So if that is the case - and again I am asking - it would point back to a material design parameter.
As noted in the section of the article I quoted, you won't get emulsification if the water level is below the saturation point of the lubricant.
Especially on engines that are short tripped, oil doesn't get to full operating temperature much in cold climates, and those that might have a badly designed PCV system or one that's not operating well (ie, bad PCV valve, etc). Lots of factors involved when it comes to the level of blow-by moisture inside the engine over many cold starts and drives over an OCI.
Because as I've said many times, once a cellulose fiber absolves water and expands, it does not "snap back" into shape like a rubber band does. So even though you don't see any evidence of water contamination after a C&P, there was some water absorbed by the fibers over the OCI, and what you are seeing is the cumulative effect on the filter pleats.
Also to add, it could be that the cellulose based filters that don't show much if any wavy pleats do use a resin binder that helps "seal" the cellulose fibers from absorbing much if any moisture. We all know that not all media is created the same. Guess Fram will have to look into their binding resin and make some changes to help prevent wavy pleats to appease the customers. Maybe they already have, since this ugly subject filter was an early non-wire backed build per date code, and some newer ones don't look as bad ... or else they better ramp up the "wavy pleats crying towel" production to handle the outrage.
No, I am not pointing at Fram at all. Just curious to the explanation.
Boiled in water - once in can - once like this …
Somehow all that justifies the new mushy fram ultra media even when others hold up fine?
Gotta say - when it was hot I turned it allot with a screwdriver and it was “mushy” - not technical - and don’t even have a basis for relative comparison - but this filter is in an odd position - cheaper filters stay mint - and the FE10575 has replaced the XG10575 IMO …Somehow all that justifies the new mushy fram ultra media even when others hold up fine?
As usual, you only read and comprehend what you want to with context distorted glasses on. I never claimed it was "justified", that's your twisting. The discussion is about what causes wavy pleats, and also how that really matters beside in a C&P centerfold contest. Show me how it actually matters besides being a visual aspect - crickets. You have any actual technical information to add to the discussion, or only trolling comments?Somehow all that justifies the new mushy fram ultra media even when others hold up fine?
Do you have technical information proving that mushy filter media dosent matter? How do you know it doesn’t affect the filters ability to contain everything it’s caught or it’s effectiveness?As usual, you only read and comprehend what you want to with context distorted glasses on. I never claimed it was "justified", that's your twisting. The discussion is about what causes wavy pleats, and also how that really matters beside in a C&P centerfold contest. Show me how it actually matters besides being a visual aspect - crickets. You have any actual technical information to add to the discussion, or only trolling comments?
Some info says that filters can actually become more efficient to a point as they capture water and the fibers swell and essentially reduce the pore sizes in the media. And of course if the level of water is very high, like when the oil is actually becoming cloudy milkshake looking, then too much exposure to that level of water contamination can cause problems like clogging the filter, regardless what the media is made out of. The level of water contamination in the sump in a normal operating engine due to combustion blow-by is far from that level of water because it doesn't look "milky". And as mentioned before, the combustion blow-by will burn off for the most part every time the engine is ran for a while at full operating temperatures. Engines that don't get that treatment will result in more moisture exposure to the guts of engine and the filter. There are other bad aspects of higher concentration of water in the guts of the engine than not, like corrosive acid formation. Too much water contamination can also shorten journal bearing life, from what I'm finding. I always get a kick out the guys who say they fire up their sports car once a month during winter storage and just let it run for 10-15 minutes. That's the worse thing you could do for an engine !!
Thats all good information and all but I don’t think anyone is buying into the idea that recent fram ultra media is becoming mushy because of excessive moisture.Some info says that filters can actually become more efficient to a point as they capture water and the fibers swell and essentially reduce the pore sizes in the media. And of course if the level of water is very high, like when the oil is actually becoming cloudy milkshake looking, then too much exposure to that level of water contamination can cause problems like clogging the filter, regardless what the media is made out of. The level of water contamination in the sump in a normal operating engine due to combustion blow-by is far from that level of water because it doesn't look "milky". And as mentioned before, the combustion blow-by will burn off for the most part every time the engine is ran for a while at full operating temperatures. Engines that don't get that treatment will result in more moisture exposure to the guts of engine and the filter. There are other bad aspects of higher concentration of water in the guts of the engine than not, like corrosive acid formation. Too much water contamination can also shorten journal bearing life, from what I'm finding. I always get a kick out the guys who say they fire up their sports car once a month during winter storage and just let it run for 10-15 minutes. That's the worse thing you could do for an engine !!
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But it could cause wavy pleats in some filters, which will do more harm to the C&P beauty pageant judge's mental state vs the filter itself.
Guess if you wanted to spend a few thousand $$ you could have Ascent run an efficiency test on a a new and a used non-wire Ultra model that has a 10K mile run on it and see how much efficiency it's lost compared to the new one.
Now it's "mussy" ... according to who?
What's the criteria that determines its level of "mushiness". You're really digging deep, lol.No no no, I mean it’s just that the water has somehow been primarily singling out a specific manufacturer’s filter line. I know this because you said so.You think torn pleats are from water?
It hasn't "singled out a specific manufacturer's filter line". Well, in case you didn't know ... Fram changed the media to a cellulose blend from the full synthetic media. You been hittin' the sauce tonight, lol? It's now susceptible to water absorption resulting in some wavy pleats - Just like those Purolators and Motorcraft I posted photos of earlier in this thread. Again, it's just not Frams ... it's possible with cellulose in the media regardless of brand. And if you payed attention to what Overkill posted, it's possible that filters with cellulose can use a resin binder that inhibits moisture absorption. That's a reason why some cellulose based filters don't have wavy pleats and others can. Maybe Fram will play around with the binder as time goes on ... time will tell.
And it's really crushed a lot of OG fanboys along the way ... such a sad state of affairs. 
You think when Purolators are posted up with wavy pleats that people will lose their minds to the same degree? All media is not created the same ... as you and most here know that by now. The level of the cellulose blend ratio would have a factor also. Also the resin binder as discussed earlier could be a factor. While doing some research, I also found some info on some synthetic material used in filters can also absorb water just as bad as cellulose can. So who knows exactly what the "synthetic" part of the blend material really is in some of these filters.
