Is Fram And Wix And Others Going to use Louvers?

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Im just curious if Fram, Wix, Motorcraft and some of the others are going to be using louvers?
Im not really a fan of louvers because i believe in some cases flow will suffer but i don't have any proof of that either.. Maybe i just don't like change. I think someone here may have said Motorcraft has louvers on some filters but im not sure. Times are changing there was a time i refused to try an ultra but now i use them on all my vehicles.
Although i don't still have the shop i still go to engine re builders meetings and the next meeting we will have a GM tech and possibly a ford guy there and i will be sure to ask them what they think of louvers.. I remember asking a couple of the GM techs about the e core and they said they did that for flow. Who Knows..
 
I cut open a WIX last weekend that had holes IIRC.

Visually, it looks like the louvers make a more "holey" surface area than the holes do, but I dont think the engine will know the difference. When hot, the oil flows very well.

Use both buddy!
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Louvers are fine IF they are manufactured correctly. I have seen a few filters where the louvers were barely opened up, and would make me think twice about using those particular filters.
 
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Im just curious if Fram, Wix, Motorcraft and some of the others are going to be using louvers?
Im not really a fan of louvers because i believe in some cases flow will suffer but i don't have any proof of that...

When you have some proof, authoritative scientific proof that is, feel free to present it on this board. Until then, much ado about nothing.

As for the question, I'm not aware of any Wix or Motorcraft insiders on this board that would know what will happen with their construction in the future, much less post it here.

Again though, even if any of the mentioned do go to louvers, they would just be joining long time louver manufacturers including Champ/(Rank) and Clarcor/Baldwin/Hastings.

But, if you want to continue to worry about it, certainly your right. Except I'm sure there some/many that might feel it's beating a dead horse now.
 
Louvers are a better option from a manufacturing process, and it eliminates the risk of the punched hole slug making it into the inside of the filter.
 
Hastings louvers are among the best I've ever seen, they've been doing it from the get go. If done correctly I think they provide for more open area. I would be really interested in what the GM tech has to say about those e-cores. I swear, there's a gap between the theory and the practice with those filters. They simply didn't perform as well in my Silverado as filters of other construction. The start of noise was for real. This is WITH the hybrid ACDelco variant.
 
Originally Posted By: KGMtech
Louvers are a better option from a manufacturing process, and it eliminates the risk of the punched hole slug making it into the inside of the filter.


Since the punching operation tends to be well separate from the filter assembly process, there are plenty of points for the punched metal to fall out.

From a manufacturing standpoint, they don't have to worry about cleaning up the machines and collecting the punched out metal for disposal/recycling.
 
Why would a manufacturer change when they have invested in the machines to punch the holes? Seems like a waste of capital to change a process unless there is an issue.
 
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Why would a manufacturer change when they have invested in the machines to punch the holes? Seems like a waste of capital to change a process unless there is an issue.


The punches that make the holes are a nuisance to maintain, these break off in the tool, and the shrapnel does damage to the die. Louvers are easier for die maintenance, far less risk for the tooling pieces breaking off and walking through the die. Ask me how I know.

Stamping dies eventually wear out, so I suspect that the maker of the inner tube piece was contemplating a change in process that would be implemented when the old style pierced hold die was on its last legs.

My company used to run the tapping plates for Fram in Stratford Ontario...many OCOD ago
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Those are some fine looking louvers. Also in the case of that specific Wix application, that makes the center tube design the same as the equivalent Nissan OEM with louvers made by Gonher and posted HERE not long ago. And as you've indicated previously you have no worries about a louvered design, you're good to go.
 
Originally Posted By: KGMtech
Louvers are a better option from a manufacturing process, and it eliminates the risk of the punched hole slug making it into the inside of the filter.


and eliminate waste, they don't have to deal with all those blanks from the punches. I'm guessing the louvers are patented.
 
Yes, it looks fine to me, too. In retrospect, I wish I would have taken a look at a 51365 and/or a 51356 to compare. I think Hastings and Baldwin have the prettiest louvers, of course.
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There is zero risk of a punched slug being in the center of an oil filter. The metal sheet is punched then sized, rolled and crimped into a center tube first, not after the filter is assembled. That seems pretty obvious. With louvers there is risk the machine isn't punching deep enough or the blades aren't sharp enough. I see ragged edges on louvers a lot. Louvers not cut open enough, a lot. Some punched holes have ragged edges too, and it is something people don't seem to talk about.
 
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