FRAM TG3614 and WIX 51348 cut open

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
May 5, 2014
Messages
169
Location
TN
The WIX was installed on a 2008 Dodge grand caravan 3.8L on October 1st 2013 and was in service for 4100 miles until August 12th 2014. I have no complaints about the construction of this filter. In use however it did cause loud lifter noise on start up. (Start up noise was fixed by going back to a FRAM TG.)

The FRAM was installed on a 1997 Saturn sl1 that previously didn't have an oil change for 11k miles and didn't have a filter change for 17k (previous filter was a NAPA pro select which tore in four places). The filter was installed on April 4th 2014 and was in service for 3100 miles until August 22nd 2014. I have one possible complaint about the construction of this filter (see second to last picture). In use I'm very happy with how this filter performed. Even with how dirty the engine is it took weeks before the oil became dark enough to get a good reading on the dipstick.

L4jTVbh.jpg


RmKkkdE.jpg


Side with the seam in the media
qHrOODR.jpg


Side opposite the seam
57xOWYl.jpg


lHnV9we.jpg


SUaXlvj.jpg


Maybe Motorking can explain this to me. I cut open one other TG3614 before this one and it had a metal crimp where both ends of the media meet. Was there a design change or was this filter somehow skipped during manufacturing?
bxIywdl.jpg

^^Note all the junk between the pleats.^^

This is how much junk the FRAM captured in two pleats
eek.gif
.
puD9tz9.jpg
 
The Wix looks like it held up well. Nice straight pleats, plenty of thick filter media and those beautiful metal end caps!
grin2.gif
As for the tough gaurd, Im not really a fan, so I couldn't comment without bias. The only Fram I would personally feel good about using would be the Ultra. Those things are built like tanks!
 
Originally Posted By: jk_636
The Wix looks like it held up well. Nice straight pleats, plenty of thick filter media and those beautiful metal end caps!
grin2.gif
As for the tough gaurd, Im not really a fan, so I couldn't comment without bias. The only Fram I would personally feel good about using would be the Ultra. Those things are built like tanks!


X2
wink.gif
 
The Tough Guard is superior to the Wix no matter what you might "feel" the efficiency is higher and it obviously catches more contaimination than the Wix which is a lower efficiency filter.
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
The Tough Guard...it obviously catches more contaimination than the Wix which is a lower efficiency filter.


Obviously these filters were on two different vehicles...so perhaps not the best example of why one is superior over the other. I think that the construction differences between the two speaks volumes more.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: jrustles
Wow that Fram just exudes build quality, especially compared to that sloppy Wix. Man, next time I'm gettin' a Fram!


I can feel the exuding sarcasm from here
crackmeup2.gif
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Nothing like having the best built filter, and the cheapest looking filter, side by side.
TG= Tender Guard.
 
Maybe the "junk" that the filter caught between the pleats were actually, in fact, disintegrated pieces of the Fram TG filter!
 
You can use a Fram 3600 / Purolator 20195 instead of the 3614...

It's a third longer, same base and bypass pressure...
 
What's with all the hate? It seems like every thread with a FRAM in it is full of confirmation bias.
frown.gif
 
Originally Posted By: jk_636
Maybe the "junk" that the filter caught between the pleats were actually, in fact, disintegrated pieces of the Fram TG filter!

That's absolutely false.
 
Both filters look good, but the Wix "looks" better. The TG has superior filtration specs though. I would stick a paper clip or something down in that seam to see if it was really split. I doubt it.
 
Originally Posted By: jrustles
Wow that Fram just exudes build quality, especially compared to that sloppy Wix. Man, next time I'm gettin' a Fram!

I've used FRAM oil filters since I started working on cars a couple years ago. Last year I found BITOG and noticed that most people disliked FRAM and highly regarded WIX, so I gave them a try. WIX filters are beautifully made but in use I've found them to perform worse than FRAM TG filters. The 51348 seen in this thread produced terrible start up noise in the Grand Caravan and the oil drained out far darker than I've ever seen from this engine. Beta Ratio: 2/20=21/37 isn't that stellar either. http://www.fleetfilter.com/mm5/merchant....;Category_Code=
I still think WIX makes a very solid filter for someone who isn't too concerned with filtering efficiency. In my application however the FRAM while not as pretty to look at as the WIX does a better job.
Hope I didn't offend anyone
grin.gif
.
 
Originally Posted By: mattwithcats
You can use a Fram 3600 / Purolator 20195 instead of the 3614...

It's a third longer, same base and bypass pressure...

Thanks for the suggestion; that's exactly what I did with the Saturn.
 
After looking closely at the FRAM I've come to the conclusion that the filter didn't fail but did have a manufacturing error. The filter was somehow made without a metal crimp to hold both ends of the media together, resulting in several small gaps between the seam.

5zVaQbV.jpg


It should have a crimp like this one from a previous TG3614 I cut open.
wR1LWCc.jpg


Here's the date code if anyone is interested.
0NKOMJ9.jpg
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top