Re: Cheap filters....

[Mark Quinn/HNS <Mark_Quinn@notesgw.hns.com>]

Al Powell said:

>> As I still have the old Audi filter off my A4 that I just
>> replaced, I'll have a go at dismantling it & will report back (I can just
>> see the look on my wife face once she see the mess THIS is likely
>> to make!)
>
>EEEEK!!!  Mark, buddy, don't do it!!!!!  Even I don't want to be 
>blamed for that much mess!!!!!!!!  Use a new one and save yourself a 
>lot of goo...even if it costs a few bux.
>

Well TOO LATE.  Last night I did it.  Got out the hacksaw to my used 
Audi oil filter. (What a mess!)  Plus I also sacrificed the Fram filter (of 
a like size) that I just bought (see my previous post on this matter) and 
sliced a piece out out of my thumb - all in the cause of science.

Well, I have to agree with the variuos replies to my previous post.  You do 
get a better quality product from Audi for your money (though whether it's 
worth SEVEN times the price, I'm not sure).  In general the Audi filter is 
an "engineered" product.  The Fram a much cheaper, flimsier, mass-produced 
one.  The Fram insides remind me of those cheap pressed-steel cars and 
airplanes "made in Japan" that we used to get when we were kids in the 60's 
(no Japan-bashing intended, please).  The inside fitments were of that same 
thin gauge pressed-metal etc.  More specifically, the differences were:

Audi Filter: Filter itself (inside) made of thin, dense material. Very 
 tightly pleated, with large surface area.  Looked paper-like but 
 difficult to tell as it was sodden w/oil.

Fram Filter: Filter made of thicker, less dense, paper-like material. 
 Fewer, more widely-spread pleats.

Audi: Filter end-caps made of heavy-gauge pressed steel crimped around
 edges and electro-welded to centre tube.

Fram: Filter end-caps made of cardboard glued on.

Audi: Coil-sprung bypass valve, with fine-mesh, double layer, plastic 
 sieve assembly.

Fram: No bypass valve or sieve.

Audi: Coil sprung inlet valve (anti drain??).

Fram: Spiral-cut stamped thin steel spring inlet valve (again, anti 
 drain??).

Both: Similar guage metal can.  Both seemed to have good, heavy, seal 
 (gasket) supports.

So, again, the Audi filter definately a better product.  But then it's 
engineered for a very long interval between oil changes.  If you change
your oil at 3K-5K intervals, do you need the heftier filter?  I'm not
sure.  Comments welcome.

-Mark Quinn