Don't buy Fram oil filters.

[MondeoBlues]

I tended to use Crosland on the late Mondeo, but I found I can get good and proper Volvo filters for as much as you can get a decent one from Euro Car Prats. The 309 has a Crosland on it but that's because it came with the car and it was therefore free, so fuck it

[danthecapriman]

I use genuine filters on mine. For the price you can’t go wrong, plus you know if it’s OEM it was designed for the car/engine. I get Ford filters from Burton or various other Ford parts suppliers for the Transit and Capri, they’re cheap but good and easily available so I don’t know why you wouldn’t. The Volvo gets Volvo filters, even the fuel filter was genuine, again there’s virtually sod all price difference between genuine and not.

The Mercury is a bit harder, but if I order bits from the states I often chuck a few genuine Ford filters onto the order at the same time. They’re a big filter not used much over here as far as I know...

I tend to stockpile filters too! Instead of just buying one I’ll buy get 3 or 4 and just use them as required then replace the stock at the last one. Oil, again, I use a good quality type and make. Cheap stuff is usually cheap for a reason imho.

Saying that though, I have used Mann and Bosch bits with no problems.

[Zelandeth]

Haven't watched the video yet, but always approach things like that with a bit of trepidation.

In all honesty though... I've only personally ever had one oil filter actually fail (the seam between the base plate and the casing failed) in the last 25 years or so of servicing my and my parents cars - and that was a Fram one...so guess there may be some truth to it.

[Timewaster]

The Fram does indeed look shonky, but I'm not convinced by the statement "this filter will destroy your engine".

Otherwise every car ever fitted with a Fram filter would be scrap.

[BorniteIdentity]

I’ve used a couple of Fram filters on my Avensis. It hasn’t died. 

But I also know that doesn’t really prove anything. I tend to stick with Bosch but - again - that could really mean anything. If I got sold a fake or a dud part, then that’s that.  Even buying from a shop doesn’t guarantee you’re getting genuine- look at the shops being busted for selling fake fags. If you can make money from deceiving people, then it will always happen. 

I’m not about to start buying parts from Toyota, so I guess you just have to hope. 

[Spurious]

Can't really go wrong for 7 quid for a genuine part. I'll pay more attention to them the next time I change the oil.

[1970mgb]

4 hours ago, SiC said:

Quote

 

It's true, these filters come from the land of the lawsuit. Why would a filter manufacturer not go through masses of testing to ensure their filters did the job? Just because a manufacturer has found a unique way of doing the job that others haven't, it doesn't mean they're bad.

Fake news for the most part.

I tend to agree with this.

Even though I'm not overly fond of the OCOD, which seems to be the filter that gets the most hatred directed at it(cardboard endcaps and all), I've never head of an engine failure attributed to it. There's one on the Marina now-I need to change it, but at this point it's not a high priority job, and I'm going to wait until I get around to doing a full engine oil change. The cardboard end caps to LOOK cheap, but they're also a good way to seal the media to the can, and in practice they don't seem to cause issues. 

BTW, that engine has two oil filters on it, one of which is a roll of toilet paper stuffed in a can(no, I'm not kidding on that-Google Frantz Oil Cleaner). There again too, Fram makes several different models of filter for a given pattern, and I've heard the Ultra described as one of the best on the market.

A few years back, Purolator was in the cross-hairs for their media tearing, although I think that problem is now mostly fixed. As I mentioned, my preferred filter for pretty much any application is Motorcraft, which is the OEM Ford filter. They are made by Purolator. I kept using them through the tearing debacle, but just shortened my change interval on them to where it wouldn't be a problem if they did tear.

This forum contains a LOT of good information https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/forums/6/1/engine-oil-filters

Also, if anyone wants to cut open filters for your own analysis post change, an angle grinder is generally frowned on as the way to do it, not the least of which because you're going to get metal shavings that can cause false alarms about the state of the engine.. I generally cut them open on a lathe, but a proper filter cutter is really the best thing to use

https://www.amazon.com/Longacre-52-77750-Oil-Filter-Cutter/dp/B005S39PWS?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1

[Noel Tidybeard]

one thing i will mention about mann filters is the air filter for a spaceship civic uses green filter medium which look the same as the honda filters whereas anything else is yellow

[somewhatfoolish]

4 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

I’ve used a couple of Fram filters on my Avensis. It hasn’t died. 

But I also know that doesn’t really prove anything. I tend to stick with Bosch but - again - that could really mean anything. If I got sold a fake or a dud part, then that’s that.  Even buying from a shop doesn’t guarantee you’re getting genuine- look at the shops being busted for selling fake fags. If you can make money from deceiving people, then it will always happen. 

I’m not about to start buying parts from Toyota, so I guess you just have to hope. 

A mediocre filter changed at or before the required interval is better than an OE one that's been on for 100k; just by servicing it at sensible points you're ahead of the average motorist by a significant margin. Unless your engine is already fucked the smaller area of media won't make any practical difference as it won't get saturated/clogged to the point of activating the bypass until well beyond the next change. That said the price difference betwixt mediocre and good is nugatory.

[spike60]

This what the oil filter on son's Astra looked like. I wasn't convinced I'd got all the bits out. Ignore the Crossland box, I don't know what make it was but it's a good advert for buying the best filters you can.

[Vince70]

Just don’t risk buying filters off eBay.

I pressed the buy it now for a filter that was supposed to be original quality and when it arrived I got this thing with a hole in the top and the rubber ring on the bottom had been glued lopsided so it went straight in the bin.  

[bigstraight6]

I’m going to put more thought and monies into filters I purchase from now on, I’m guessing all this sub standard stuff is made in China rubbish.

[somewhatfoolish]

33 minutes ago, bigstraight6 said:

I’m going to put more thought and monies into filters I purchase from now on, I’m guessing all this sub standard stuff is made in China rubbish.

Possibly not; filters are mostly fresh air and therefore relatively expensive to ship, I expect filters are still made in europe, albeit in the low cost places like Czech republic etc.

[Vince70]

That rubbish I bought was supposed to be coming from Austria according to the eBay description but it actually came from China 

[Andyrew]

Ox175 is also a mahle filter part no. So the filter in the picture isn't even theirs.

I tend to use bosch/mahle or blueprint on my shitters.  

 

[MarvinsMom]

on the 75, the filters tend to be shit i mean Britpart ones cos that is what Rimmers supply in their service kits.

the mini 1000 and metro have for a long time been using Unipart filters as theses were easy to find at our (now closed) local motor factors or at a mini show. however these are now becoming less eay to find, so we will be going on to Minispares own ones instead these are, according to the burb, made by the same firm who used to make them for BL/Austin Rover originally.

the same with the Mini MPi, i have been using MG Rover ones on that, the Mini MPi oil filter is actually the same as the ones for the k-series kettle, but as these too are noe becoming harder to find, i'll be going on to Minispares own for that car too.

and the ~Lexus, well, we do have genuine Lexus filters and oil in the back of the car, just we've not yet round to doing it yet........

the other cars from yesteryear, well as i remember the Ford Sierra was Ford Motocraft cos i could buy the filter and oil from them for less than anywhere else, the other cars before that it'll have been anything, depending on what i could get! it was a long time ago, and i just cannot remember......

oil wise, i like Duckhams in the a-series cars, now that you can buy it again. indeed in the old days, before it was discontinued that was all i did use. the rover gets carlube or equivalent while the lexus, needing special runny water like oil, that comes from Toyota themselves. the only oil i would not ever use would be castrol. i have found, certainly in an a-series that it goes all slimy inside the rocker box.  Cocopop when we first got him the inside of the rockerbox was covered in this creamy-white shit, the previous owner had been one for Castrol exclusively, so i can only think that is what caused it.

 

[drewd]

I tend to use Mann filters as they've got a good reputation, and they've been recommended to me by people wo I trust that have more experience building/maintaining cars than I do.I try and use decent oil too.

I buy items when they're on offer and shop around so prices are what I'd class as reasonable. For example a Mann oil filter and 5 litres of Quantum Platinum VW OE spec synthetic oil cost me about £24 last week. 4 litres of Castrol fully synth 5/30 and a Mann filter cost about the same a few weeks ago. I could probably have saved £3 by using Tripple QX oil and a Crossland filter that both claim to be correct for the car, but for the price of a pint I'd rather just buy the slightly more expensive service items. I might be wasting money but I'd be annoyed at myself for saving a few £ if the car sounded like a bag of spanners after an oil change.

I know people on here use cheaper stuff without any problems, but in previous experience cheap oil/filters have made my cars sound a little more rattly than Mann filters and branded oil like Castrol Magnatec or Shell Helix Ultra. This could be down to me driving really old and fairly worn out chod, but I'd rather spend a bit more and know that should my car grenade itself it's not due to me using the cheapest stuff I can find. I'm still not prepared to pay Mobil 1 money though.

[Sausage5000]

Never ever had a problem with an oil filter!

I bet that cardboard does an ok job at filtering, these things can only be tested in a lab. That rust isn’t good but I doubt it’ll do that much damage. It must’ve been stored incorrectly, and nothing to do with manufacturing surely?

I only ever buy from the dealer, they’re about £8.

[dozeydustman]

It's been some time since I last fitted a Fram brand filter to a car. I'd not had issues in the past with them and found them to be ok for a cheapo brand. I only fitted OEM to my Samba and 205s as the suitcase engine needs a non-return valve because of its location. I've got a Crosland on the Toyota, no idea what's fitted to the Saab as the garage serviced it last! Can only think that, if they're all as bad as the video shows, they've had a bad batch or their standards have lapsed.

[DaveDorson]

The FRAM HP1 Orange filter was the de rigeur filter for the high performance Type 1 Air-cooled VW crowd, and would often be seen hanging below the rear wheel arch on car that had been modified for full flow oil cooling, with a hot motor on twin carbs.

 

People in performance air cooled circles have been warning that they've been turd for ages now, I think a lot of people have moved onto using WIX filters from the higher end of their range, claiming they're a reasonable cost and far better quality.

[Wack]

On 9/22/2019 at 8:45 AM, MikeR said:

I just change the oil every 6 months , and filter every year ,

its not like I need a fit and forget filter ...

but I do got for the bigger filter on the Focus as opposed to the short one ...

10 years ago a guy at work had a fiesta that was 10 years old, he'd had it 8 years when it developed an oil leak, the leak was because the filter had rusted through, all he ever did to it was MOT every year, fix on fail , never ever changed the oil or had it serviced, even then all he did was new filter and top up, lasted another couple of years until the clutch gave up

[Split_Pin]

Yeah how long does it take for an oil filter to rust through? A relatives modern car did that and they got a shock when it developed a massive oil leak and I got a shock that they had neglected their car so badly.

[MikeR]

1 hour ago, Wack said:

10 years ago a guy at work had a fiesta that was 10 years old, he'd had it 8 years when it developed an oil leak, the leak was because the filter had rusted through, all he ever did to it was MOT every year, fix on fail , never ever changed the oil or had it serviced, even then all he did was new filter and top up, lasted another couple of years until the clutch gave up

it amazes me how much neglect a engine can take , I have seen one car that had tar for oil , had been laid up for years , given a mot and then used !!!  , you could dip the stick and it would be dry !!

same car did some 30k plus on one filter and oil change .......

it got killed in a crash ...