Purolator vs Fram

[deerefan]

I need some input, guys. I've been using Purolator filters on my Ford trucks for a couple years. Well, I can save my money by buying Castrol at Wal-Mart over Advance and not to mention time. Wal Mart carries Fram. Does anyone have some solid data on these filters? I'll switch to Fram if it is better but I have not had any problems with Purolator either. Thanks! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[dmccarty]

Deerefan,

Boy have you asked a loaded question! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I have read lots of posts that say Fram filters are not very good. There are others who like the Purolator. Then there are those that don't. Eventually someone will post a link to a website where the guy opened up a bunch of filters to see how they were built. That does not tell you how well they filter though. But I guess one could assume that a well built filter will filter.

I just keep it simple and buy the Motorcraft brand oil filter. If there is a Mobil One filter I'll buy that since it makes me feel better. What I have been doing lately is just sending a note to my dealer with the filters I need. They mail them to me and I usually get them a day or two days after ordering. JD sells filters made by Fleetguard. I am running a JD oil filter made by Fleetguard on my Ford truck. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My dealer can get me the filters I need and the shipping cost is minimal and worth every cent. It seems everytime I need a filter I end up running to a couple stores before I find what I need. The JD filters at my dealer are priced fairly. Some or a bit more some are a bit cheaper than store bought. It averages out price wise.

Later,
Dan

 

[slowrev]

another Question. Which grade of Fram filter ? I have used Fram for many years with no problems. They have in fairly recent time cam out with an improved filter though. Tuff Guard maybe ? not sure on the name.
I have also used some purolators, no complaints with them either.
Ben

 

[JerryG]

Buy the Motorcraft filter from Wal-Mart, it is made by Purolator.

 

[deerefan]

Yea....I'm blind! Now that you mention it, Motorcraft is available at Wal Mart. I'm not sure what type Fram, but I usually use the normal filter, not the one with the special name.

 

[cp1969]

Fram took it in the shorts when they were acquired by Allied Signal. Up til then, I think they made a pretty good filter but since their brand is so recognizable, Fram is probably the #1 counterfeited filter out there. I think much of their lousy reputation started when people started looking inside the counterfeit Frams.

But from what I've read, the never-ending corporate march to cheapness has made the real Frams just about as bad.

For the same money, I buy Purolator or Motorcraft. If you want to get a premium filter, get a Donaldson, Fleetguard, or Baldwin. They're not much more.
edit: Or Wix. Wix is a good filter.

 

[kenmac]

purolator 1 or motorcraft over the fram for off the shelf filters Or you can get the best Amsoil EA oil filters with advanced media technology ( nanofiber) 25000 mile oil filter. It's hard to save money & have high quality. You get what you pay for.the more you pay for a good oil , filter, etc, the better that product is.The product had to be developed & tested . Then, you have the cost of the better materials used in the oil/ filter.

 

[Schultz]

There is some solid data on the webpage
oilfilterstudy.com

In short the best for filtration were Fram Tough Guard, Purilator Pure 1 and an AC Delco. These three had equal filtration efficiency but I liked the construction of the Pure 1 the best. However the Tough guard was the only one with a screen over the bypass valve.

 

[Schultz]

It may be made by Purilator but it's not as good as the bottom line Purilator as far as filtration efficiency.

 

[JerryG]

How do you know that?

 

[JerryG]

The Purolator site states that the PremiumPLUS filters 10-20 microns and the Motorcraft site says 20 micron. If the PP was actually a 10-micron filter, they would say so. As a filter is used it will filter smaller particles. Thus, they have the same filter efficiency.

 

[CarlGlas]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Or you can get the best Amsoil EA oil filters with advanced media technology ( nanofiber) 25000 mile oil filter....
....The product had to be developed & tested . Then, you have the cost of the better materials used in the oil/ filter. )</font>


What makes Amsoil's filters superior to
Mobil 1 Extended Performance Oil Filters ?

 

[kenmac]

what makes Amsoil's filters superior to mobil 1 ?

That's an easy one.

Because it's Amsoil

AS much as I'am quoted, I must be doing something right /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[CarlGlas]

You probably worship ole Al too, don't you? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[kenmac]

How did you figure that one out ? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Don't let it out. Let's keep that between you & I . I have alot invested with him. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Clyde]

Just a thought guys and I know you'll jump all over this one if I'm out of line. Okay, we just bought a new tractor or car or truck or whatever. We have a factory air filter fresh out of the box that came with this vehicle. The first filter that came with that vehicle is working it's rear end off trying to filter casting flashings and anything else that is running thru the engine. How long does this process take to cleanse the block? You tell me. After all of this is accomplished, just what is the oil filter picking up? We all spend millions looking at oil filters but when was the last time we looked at the air filter? Any contamination after 50 hours or so(we'll call that break-in time), what is going to contaminate the oil at this point except for what passed through the air filter? I usually find what's been left in the engine, magnetically stuck to the oil plug. Oil changes at factory recommended intervals is way, way too long for me. I buy a good grade oil, don't change brands midstream, and change it every 50 hours. Yes - I always change the oil filter also but I concentrate on the air filter moreso. I think any conscientious owner, over medicates his machinery and that is not wrong. I just think we are looking in the wrong direction as to what is contaminating our oil and how to keep the oil clean to begin with. Did you ever notice that on the first oil change, the oil is almost as it came out of the bottle. Okay, think about it...we changed the oil and the oil filter but not the air filter. The next oil change, irregardless of the oil filter quality, does not look the same as the first time. Just my opinion - Clyde

 

[kenmac]

If you were to do an oil analysis & your silicon numbers came back high , that would be a good indication that you have dirt passing through the air filter or leaks in the system allowing dirt to get in the system around the air filter. In my opinion, air filtration plays a small part as far as oil contamination goes. Acids, high temp,moisture, poor oil filtration,etc, is what contaminates the oil. Clyde ,if you'er talking about a gasoline engine. Use a group 4 or better synthetic oil with a good oil filter & your oil will look the same . NOTE: I didn't name an oil or filter brand. There is a time frame when you need to replace your air filter , but as it gets older it filters better. & this shows on an oil anaylsis .

 

[Clyde]

I was referring to diesel engines. You are completely correct in saying that the only way to tell what foreign material or contamination would be with oil analysis. I have also heard that an air filter that has been on the machine in relatively cleaner air - beats a new air filter. I sometimes get caught up in minutia and overlook the obvious. Thanks for bringing these facts to the forefront - Clyde

 

[Schultz]

This is based on pore size testing that I did on the two types of filters.
Also I noticed the motorcraft filters had 3/8" pleats and not the typical 1/2" pleats, resulting in almost half the filtration area of the equivalent Purilator filter. The motorcraft media was physically different from any of the Purilator filter medias, Motorcraft was more course and not pressed as much.

Since all oil filters that I've come across use a depth media you can't really say it has a specific pore size. However you can characterize it's size range. As long as the test conditions are the same you can use the information for direct comparison. I used bubble point testing with oil and glycerol as the test solutions. A very slow pressure ramp rate was used to detect the small pore sizes and then repeated the with a faster pressure ramp rate to detect the large end of the pore sizes. Testing was performed on 13mm die cuts from the pleated media in the same filter holder. The testing is very repeatable and fairly accurate. I would say filters that fall within +/-5µm are equivalent.

The pore sizes that I found for the Puralator, Fram, and motorcraft filters to are:
Type Small Pore Size large pore size
Purilator Pure 1 10µm 42µm
Purilator Premium 22µm 57µm
Fram TG 15µm 41µm
Fram regular 17µm 50µm
Motorcraft 22µm 77µm

There are several others but I won't list them.

These pore sizes are based on calculations of the bubble point pressure with the test fluid. All medias were tested on the same equipment and within an hour of each other.

As you can see the Motorcraft has quite range. It's this open range that allows them to put less filtration media in the filter and provide the same flow. For the most part a 30µm particle would likely pass though a motorcraft several more times than the other filters before it's caught, if it's caught.

Tim

 

[Hydraman]

Since you are putting them on Fords--- doesn't wally sell Motorcraft filters, too???? On my Lincoln's, I buy Motorcraft oil and filters right from wallyworld. I just figure that is what is exactly speced for the Ford engines. If I have an issue over it, at least Ford can't say I used the wrong product. Don