Fram oil filters-Are they really that bad

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I use Purolator/Bosch oil filters and I see that Fram oil filters are not rated very high on this site.My question is are they really a bad oil filter?I'm sure they are used everyday from auto repair shops/dealers and in heavy duty applications.Have there been any reported problems where the Fram oil filter was at fault?I went to their site and by their videos they do a lot of testing on their filters.I was looking at their UltraGuard oil filter.any info would be great.Joe
 
The only fram filter worth buying is the xtended guard which is now the ultra line up. The OCOD is a cheap bottom shelf filter. Will it cause your engine to fail on a 3k oci, probably not but there are better filters for the money.
 
Originally Posted By: volk06
The only fram filter worth buying is the xtended guard which is now the ultra line up. The OCOD is a cheap bottom shelf filter. Will it cause your engine to fail on a 3k oci, probably not but there are better filters for the less money.

Fixed it for you.
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I used exclusively Fram in the past (2001 and before), and have switched now (mostly) to filters on sale. I still use a Fram in my MX6 and the wife's Escort because it is the only filter I've found so far that has the clean-side ADBV.

I have had one Fram that looked like it allowed unfiltered oil through. That vehicle had moisture issues, I suspect from short trips. I have run other Fram OCODs for 10k miles and they came out looking great.

I have also run some Quaker State (re-badged Purolator Classics) for 5-10k miles. Again, most came out great, but I found a tear in the media from pleats being spaced too far. Another person noticed this in their filter, too.

The difference? I paid $2 for the QS filter, whereas the Fram would have been $5 (I get all the filters on sale anymore).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are many filters that may on occasion have problems. Unless I have a good reason to (e.g. clean-side ADBV), I'd rather roll the dice on $2 filter -- if I spend $2, I know what to expect. If I'm going to spend $5+, there are filter choices out there that are much less likely to fail (P1 on sale, for instance).

YMMV. These are just my opinions.
 
Nahhh....the "orange cans of death" probably aren't that bad. For regular change intervals they are probably just fine 99.995% of the time.

But as long as I can pay just pennies more for a Motorcraft, why would I use an OCOD? (which is probably just fine 99.997% of the time)
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: volk06
The only fram filter worth buying is the xtended guard which is now the ultra line up. The OCOD is a cheap bottom shelf filter. Will it cause your engine to fail on a 3k oci, probably not but there are better filters for the less money.

Fixed it for you.
beer3.gif

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Originally Posted By: webfors
Nothing wrong with OC in a sound engine with a reasonable OCI.


I wonder how fram got to be the largest filter company on earth if their filters were collapsing and causing engine damage. Its a bitog bash.
Its also dollars and sense. I can usually buy a better filter for less cents.
Like all auto parts if i can put the manufacturers brand on for about the same money , I will.
 
All of the Fram stuff is getting very old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Originally Posted By: chad8
Originally Posted By: webfors
Nothing wrong with OC in a sound engine with a reasonable OCI.


I wonder how fram got to be the largest filter company on earth if their filters were collapsing and causing engine damage. Its a bitog bash.
Its also dollars and sense. I can usually buy a better filter for less cents.
Like all auto parts if i can put the manufacturers brand on for about the same money , I will.
Fram got to be the biggest via MUCHO advertising-and they used to have metal endcaps, about THREE owners ago (when they were Allied/Signal)-only in recent times did they start the "engineered media" i.e. cardboard endcaps. There are 2 separate threads active now on Fram Tough Guard filter screwups-have a look, then tell me how they are "better" than a CHEAPER Bosch-built Purolator Classic or even Quaker State filter!
 
Originally Posted By: abycat
I have a fram toughguard on my nissan and ford. Really nice looking filters. Im gonna cut em up when done.


You will find cardboard endcaps on the Tough Guard.
 
Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
You will find cardboard endcaps on the Tough Guard.


You also find cardboard end caps on the $20 factory filter for my friend's 2012 bmw 335i, which also happens to be an ecore. that's an OEM filter and bmw recommends a 20k mile oil change.

but on a fram it's a problem.
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The orange can hysteria on this site is just silly.

Are they the best filter? Nope.

Are they the worst filter? Nope.

Are they the best value? Not usually.

Do they work? Yep.
 
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
The orange can hysteria on this site is just silly.

Are they the best filter? Nope.

Are they the worst filter? Nope.

Are they the best value? Not usually.

Do they work? Yep.
As long as you mean-"Does the can not EXPLODE when using them", then they work!
 
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