep me from using them! I will keep using Delco filters, 68000 mi. and no issues in my GMC Canyon five banger.
 
Originally Posted By: rokwldr
I have a friend who almost lost a 30,000 dollar race engine because of a collapsed Fram filter. That is enough to keep me from using them!

This should be interesting.
35.gif
 
Originally Posted By: rokwldr
I have a friend who almost lost a 30,000 dollar race engine because of a collapsed Fram filter. That is enough to keep me from using them! I will keep using Delco filters, 68000 mi. and no issues in my GMC Canyon five banger.


I have a friend who Mother in law's second cousin's neighbor's manager at work was saved from being killed in a carjacking when a passing motorist's Fram filter exploded and knocked the robber unconscious
lol.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: rokwldr
I have a friend who almost lost a 30,000 dollar race engine because of a collapsed Fram filter. That is enough to keep me from using them! I will keep using Delco filters, 68000 mi. and no issues in my GMC Canyon five banger.


I have a friend who Mother in law's second cousin's neighbor's manager at work was saved from being killed in a carjacking when a passing motorist's Fram filter exploded and knocked the robber unconscious
lol.gif


Hee hee

Good one.
 
Originally Posted By: ram_man
Why are frams noted as being so bad? I have a friend who is kinda crazy about oil and filters and anything the like and he did an actual efficiency test on them and he said the fram did a pretty good job. So why is it so bad?


Since we are talking about authoritative advice from friends, how did this one do an efficiency test?
 
The basic Fram filter is OK. It will work for basic oil changes. The story about alien creatures coming out of Orange Cans and fastening themselves to human faces ain't true.

The Ultra is actually a VERY good filter.
 
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