Fram filters nightmare story.

I wouldn't use a Fram on a damn thing. Wix / Hastings are the best built that I've found. I have been running a AC on my Chevy's and Motorcraft on my Fords but I'm beginning to rethink those choices even though I've never had a problem.

 

anybody have a link to buy wix online? no one here carries them for some dam reason,they all want to sell me fram. they must be in the engine parts buisness.

 

Try filterbarn.com
They carry all the brands, and show you the part #'s for all the different brands as well. I'v bought from them in the past, but it's been a long time, so I cant remember any details, but I do remember I was satisfied.

I use their site quite often to cross reference part numbers.

 

Here's a link so you can check for dealers in your area.

http://www.wixfilters.com/wheretobuy/index.asp

 

The Big 3 all use a high quality filter, no need to give up on them.





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The OEMs do a lot of testing on their filters. A bum filter can cost the automaker millions in engine warranty. This is not a part where they will go cheap. The fact that Fram has never been an OEM supplier (to my knowledge), says a lot.

My buddy was a Supplier Quality Engr for Ford before he retired & he can attest to the amount of time the US automakers spend just on oil filters. He rejected & scrapped railcar loads of the filters because of poor return springs in the filters or other flawed internals. He wasn't well loved at the supplier's plant in Mexico.

I usually buy US made parts like Wix, but in a pinch, Delco or Motorcraft parts are still good quality substitutes. I have no info on the MOPAR filter parts, so I can't comment.

 

Good Supplier Development Engineers - You have to beat the suppliers into compliance or they will ship scrap..................Even when they claim 1oo% of product inspected - BS

 

Looks like you opened up a can of worms, haha,its a saying down here. Hey mate ,not good,we all put a lot of trust in oil filters,one would think FRAM would have got it right by now,shit cant be that hard ? can it.

 

wow i always run fram

 

it's not about getting it right, it's about making the most profit on the filter,screw what it goes on. the cheaper the internals can be made, the more profit. this is why they sell fram at walmart. this is also what happened to the bosch/stp filters, they had been rated excellent after being examined internally, and tested,then they went to cheap chinese made internals, or mexican made,or where ever. now they are junk. it's the all mighty dollar. I'm going to try the wix.

 

Jesus, I have run nothing but Fram filters since the 80s. Now I'm thinking back to every blown up engine I ever had and wondering if it was the filters. I've had alot of Jap cars develop smoking problems around 150,000 - 175,000 miles. All of them had Frams.

 

I went and bought a fram tg out of curiosity, I have never used a fram fillter before only dealer brand or k&n, I have never liked them for there "sure grip" which makes it ease for people to over tighten them so they become hard to get off after 1000+ over due. this tg dose not have the screen-over by-pass valve like it said on the box and the metal stand off at the bottom is so rigid that's all its good for, you can crush the filter in your hand witch has a cardboard top and bottom and a skeet metal core, I have a better air filter on my mower than this

 

Picked up another 5 lbs on idle after tossing the Fram.

 

i use the wix or napa gold 2 quart filters on my 301 and at 11.99-14.99 its a big ouch when i change my oil after every race. right now since i work at the spiffy lube i snagged the last batch of 2 qt fitlers they had left 80+ pounds of oil pressure and doing good with it so far. i only got them ebcause i picked up 7 for 20 bucks my cost instead of 11-15 each haha.

 

If you use the phrase 'every blown up motor I've had' and are not talking about trailered race cars, you definitely have some kind of problem causing engine failures. Most street engines, if built right and treated right, will last more than 1/4 million miles. Even most imports. Well, OK, most stuff built since WWII - lots of earlier stuff is simply not designed for that kind of mileage due to the technology level. But I think it's safe to say anything with overhead valves should be able to be built to last.
And a good air filter is just as important - most of those 150k mile smokers are the result of an air filtration issue

 

I had a fram filter problem back in March after an oil change. When cold, the oil pressure was at about 40 lbs at idle. When the truck got warm, it dropped low enough that it wasn't registering on the gauge. I messed with the gauge, the lines and looked at a few other things, until finally I found a post on here about Fram. I swapped the fram out for a car quest/wix filter and afterwards I was running 15 lbs when the truck was warm.

 

never had a problem with fram, they have done me well in all apps, off road, marine and drag racing, but.. i might be a lucky guy..

 

Well, I really shouldn't have said "blown up". More like tired and worn out. I did throw a rod in a 350 once but I know what caused that (my right foot). I have had a couple of Mazdas start to smoke though around 175,000 miles. Probably wasn't the filter though but this thread makes me wonder if I should switch to something else. In defense of the Frams, I had an 80 Datsun 200 SX that I sold with over 300,000 miles on it and it used Frams. That car didn't burn a drop of oil and neither did my 266,000 mile BMW 733i.

That cut up filter with the cardboard ends doesn't look good though.

 

ought to look at one with the expensive coating they put in, all kinds of goop covering the element.

 

Fram...what a scam.

 

This thing never dies.

So one day one of my roundy round customers calls and sez "Hey, I just changed oil in my racer and it won't build Oil Pressure!!" I say "What you put on it??"

Fram.

Talkin to another guy and he tells me about his high dollar ($8K at that time) Rat Motor that sawed itself when the filter collapsed. Says they sent him a check to cover repairs. ???????

Fram.

Used to try to run the Oberg screen type on a BFH like all the other trick fuel racers, but those things would junk the bearings really quick so went back to a screw on twin HP units and the bearings started to look nice again.

Use Motorcraft or Wix on everything I drive.

493K on my V-10 Ford Crew Cab.

Take care, K

 

Since high school drove 940k on frams 297k highest and still running although tired

ps. Kieth deyer is right time to kill this thread r.i.p. Fram thread

 

That happened to my ol' ladys '66 mustang. I reved the motor a little and the damn thing blew off and spraid 6 qt.s of oil all over the engine and driveway. I thought it was just a fluke but I've heard similar stories from others. Think I'm gonna switch to napa filters.

 

Talked to a guy at the Nipomo car swap this 9/26/08 weekend and he put a rebuilt SBF in his 51 Ford. It had no oil pressure. He took the motor out, replaced it and had the same problem. He used the same new oil filter on both engines (a remote unit) and found the filter was bad. I asked, after following this post, 'was it a Fram', sure was.

 

they say the gold is good,but avoid the nappa silver filter,if they still have it. supposed to be made by two different companies, the nappa gold is supposed to be excellent.

 

Napa Gold filters are made by Wix and exactly the same just with a different label.
Napa Gold filter numbers are the same as Wix, without a '5' in front of the part number.
The gasket materials and media inside are AMSOIL’s proprietary synthetic nanofiber media, like their new EAO filters.
Amsoil cans are slightly stronger but 3 times the cost of Wix and otherwise identical.

I confirmed this info last week with an Amsoil customer service rep.

Until something better comes along, I only use these filters.
Can't beat the best filter available for only $6, replaced just once or twice a year.
Why even bother with Fram or anything else?

 

well that will answer my question of where to buy one

 

how about purolator ... pure one... are they decent or crap?

 

Found this video after going to carquest for a new wix oil filter (its carquest brand and cost only $3.09 after tax). Now thats better then a damn fram which was advertized 2 for 7 dollars at crapolazone. Not really anything special but shows you the guts without having to spend the money and time to cut em up yourself. Wish the kid had a wix to show us the insides of.-Weeks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER0sM57S9jU

 

Actually, there are a females who would let you open it up on the kitchen table....

And a rash decision to buy the cheaper FRAM ended up costing a lot more than I saved.... a LOT MORE!!