I have a FRAM tough guard, K&N, WIX, and genuine Mazda oil filters cut open at the base of the can. I pulled the guts out and saved them in plastic baggies. (I will post pictures later.)

Fram is absolute shit compared to the rest...

FRAM Tough Guard:

-The entire element is basically paper glued together.

-The bypass is a piece of stamped steel with a small bit of nylon held in by a weak spring. (The only saving grace is a screen similar to a sump pickup screen that covers the bypass to keep large chunks of crap from returning to the oil pan... but if these already passed through your oil pump, your engine is screwed anyway.)

-The anti-return valve is just a ring of orange silicone. (Like in any other filter)

Stock Mazda/WIX/K&N:

-More expensive, higher quality materials.

-More pleats on filter media.

-Paper filter media with metal end pieces epoxied to filter media.

-Integral bypass valves in filter end pieces.

-Some of the anti return valves were made of ribbed silicone (Giggidy)

-Bypass valves have harder springs than FRAM.

-K&N has a bigger can (Filter is larger in diameter with similar number of pleats = same filtering capacity as less expensive filters)

-K&N has thicker sheet metal used on can and an integrated nut welded on top to make it easier to remove.

Pictures of each to follow as soon as I get home.

<a href="http://s1118.beta.photobucket.com/user/DaBrkddy/media/IMG_0913.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k602/DaBrkddy/IMG_0913.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0913.jpg"/></a>

https://www.rx7club.com/new-member-r...lters-1027883/



A guy that works for FRAM joined up to reply to this thread.

Nice, now I want Wix, and K&N's rap on their filters, so we can do a comparison on capacity and filtering ability. Listening to one manufacturer means jack shit to me. If all fram does is make 2 versions of a filter for cheap, and one expensive one that's great- I'll still buy a mazda filter. Oh, so toyota doesn't use filter end caps? That's great! They are a large manufacturer in a competitive market, and they are probably trying to cut costs and time on manufacturing.

It's nice that they are concerned about their reputation. I would be too if I were them. What we need here is a direct, unbiased comparison between the leading filters- Not my opinion, Not FRAM's opinion, but actual facts from each of the manufacturers. Will we get this? probably not, but it would be nice.

You can always try over on "Bob is the oil guy" site.