Re: Cheap filters....

[quinn@hns.com]

Regarding Fram filters... this topic came up a couple of years ago.
I'm attaching a post I sent then of looking at this issue "from the
inside" so to speak.

Note: (and to counter the 'bad press' on Fram) Consumer Reports did
a piece on oil filters about 8-9(?) years ago and Fram came out on
top as providing the best filtration!

-Mark Quinn
-------------------------------------------

In Jan 1997, I wrote:

              ... 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 of my thumb - all in the cause of science.

Well, I have to agree with the various 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 gauge metal can.  Both seemed to have good, heavy, seal
     (gasket) supports.

So, again, the Audi filter definitely 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