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it's been 10 years since I inspected the guts of a Fram oil filter, so this is based on dated evidence - anyone check one out lately? Have they improved in any way?[/color]
They've only gotten worse.
See the MiniMopar oil filter study here:
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html
Fram made a quality product in the '60s and '70s, but that was a lot of years and many corporate owners ago. They're garbage now. There have been several cases of Fram's corner-cutting causing severe damage to specific engine designs. Example, early 2.2 Mopar engines, Fram decided to make the oil filter element a little shorter than the original equipment filter. At high RPMs, the Fram filter's flimsy cardboard endcap, which was closer to the oil suction pipe, bowed downward and partially blocked the pipe, starving the engine for oil and often failing the engine completely.
Another example: Certain VW engines, the Fram filters for which were not made well enough to withstand the very high oil pressure these engines generated under certain conditions. Blam, burst filter, oil everywhere except inside the engine where it was needed.
Another example: Cummins turbo diesel engines. The failure pattern was so clear-cut that Chrysler issued a TSB saying, in effect, "Don't use Fram filters". Fram issued a counter-TSB saying "Chrysler's not telling the truth, our filters are cool and excellent and fabulous and you should use them." Whom do
you believe?
There are some motorcycle (and possibly car?) racing classes that ban Fram filters outright -- too many have burst and oiled down the track.
No thanks, not on my car. Not with so many other better options so easily available.