Is Fram OK now?

[kawie_guy]

The Ultras have all the goods. The other two don't. I always buy the Ultra.
That being said, my old man has been running the orange filter for 50 years on dozens of vehicles with no issue. Ever. I keep trying to talk him into the Ultra, but he has a track record that is pointless to argue with.

 

[dishdude]

I'll use an Ultra without hesitation, but I see no reason to use an orange can or TG. Let us not forget some of the horrific cut and posts of orange cans over the years. There was a reason it was not the filter of choice.

 

[dishdude]

I'll use an Ultra without hesitation, but I see no reason to use an orange can or TG. Let us not forget some of the horrific cut and posts of orange cans over the years. There was a reason it was never the filter of choice.

 

[JeepWJ19]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
I'll use an Ultra without hesitation, but I see no reason to use an orange can or TG. Let us not forget some of the horrific cut and posts of orange cans over the years. There was a reason it was never the filter of choice.


Some of us like to change the filter in one OCI and have an OCI anywhere around 7-10k miles. So it absolutely makes sense to use a TG.

 

[mx5miata]

I dont see any harm in a Fram I have used them in the past and would again. Most OE filters dont seem any better made than a FRam. Any brand filter can fail especially now with longer service use and extended drains.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I use an OCOD in the leased Nissan.

There's only a few filters with the right bypass specs for my Subaru FB25, Fram's higher end line is one of them.
The other 2 vehicles in the fleet get whatever is cheap. Usually ST filters

 

[Eddie]

FRAM has serviced tens of millions of engines over the decades without major issues such as media tears etc. FRAM was ALWAYS OK. Ed

 

[Oldtom]

I was one of the original " Fram Haters " In 1987, a bunch of guys at work got curious and bought a Fram orange can, AC Delco, and Purolator oil filter. We had a huge belt sander with a 4 inch wide belt. The filters were opened by sanding the crimp til the base plate came off. The other filters looked OK but the Fram end cap bonding was horrible. The slightest pull would cause the end cap to pull away. My job was manufacturing industrial air dryers and filters and we had a bunch of sharp engineers. All of the engineers were surprised at the lack of bond strength. I quit buying Frams then and just recently started back.

I made several mistakes with this test: A sample size of one part. The vibration of the belt sander may have broken the end cap bond. I spent years downing Fram without consdering that they might improve ( happens, even in a corporation ) or change hands.

I think Fram has stepped up their game and the OCOD is an OK econo filter. If the fiber end caps keep you up at night, get an Ultra, Wix, AC Delco, or whatever you want. I just got an oil filter cutter and will try to get some old filters for a cut and post. I am curious about the bond strength now.

 

[goodtimes]

I found a 1/2+" long piece of potting glue loose inside a Tough Guard and another piece on the baseplate. The fiber end cap was off center allowing the sharp center tube to be exposed and cut off the glue pieces. If that's OK not knowing whether pieces of glue are now in your engine, Fram EG or TG is the one to get.

 

[Zee09]

Originally Posted By: Oldtom
I was one of the original " Fram Haters " In 1987, a bunch of guys at work got curious and bought a Fram orange can, AC Delco, and Purolator oil filter. We had a huge belt sander with a 4 inch wide belt. The filters were opened by sanding the crimp til the base plate came off. The other filters looked OK but the Fram end cap bonding was horrible. The slightest pull would cause the end cap to pull away. My job was manufacturing industrial air dryers and filters and we had a bunch of sharp engineers. All of the engineers were surprised at the lack of bond strength. I quit buying Frams then and just recently started back.

I made several mistakes with this test: A sample size of one part. The vibration of the belt sander may have broken the end cap bond. I spent years downing Fram without consdering that they might improve ( happens, even in a corporation ) or change hands.

I think Fram has stepped up their game and the OCOD is an OK econo filter. If the fiber end caps keep you up at night, get an Ultra, Wix, AC Delco, or whatever you want. I just got an oil filter cutter and will try to get some old filters for a cut and post. I am curious about the bond strength now.


Honesty is rare these days
I see the same guys post about other items besides cars-filters etc.
They are spouting their experience in 1982 when it went bad or was bad.
Forgetting it is now many generations better or totally different.
I see it with guns as well. The guns were revised 15 times by three different owners and actually has no common parts
to the original and still they post on.

I use nothing but Ultras but If I ran Fram the corporation, I'd dump the OCOD and any other Internet troubled products
and that would end that. The troublemakers would be flamed because they don't even have a clue they are gone.
In my business having tiered products was troublesome. Make the best you can make and without making several versions you
can drop the cost of the premium product. Bring the Ultra to $6 retail and nobody can compete. And you don't have to cheapen
it up any as volume itself brings down the price.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: FordBroncoVWJeta
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: FordBroncoVWJeta
The only problems I have with OCOD is the price. They seem pricey for what they are.


It's essentially a WIX/ NAPA Gold for under $4.
How did you come to that conclusion?


Probably the same way you came to yours.

 

[Hootbro]

You are more likely to get AIDS that have a FRAM oil filter failure. I bought into the all the banter and doomsayers for years. 99% of them are just parroting what they have heard and not knowing what they are looking at. If following recommended intervals and application, they are fine. Start getting past those margins, then any filter to include FRAM can take a dump.

 

[UG_Passat]

imo, the Fram OCOD started from the MiniMopar oil study, where they ripped Fram extended guards for its paper endcaps. BITOG's religion was metal endcaps or else it's [censored] (with crickets on that rationale when it came to cartridge filters)

Things started to change recently with Tear-o-lator, even with its "superior" metal endcap construction.

 

[deven]

Couple of reasons why I don't use Fram. First, I don't like wavy pleats because to me that just means that filter is made of subpar materials and secondly I don't use Fram Ultra's because it has always created a start up rattle that I don't get with other oil filters.

 

[chainblu]

There are 65,000+ members here on BITOG. If you were to poll each one, I'm sure your tally would have most saying Fram is "OK". If you are looking for somebody to tell you what you want to hear, you will have no problem finding someone to tell you Fram is the best thing since sliced bread OR Fram is junk. It just depends on what you want to hear.

I'm only using Fram as your example. The same could be said about Purolator, Wix, Mann, etc.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
imo, the Fram OCOD started from the MiniMopar oil study, where they ripped Fram extended guards for its paper endcaps.


Maybe there weren't many filters using non-metal end caps back in those days. But if people put down oil filters without metal end caps today, they would be bad mouthing about 1/2 the filters on the market. Nothing wrong with non-metal end caps if they do the job that end caps are intended to do.

 

[David1]

They are ok... I just feel for the $ you can get the OE filter for you car for the same price...

For instance..

FORD use FORD oil filters

GM use Delco Oil Filters if you can find the none E version.

Dodge / Jeep use MOPAR.

BMW / AUDI / VW / MB use MANN .

However Fram is not that bad.. They can do a 3000 mile OCI.. and Im talking about Extra Gaurd

 

[goodtimes]

Many cartridge filters use plastic type end caps to pot the glue. That would be a good upgrade to the EG and TG and maybe they would have better centered caps with no loose glue.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted By: goodtimes
Many cartridge filters use plastic type end caps to pot the glue. That would be a good upgrade to the EG and TG and maybe they would have better centered caps with no loose glue.


If there was a problem with the cardboard end caps they would have changed them by now, they changed the abdv instead.
They also use the cardboard end caps on the TG.
What is the point in metal end caps if the media tears off them like a puro?

 

[goodtimes]

Originally Posted By: maxdustington
Originally Posted By: goodtimes
Many cartridge filters use plastic type end caps to pot the glue. That would be a good upgrade to the EG and TG and maybe they would have better centered caps with no loose glue.


If there was a problem with the cardboard end caps they would have changed them by now, they changed the abdv instead.
They also use the cardboard end caps on the TG.
What is the point in metal end caps if the media tears off them like a puro?


I don't know because I was saying why don't companies use plastic type end caps like they do for cartridge filters.