20k Fram Ultra Filter...

[AnthemBassMan]

I used a Fram XG10060 Filter on my 2010 Chrysler Sebring Touring 2.4 for three oil changes ranging between 6000-6500 each. My car now has 185,450 miles on it. I pretty much butchered the filter using a pair of tin snips. One thing that surprised me was how little crud there was in the end of the can. I wiped some of it out and it felt like a thin paste and wasn't gritty. I tried to get the filter media out, but kept tearing into pieces when I was trying to get it off the wire backing. The silicone ADV was flexible with no cracks or splits. What does anyone else use to cut the media free from the center tube? The oil used was Castrol Magnatech 5w20, Valvoline Maxlife 5w20, and Service Pro 5w20.

L8R,
Matt

 

[CR94]

Did the media capture anything visible without a microscope?

 

[AnthemBassMan]

I couldn't see anything in between the pleats. I really wanted to get it out in one piece then press it in a vice. Thankfully there wasn't any kind of metal flakes or glitter to be seen. Just the same black carbon/paste/whatever it was as in the dome of the can. With over 185k, I was kind of worried what may be in the filter.

L8R,
Matt

 

[blupupher]

Only wire backed media I have cut was the old Purolator PSL. It had dual layer synthetic media and metal mesh. I just cut it with a larger trim knife. I actually thought it was plastic how easily it cut through it. Not sure if Fram metal mesh is a lot thicker or not.

_____________________________________________________

2018 Hyundai Santa Fe: Delo XLE 10W-30, OEM Filter, 3,000 mile OCI
2012 Scion xB: QSUD 5W-20, CarQuest Blue, 5,000 mile OCI
2007 Saturn Vue: Synpower 5w-30, Ecogard Synthetic, OLM
2002 Ford F150: Magnatec 5W-20, Bosch Distance +, 1 year OCI
1994 Honda VT1100c: Peak 15W-40, Bosch Distance +, 1 year OCI

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Looks like that filter is beginning to sludge up to me.

 

[OnTheRocks]

Originally Posted by AnthemBassMan
I used a Fram XG10060 Filter on my 2010 Chrysler Sebring Touring 2.4 for three oil changes ranging between 6000-6500 each.


Why did you do that?

 

[AnthemBassMan]

Originally Posted by OnTheRocks
Originally Posted by AnthemBassMan
I used a Fram XG10060 Filter on my 2010 Chrysler Sebring Touring 2.4 for three oil changes ranging between 6000-6500 each.


Why did you do that?


Why so long or why so little? Fram advertises that the Ultra is a 20k filter. I just wanted to see what it would look like after getting close to that. If I'm thinking correctly, I was about 600 miles short of the 20k mark. From now on, I'll just be changing the filter every other oil change. My local Rural King has them regular price for $7.99. Walmart jumped their price up to $11.37 or something like that. Of course I found that out about a week after doing the oil change on my Wife's car.

L8R,
Matt

 

[AnthemBassMan]

Originally Posted by blupupher
Only wire backed media I have cut was the old Purolator PSL. It had dual layer synthetic media and metal mesh. I just cut it with a larger trim knife. I actually thought it was plastic how easily it cut through it. Not sure if Fram metal mesh is a lot thicker or not.


It was a fine enough wire that I tore it a few times trying to pull it from around the core.

L8R,
Matt

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Looks like that filter is beginning to sludge up to me.

Me too.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Is this from one of the Sebring engines prone to sludging?Like this. I owned one and ran Ultra filters with 5W-30 synthetic, changing about 4-5K with no issues and no sludge, but be careful with long OCIs.

 

[AnthemBassMan]

No, mine has the 2.4L four cylinder engine. The sludge junk engine was the 2.7 v6. Yeah, I usually run around 5k between oil changes and always full synthetic oil. But I pushed it over the last 10 months to see how the filter would do.

L8R,
Matt

 

[AuthorEditor]

OK, sorry I missed the 2.4L in your original post. Yeah, I had the 2.7L V6, but had no issues, though I no longer maintain that vehicle. I suspect a lot of sludging problems in all cars could be solved or at least improved by using quality filters, synthetic oil, and reasonable OCIs. A lot of people these days don't even know they need to check the oil level on the dipstick once a year or so, and when they do they dump in some cheapy lube purchased at the Dollar Store that might be oil.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted by AuthorEditor
but be careful with long OCIs.

IMO that says it all for just about any ICE.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by demarpaint
Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Looks like that filter is beginning to sludge up to me.

Me too.


Both of you guys are confusing the fabric TEXTURE APPEARANCE of the synthetic media, because you are so used to looking at "paper" pleats.

That filter doesn't look sludged up at all to me..... that is just the way that type of media looks, that's all.

 

[Driz]

Originally Posted by demarpaint
Originally Posted by AuthorEditor
but be careful with long OCIs.

IMO that says it all for just about any ICE.



I agree! Oil is cheap and easy . I know when they get old maintenance sort of goes out the window as you wait for them to die but still. That's when they are starting to burn oil and run dirtier soooooooo🤞ðŸ».

 

[4WD]

Just cut this XG at 8k …

 

[RamFan]

Originally Posted by AuthorEditor
OK, sorry I missed the 2.4L in your original post. Yeah, I had the 2.7L V6, but had no issues, though I no longer maintain that vehicle. I suspect a lot of sludging problems in all cars could be solved or at least improved by using quality filters, synthetic oil, and reasonable OCIs. A lot of people these days don't even know they need to check the oil level on the dipstick once a year or so, and when they do they dump in some cheapy lube purchased at the Dollar Store that might be oil.


IIRC the 2.7l was sludge prone until 2001. At which point Chrysler addressed the coolant leaking into the oil issue.

 

[LeoStrop]

I also think the filter is starting to sludge up.

Maybe keep it for 2 OCI's like 10 or 12K.

 

[Job]

Very good information. These are nice filters. The Fram screen is very strong and looks something like the wire mesh the filter sits on but smaller of course. I think it went too far. When you show the future two oil change filter it will be interesting. The 20k thing is up to 20k as the box says. Good experiment, doing not just talking. On a new filter I cut open I was able to separate the mesh and the two layers sort of, although the layers are meshed together.

 

[JLTD]

Originally Posted by AnthemBassMan
I used a Fram XG10060 Filter on my 2010 Chrysler Sebring Touring 2.4 for three oil changes ranging between 6000-6500 each. My car now has 185,450 miles on it. I pretty much butchered the filter using a pair of tin snips. One thing that surprised me was how little crud there was in the end of the can. I wiped some of it out and it felt like a thin paste and wasn't gritty. I tried to get the filter media out, but kept tearing into pieces when I was trying to get it off the wire backing. The silicone ADV was flexible with no cracks or splits. What does anyone else use to cut the media free from the center tube? The oil used was Castrol Magnatech 5w20, Valvoline Maxlife 5w20, and Service Pro 5w20.

L8R,
Matt


Looks like it held up well, as expected! Glad someone is getting full usage out of a FU.