Fram CH9018, unknown miles in use

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This filter was removed from my girlfriend's 2009 Pontiac G5 at 31,107 miles. I don't know how long it was in use for, but the oil life was run down to 8% if I recall correctly. It was replaced with a Fram ToughGuard TG9018.















If anybody wants pics of something else on the filter, let me know. I still have the filter.
 
Looks like it was crushed a little and "kinked" when it was installed. Shes got a BITOG-er doing it now!
grin.gif
 
Yeah, when I was tightening the filter housing I heard and felt sort of a small "crunch" as the housing bottomed out, no doubt the new filter kinked a little bit too.

Oil fill was PU 5W-30 SN for anybody curious. I don't know the service history of this vehicle, so I figured I'd throw in something supposedly good at cleaning. I'll let it go down to 5% on the oil life monitor before changing, probably with the same combination again if things look good.
 
FYI - Chevy dealer did an oil change on my girlfriend's 2009 Malibu (4 cyl) that has similar cartridge filter. The filter was the AC Delco. I asked for it back so I could look at it ... filter looked perfect. Pleats were all super straight and no signs of any damage of fitment issues. You might want to give the AC Delco filter a try next time.
 
This may be helpful if you want to get hold of some decent USA made filters.

A few weeks ago I did an OC on a relatives Vauxhall (GM) Vectra with the 2.2 direct injected camchain lump.

Car is a 2008.

Now I bought Hengst filters for it on a 25% off deal at EuroCarParts, I wasn't surprised to see that they were of extremely good quality as usual but was surprised to see they were made in the USA rather than Germany.

It looked exactly like your FRAM but was not made in China.

The price for one was £7.08 - 25% online ordering discount and I collected from the local depot.

I think they are worth the extra.

The BiL has taken the others we ordered home to store so I can't get you a part no at the moment.

But check the EuroCarParts website, UK based, and search for a 2008 Vauxhall Vectra 2.2 petrol to see the part I am talking about.

They must be even cheaper if you can source them in the US.

I strongly suspect that they are the OE supplier of oil filters to Vauxhall/Opel/GM.

There was also some kinking to his oil filter but as the garage had been paid 6 months ago to change the oil, oil filter, fuel filter and air filter. And when I checked the filter was a GM one, the oil filter a Hengst and the fuel filter looks 4 years old.

We suspect that they didn't change any of them.

I hope his car is now going to last a lot longer with me doing his basic maintenance. Running well on 5w40 Castrol Edge C3.(mid saps). The oil looked like it was from a diesel aswell! Not good for a petrol driven mostly on highways.
 
Just did a google.

The Pontiac G5 seems to have the same engine.

2.2 Ecotec. 155bhp.

A good engine, only common problems in the UK are camchain issues due to neglect or poor oil choice, issues with the two lamda sensors in the exhaust and the fuel lump.

I have driven it and the engine a sweet one, smooth and torquey.

Hengst! You know it makes sense.

The pessimistic consistently negative Brit thinks so!!!!

This engine is specced by many for good old 5w30. But myself and the BiL decided to go for 5w40.

It is in the handbook as an approved viscosity as would be 0w40 Mobil 1.

However Castrol Edge FST was on a 20% off offer at Costco and he needed just under 6 litres so we would have needed two jugs anyway(look even using US terminology!)

Now have over 2 litres to go towards the next OCI, going to run it to 10k.

Vauxhall say to run the car to 20k or 12 months.

Luckily it was a low mileage car (16k) and had annual services for its first three years, with Full Synth at a mere 5k a time.

He has had it for nearly 18 months and it is now on 54k.

Engine is much happier with the Castrol Edge.

But then again god alone knows what the garage had out in there previously.

The click crunch you feel when you close the cap is the little pointy bit locating I believe.

Will let you know how the filter does when I do the next OC. To confirm if the deformity is due to an over long time in situ or as you suspect just a side effect of being secured in the housing.

A nice easy car to get to the filter and clean aswell.
 
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I was talking to a mechanic last week. He thinks its the new cartridge housings. Some have more threads and can be tightened more than others. So a cartridge filter brand that fits perfect on one engine can crush on another. Problem is across the board. His stash was huge because of it. Wish I had written down which fit best with which engines, but he went over it so fast. He also stated the filter manufacturers are new at cartridge filters, will figure this out in the in the future, and he can go back to buying bulk in one filter brand.

So I guess its try different filter brands, or use the dealer filter.
 
I had the same engine in my HHR and a lot of the filters looked like that after and oil change. Didn't seem to hurt anything. Some filters looked fine and others wavy after the change



Goose
 
Cartridge filters may be new in the US and Canada.

But they have been common in Europe for the thick end of twenty years.

Another reason why I think it is prudent to stick to German filters when using cartridge filter.

I have seen and heard of many issues with Chinese made goods so I avoid them.

I would consider any filter made by a company like Bosch, Hengst or Mann to be top quality even if it was made outside Germany.

The quality of the US made Hengst was as I said before top notch.

Comes with a new seal in the box for the cap.

Surely a better bet than a FRAM made by the cheapest supplier in China?
 
Thanx for sharing!

Looks like a lot of Ecotec filters, as already mentioned. I would expect the TG will do the same. Hengst makes the ACDelco filters for this app. and many say they have the best luck with fit using these. I currently have a Baldwin installed and actually took the time to torque it down to spec and removed to take a look and it was fine. I have also noted that the anti-drain back is working better on this filter than the previous NG, which was also crunched pretty good.

Has anyone tried putting the nipple of the filter into the housing without the cap? I believe that is the part that provides the ADB function and there has been talk about the sizing of that o-ring. I'm wondering if that nipple not seating properly could be causing the crunch.

I was surprised at how tight the ~15lb/ft of torque is, much tighter than I used to put them on.

bigjl, Fram's cartridge filters compare well with other main stream manufacturers. The 9018s are usually very nice, straight pleats, plenty of them and well glued. Waiting to see a XG9018.
 
I've yet to have a filter kink or go wavy in my Ecotec or the one in Mom's VUE. I've used the Delco (Hengst) PF457g, From CH/TG 9018, Purolator L15436, Bosch D3324, and Mobil M1C-153.

I've got a Napa 47082 in mine now but I won't know if it's kinked or not for another 4000 miles or so. Mom's got a Driveworks (AAP house brand) DW-5436 in hers.
 
Originally Posted By: MinamiKotaro
I've yet to have a filter kink or go wavy in my Ecotec or the one in Mom's VUE. I've used the Delco (Hengst) PF457g, From CH/TG 9018, Purolator L15436, Bosch D3324, and Mobil M1C-153.

I've got a Napa 47082 in mine now but I won't know if it's kinked or not for another 4000 miles or so. Mom's got a Driveworks (AAP house brand) DW-5436 in hers.


How come Mom gets the dirty end of the stick?
 
Originally Posted By: cp3
MK,
Do you torque the cap? Do you ever get what sounds like a dry start(ADB not working)?


I do not torque the cap. I tighten it gently until it stops turning. The Frams and the Delco/Hengst both produced valve clatter at start up, the Frams being worse. None of the others have.

Quote:
How come Mom gets the dirty end of the stick?


The Driveworks cartridge filters are actually very nice, with build quality equal to Bosch or Mobil1 at half the price or less. If I went back to paper filters, I'd use the DW-5436 over anything comparably priced. The Purolator 15436s, in particular, are pretty bad in comparison. Uneven pleats, glue overspill everywhere, endcaps that aren't even flat.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: MinamiKotaro
Originally Posted By: cp3
MK,
Do you torque the cap? Do you ever get what sounds like a dry start(ADB not working)?


I do not torque the cap. I tighten it gently until it stops turning. The Frams and the Delco/Hengst both produced valve clatter at start up, the Frams being worse. None of the others have.



Cartridge filters should always be torqued. 18 ft-lbs is the correct torque value for this application.
 
I did not torque the cap either. I was unable to fit a torque wrench in the small clearance since there is an A/C pipe (IIRC) in the way. I used the Carquest branded Lisle 14700 32mm low-profile socket and a 3/8" drive ratchet to loosen/tighten the housing.

How do I torque the housing? Do I need a different tool for the housing?

I have not heard any startup rattle/noise with the new Fram TG9018 filter, but I was never listening particularly closely. Engine starts sound more or less identical to ones with the CH9018. Less than 1000 miles have been put on this oil/filter so far, mostly city driving.
 
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