Fram issue?

[Destructo_D]

My old neibour is a GM mechanic at one of the 2 local Chevrolet lots here... he said almost every blown engine that he has worked on has had a fram oil filter in it...

 

[Junkman]

I believe that if that were the case in his limited experience, then others also would have found this to be the case in other instances of engine failures around the country. Having said that, then I am certain that some smart attorney would have started a multi million dollar class action law suite against Allied/Fram. I seriously doubt that you can attribute engine failures to just this one brand of oil filter. The single one factor of premature engine failure is lack of maintenance. If I were to have a Fram oil filter installed in my car, and never to do another oil change, can you blame the oil filter or my lack of maintenance? I don't care how poor quality a oil filter you use, if you change the oil on a regular maintenance schedule as determined by the engine manufacturer, you will get reasonable longevity out of that engine. Long before there were synthetic oils and all this debate about who makes the best oil filter, engines that had regular oil changes with no name oil filters went 100,000 miles regularly. I am old enough to remember when oil filters were considered an accessory item and engines didn't come with them as standard equipment. I am also old enough to remember the days when there was over 100 different brands of oil filters being sold routinely in the United States for a single application vehicle. I don't know if Fram is as bad a filter as some will make it out to be, but I do know that if you change oil and filter at the prescribed intervals, you will not wear out your engine. Most engine failures have underlying causes way beyond one brand of oil filter, and it is ludicrous to believe that if you use any one specific brand of oil filter that you will get any greater longevity out of your engine. There are too many variables to consider than to just blame Fram. I don't know where this Fram bashing got its start, but I can tell you that in my opinion, Fram is no better, nor any worse than any other given brand of oil filter. Some people that I know in the automotive aftermarket trade (SEMA) attribute it to the former Fram workers that lost their jobs when Fram sold out to Allied Industries and Allied moved the manufacturing from Providence RI. Until I see scientific proof that Fram oil filters are going to ruin my engine, I will consider using them along with other brands.
A while back, Consumers Reports did a oil brand & filter study and there conclusions were that there is very little to no difference based on a 60,000 New York City cab fleet study. You can read more about it here.... http://www.triumphspitfire.com/Oiltest.html
In conclusion, I will concede that there have been instances in the past where Fram filters might have failed in particular circumstances because of possible design problems, but I have not heard of any of these problems in many years now. I believe that there product is as good as any other in the scheme of things. When given the choice of OEM or aftermarket, I will purchase the OEM if there is no significant price disparity. If the OEM is significantly more, then I will purchase a aftermarket. My reason for purchasing OEM if primarily to support the dealership that sells the brand so they will be around to give me service in the future.

 

[5030]

I agree with Junkman.

In all probability, the oil filter had very little to do with the engine coming apart. In as much as it was a GM product, that probably had much more weight in the matter.

I personally like the sandpaper on the outside. There is nothing more aggraviting than trying to fit one of those sheet metal oil cupping tools or a strap wrench to an inacessable filter.

If you change your oil as rerquired by your manual and use the recommended grade and API certification, the filter has very little to do with the life of the engine. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[DmansPadge]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My experience is that they come apart internally. Great if you like paper in your oil lines.)</font>

That is the same thing I've always heard. They use low quality materials that just don't compare to other aftermarkets brands. A while back I saw some stats on oil filters and Fram was dead last. They had really low burst pressures and so on. I would buy another "cheap" brand over Fram. The bottom line is - You get what you pay for.

 

[kozak]

Looks like the consensus is that FRAM is junk. I like using Hastings myself. What does everybody think about THAT ??

Ace For Base RULES !!

YeeeeEEEEEHHHHAAAwwwww !!!! It's 2005 !!!!!

 

[soarkrebel]

I agree with junkman.

Now i have pretty much ran fram filters on my 95 gmc throughout it's life from new. it has around 210,000 miles on it and no engine problems. it regularly tows trailers and i would drive the thing cross country tommorrow (after i put some new tires on it)


I wonder since some folks are such experts on filters and oil do any of these folks do oil analysis tests? They can make claims of paper in your engines but have they ever had a lab say if this is true?
These so called engine failures was it ever really determined what the cause for failure was? or was it some "mechanics" opinion?

If the product was truely as poor quality as some claim they would be out of business due to lawsuits!

 

[r0GuE]

</font><font color="blueclass=small">( Just read a post to not use Fram products of any type. Whats wrong with them? I just put them in my cars. thanks, bw )</font>

I PERSONALLY - had one explode (implode?) on my 79 Toyota many years back. I was in a tunnel in Pittsburgh and had to drive it out with the red light on. That Toyota still ran for another 4 years before I shipped it to its final resting place. Moral of the story? Toyota's are darn good little cars.. and Fram isn't fit for an $89 lawn mower.

Oh.. and by the way, do you recon they've improved them in the last 20 years, or made dozens of changes in them to cut the costs even more to get them into Wal Mart etc? My guess... they are likely far crappier now! The only good thing about them is that they are ORANGE!! But, they covered half of that up with an abrasive.

Junk junk junk junk junk.. (strong letter to follow /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif)

 

[Dargo]

I work with several Dodge dealerships, and using a Fram oil filter is one of the few things you can do to void the warranty on a diesel Dodge with the Cummins engine. If it is a new truck and the oil flow demanded by the Cummins blows out the internal filtering membrane of the Fram filter, you just made a $15,000 mistake for a $2.50 filter! To keep your warranty valid, you must use either the Cummins Fleet Guard or Mopar (Cummins Fleet Guard painted grey) oil filter. Most filters other than a Fram will get you a lecture, but a Fram will get you a voided warranty. I don't know of anyone with the Cummins engine that now uses the Fram oil filter. If you do have a Cummins and have a Fram filter on it, I'd immediately step away from your computer and go change your oil filter. Dodge made it easy to change the oil filter. If it has sat over night, you can change the oil filter without getting dirty or even spilling a drop of oil.

 

[BillyP]

I personally know 2 people that had engine damage due to oil filter collapse. It just so happens that both were using Fram. Matter of fact, these 2 cases are the only ones I personally know or heard of. Coincidence perhaps.

 

[soarkrebel]

Dargo does the dodge warranty state the fram specific in the warranty?
If it doesnt they MUST honor the warranty.

And if it does i would wonder why fram hasn't sued cummins and dodge for defamation of character.

Does everybody think these manufacters have thier own high quality plants for filters? nope they contract out to companys like FRAM and wix.

It's kind of like on the aircraft i work on one of our customers won't have purolator filters on thier planes. i inquired why?
thinking maybe the purolator was inferior in quality.
I was told it was all about a cost dispute.

Every company puts out a piece of crap sometimes. just the other night i had to work on a plane ,a 22 million dollar one at that, that had a defective nose landing gear actuator with just 35 total flight hours!!
Now the new plane has a overhauled actuator!

Now i have never heard of a oil filter imploding . i would have liked to seen that!