I am posting here because I cannot reply to the guy who posted "Why FRAM Oil filters Suck" thread as I am a new user.
I am the technical manager at FRAM. I also own a repair and hot rod shop in Detroit called MotorKing Automotive.
I have been a ASE master technician for over 30 yrs, have spent alot of time working on rotary engined vehicles and in fact owned a RX2 while in college.
Before you assume that I am just some marketing flack, let me say this- FRAM makes over 30 brands of oil filters, many held in incredibly high regard in thread where FRAM gets bashed. We make efficienct oil filters and we also make the OE filters for both Honda and Subaru. Please take the time to watch this video, it is one of three that will teach you about filtration, no hype, no "buy my product" just science.
Have a great day

 

What are the other brands of oil filters that FRAM makes?

I have cut several different brand oil filters open and I must say I wasnt impressed by FRAM filters. They seemed to made from nothing but plastic and card board.
I actually had one get stuck and bypass the filter on an older ford. Who knows how long it wasnt filtering the oil.

Im not trying to bash FRAM, its just my experience with them.

 

To be honest, don't you think that trying to defend FRAM with a video made by them was a bad idea due to bias? Having seen many third party videos where people cut filters it seems like FRAM lost every time.

My Dad has been using FRAM for most of his mechanic based life and so he stays on using them (not performance oriented) but as for me I'm gonna probably continue using Napa Gold unless I have evidence that I should do otherwise.

 

Just got my first 93 rx7 last week. I have always used fram oil filters on my other vehicles. I can't tell what brand I have on there right now but when I change the oil I was planning on putting a fram filter on.
Have people honestly not had good results with these on rx7s?
What brand would someone recommend?

thanks

 

Wondering what you can tell about performance of an oil filter by cutting it open? Can you tell the filtering efficiency? Nope? Can you tell the capacity in grams of dirt? Nope. If steel end caps and lots of paper are your criteria for filters, you can buy off shore made 2$ filters with both. they typically hold 4 grams to full and filter at 60% efficiency. Filter media determines what a filter does and how good it is. You cannot with a naked eye tell the difference between plain cellulose media and cellulose/synthetic glass blends that higher end filters use. The more money you spend on media, the less pleats you need inside the filter. Since our bypass valve is spring loaded, how did you know it was open? Could you see inside the filter while the car was running? If the filter was in bypass, it did its job, removed enough dirt from the oil that the filter cartridge was full and couldnt hold any more, not uncommon after using a detergent oil on a dirty engine and having sludge under the valve covers break loose.

 

NAPA Gold=85% efficiency, FRAM TG and Ultra=99% efficiency rated at 20 micorns using ISO 4548-12 testing. You dad knows more than you think.
Performance oriented? Use the Ultra filter. It has steel end caps, a pleated stainless steel backing with two layers of full synthetic filter media, a silicone antidrainback valve and 99% efficiency and the best capacity in the entire industry for 8$ at WalMart and 9$ at advance auto parts.

 

[QUOTE=spoolin98;11398021]What are the other brands of oil filters that FRAM makes?

FRAM Filtration makes Subaru, Honda, AC Delco, Service Champ, Castrol, Mobil 1, K+N, Royal Purple, STP, FRAM Pro, FRAM Core, FRAM Ultra, FRAM Tough Guard, Luberfiner, FRAM Racing, FRAM High Mileage and many more

 

Including the FD, I currently own six cars. I maintain and do minor repairs myself in an old two-stall station a buddy and I bought a few years ago that's not far from our homes. No formal training, but I've been around cars my whole life, even worked my way thru college in a family-owned collision shop. From the OP's post, we're probably close in age. Many different cars over many years.
No, of course I can't make judgments on filtration by cutting open a FRAM filter. But maybe the point is, I've had to cut a few open over the years...to get them off. It's anecdotal for sure, but I just never seem to have a good experience with them. FRAM has expanded my vocabulary more than once. The gaskets all seem to stick, pinch, buckle or otherwise leak. Even when they don't, they always seem to be difficult to get off. You could claim that 'I'm just doing it wrong', but I don't have those issues with most others. The price is attractive and periodically I'll hear they've changed things, using different materials or construction, but when I've tried them (again) it always seems to be the same.
My .02.

 

Im not sure why your getting so defensive? Im just stating my experience.
Obviously I cant tell the filtering capacity by simply looking at it. But you can tell if a filter is doing its job or not by cutting it open, hence why they make tools to cut filters open.
I can tell with my naked eye that the inside of a fram filter compared to say a WIX filter are extremely different. I could tell the fram filter was stuck open because when I cut it open the PLASTIC valve was completely deformed and melted.
Because it was so deformed, the valve wasnt doing its purpose.
I have never seen a filter with a metal valve become deformed...

 

in the rotary engines it may be wiser to filter slightly less and avoid bypass situations, due to the amount of carbon buildup and how quickly they can foul a filter. also, as the filter filtrates it begins to increase its filtration efficiency.

i did like the video though, it was informative. but i still feel they are cheaply made regardless of the filter media.

 

I went to napa just today and asked the for a FRAM. They don't carry them. My FD gets a Napa Gold this time around.

I am enjoying the "breath of fresh air" tech being posted in an oil filter thread though. Nice change from most fram-bashing threads...

I haven't had any issues with Napa or Fram filters, and I have used about a dozen frams and about 50 napas over several different vehicles.

 

[QUOTE=motorking;11398502]The K&N and Royal Purple are the only 2 that surprise me.
But just because they make all these filters doesnt mean that they are made with the same quality.
For example, a fram filter is not as good as a Royal Purple filter just because the RP is made by fram. There are distinct differences between most of those filters.
I own a honda and a subaru, neither OEM filter is identical to the frams for my cars.

Honestly though, this is the first thread I have ever seen positive things about fram filters.
To each their own I guess.
This reminds me of a whats the best oil thread where everyone thinks the oil they use is the best.

 

well i would tend to lean that the manufacturers have stricter standards, it would be interesting to see why they chose not to have the cheaper alternatives regardless of the positive spin by fram. partly because the dealers require longer service intervals i assume but i doubt if you dissect an OE filter they will not have some of those cheaper components.

 

I could see "fram" making a lot of other filters out there. I personally use Mobil 1 filters or Napa gold. I think when alot of people bash on dram it is because Fram DOES make CHEAP filter... If you go to your local auto store and buy the cheapest fram filter on the shelf what do you expect?? Fram has to make cheap filters because that's what 98% of people want and ASK for. So what you get a filter with thin walls, cheap filter media, less filter media, cheaper rubber gaskets but enough to work fine on most application. Moral of the story, You get what you pay for.
Just my .02.

 

well the trend seems to be on the parts that aren't as critical as people make them out to be.

sure a filter will catch some metal but most engine failures are going to happen on a cheap filter or the most expensive one on the market. most people just accept it.

look at AEM, cheap honda air filter kits that made a name for themselves by selling cheap as hell air filter kits with bling on them. now they make much much more than just that and are a rather large company.

then we look at wal-mart, selling the cheapest items on the planet, mainly from china. does the stuff work? yes, otherwise these companies wouldn't have survived(or grown into the large corporations that they are now). but should you expect these chinese products to last to warranty? average lifespans? beyond average? don't count on it, be thankful if they do.

this is how i view fram, it does the job but is about as cheaply constructed as what is required to do that job. don't expect it to exceed what it claims. is a filter as critical as it is to change oil regularly? not really. it just protects you from the random casting flash that separates from the metals which was probably filtered out long ago anyways. can we run synthetic and go through 10k mile oil change intervals? no.

 

i won't be taking my chances. i'll stick with my purolator golds. and on the issue of testing, when i attended the university of northwestern ohio we tested multiple oil filters and the basic fram filters were by far the worst. it bursted at lower pressures than all the others, captured less particles, and had the cheapest design by far. the old supertech filters did better. amsoil, mobil, k@n, and bosch did the best. but then again you are talking $13+ oil filters. i could buy the oil to fill my tercel from a empty pan for less than that.

 

[QUOTE=motorking;11391524]I am posting here because I cannot reply to the guy who posted "Why FRAM Oil filters Suck" thread as I am a new user.
I am the technical manager at FRAM. I also own a repair and hot rod shop in Detroit called MotorKing Automotive.
I have been a ASE master technician for over 30 yrs, have spent alot of time working on rotary engined vehicles and in fact owned a RX2 while in college.
Before you assume that I am just some marketing flack, let me say this- FRAM makes over 30 brands of oil filters, many held in incredibly high regard in thread where FRAM gets bashed. We make efficient oil filters and we also make the OE filters for both Honda and Subaru. Please take the time to watch this video, it is one of three that will teach you about filtration, no hype, no "buy my product" just science.
Have a great day


Thank-you for your presentation Motorking. I still say as I did in the first filter thread , I would like to see these filters cut apart after half of their suggested life span has passed and the same brands open up after there life span has approached the end.

I realize there are different driving conditions and so on , show the people what these filters look like after they have been used not before .

Me thinks you are going to end up with many failed filters of all makes , sizes, shapes , that most people never see or even think about for that matter. Its easy to show what they look like new show us what they look like after use .

I use fram ,purolator ,ac delco and many others mostly what ever is on the shelf at a reasonable price that is what I buy . It would be nice to see any manufacturer putting a little extra in their products rather than barely making the grade . It has gotten to the point that most things are over priced weather made cheap or not so I don't believe that the price of a product can determine weather the product is good or poor , most times all people are doing is buying a well known name and thinking if it is made by mister x it has to be a top of the line product which in fact many times is wrong .Thank-you for your time it's not everyday that someone has the intestinal fortitude to expose themselves on a forum of any kind , Gerald m.

 

And different cars, different oils, different weather, different loads etc etc. So a comparison is by nature difficult, and results open for interpretation.
I doubt this. Even for Fram. I'd bet VERY few filters actually fail.
Not always, but a VERY strong positive correlation. And not just in filters. Remember the old adage...you can have FAST, CHEAP and RELIABLE...pick two.

 

Chew things up as you will sgtblue I still say don't tell me show me .

 

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generati...s-suck-301382/

Above link may be helpful as to understanding why this thread exists.

 

anyone see the slick FRAM OIL FILTER commercials, "use the right equipment"....great commercial, but the filters?

 

nice presentation.

 

The OP registered on this forum, posted spam for a sub-par product, and hasn't been back since. This thread is begging to be closed.