Cut Open: Fram XG3387A

[Texan4Life]

Fram Xtended Guard XG3387a from a 1995 Pontiac Grand Am. 7K on the filter with M1 EP 10w-30.

http://i54.tinypic.com/qosh8o.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/10f3vcy.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/2r5yohv.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/2wq8zr9.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/2lc8qhy.jpg

Sorry for the foggy pics, didn't realize I had a smudge on my lens

 

[Steve S]

They are nice filters.

 

[Jeffs2006EvoIX]

Doesn't look too shabby to me. Lot of gunk in those pics. Have you always used the M1 EP? or synthetics in this car? Looks like a decent filter.

May I ask what you used to cut it open with? I have been wanting to do this with some OEM filters of mine.

 

[kcfx4]

wow somebody says frams ok?? i agree!! good looking filter

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: kcfx4
wow somebody says frams ok?? i agree!! good looking filter


I know right

It looks great actually.. 7K in service too.

 

[hate2work]

Originally Posted By: kcfx4
wow somebody says frams ok?? i agree!! good looking filter


The Fram Xtended Guard is actually a very good filter. Don't confuse it with the Xtra Guard, which is not very well built.

 

[beast3300]

If Fram made all their filters similar to this then nobody would dislike them. Filter looks like it should be made.

 

[daman]

Looks like the EP was cleaning,also why not go with the over sized PF52? plenty of room i got the same car.

 

[Texan4Life]

Originally Posted By: Jeffs2006EvoIX
Doesn't look too shabby to me. Lot of gunk in those pics. Have you always used the M1 EP? or synthetics in this car? Looks like a decent filter.

May I ask what you used to cut it open with? I have been wanting to do this with some OEM filters of mine.


Yep lots of the crispy, crumbly deposits/sluge. Thats because before I took over the oci's, my bro's car had been abused. 14,000 miles on super tech synthetic, and then about 6,000 miles with major fuel dilution (ST again). It had a bad ignition coil causing no spark on two cylinders. dipstick smelled like gas and was way over full mark.

I WISH I would of gotten a UOA of the 14k on supertech

This was the first run on M1 EP. It now has Rotella T5 in it.

I use the filter cutter from summit: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-900510/

My trick is not to use it like a can opener (don't punch through all at once) Just keep spinning the filter while slowly tightening the knob.

 

[sciphi]

That's a Fram I'd use. Nothing wrong, except the price.

 

[webfors]

Lovely filter!

Looks like a good amount of cleaning was going on. EP is an excellent oil.

 

[deven]

If you still have the filter, would you be able to rip open the media so we can see the 2 ply backing and the mesh media?
The filter looks great!

 

[Texan4Life]

Originally Posted By: deven
If you still have the filter, would you be able to rip open the media so we can see the 2 ply backing and the mesh media?
The filter looks great!


unfortunately I don't, otherwise I would have retaken the pics. I took them awhile ago and they looked fine on my phone, so I went ahead and disposed of the filter.

On another note a UOA went in to blackstone, so stay tuned to the UOA section of the forum.

 

[901Memphis]

Looks like your filter is seeing its capacity on holding all of contaminants I would probably change the filter halfway through your OCI until they come out with less deposits inside the canister. Keep the XG if you can afford it, if not go with a cheaper filter but i think you are seriously taxed on the filters holding capacity.

A Pureone or AC Delco oversized should do better if you do the extra filter change during the oils life.

 

[impala]

Someone mentioned going to a PF52 to oversize the 3387A. The 3980 (oversize) will work very nicely in place of the 3387A.

'02 Impala 3.4

 

[Texan4Life]

Good to know about the over sized filter.

I still have some old group 7 filters to use up. I will have to get a pf52 equivalent and give it a whirl. If I can, I like to use oversized filters.

 

[Silver02ex]

Originally Posted By: deven
If you still have the filter, would you be able to rip open the media so we can see the 2 ply backing and the mesh media?
The filter looks great!


This might help. It's not the same filter number but another Fram XG.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1832723&page=1