IMHO, you've made my point. Fram does a lot of things which cost less than
the processes of its competitors. Hmmmm, the thing still works. Might be
nice to own the Lamborghini, but the Chevy still gets me to work in the
morning.
Fram doesn't have as many pleats as some others. Do I recall on that oil
filter study a mention that too many pleats can end up clogging more easily?
Fram tucks the end of a pleat over another instead of gluing it. Like,
where's it gonna go? Maybe it's nice that some other brand glued the ends,
but did they need to for it to work? (and, in so doing, did they introduce
some foreign material, the glue, that really did not need to be there?) Same
with the bypass valve not spot-welded on but held in place by the end of the
tube and a spring ... where's it gonna go? (No little weld bits to break off
either.)
Looks like, some of the other brands when you cut the end off, you have to
disassemble them. With the Fram, If you cut the end off the internals will
just fall out. Got a solution for that. Don't cut the end off! :-)
Something else I like about the Fram .. it's right there on the Wal-Mart
shelf when I need it. No mail order. No 10-day wait. No schlepping over to
that specialty speedshop on the other side of town (or the nearest big
city). IOW, I don't feel I need the Lamborghini, so I'm not going to bother
with the hassle of getting one.
And as Bradakis noted, we are getting exercised about the durability of a
unit that should be frequently replaced anyway! Certainly on my race car I
don't get anywhere near 3000 miles between filter changes!
--Rocky
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Steckel <lorenzoscribe@hotmail.com>
To: mdebusk@vt.edu <mdebusk@vt.edu>; autox@autox.team.net
<autox@autox.team.net>
Date: Sunday, January 21, 2001 2:55 PM
Subject: Re: Fram Oil Filters
>An oil filter is only as good as the parts used inside and how those parts
>are assembled.
>
>There are a lot of different grades of filter paper available. Fram uses an
>inexpensive one due to the volumes involved. Therefore it does not filter
as
>well as the paper used by some other makers. Second, the pleating of a
>filter is there to increase the surface area. Fram does not pleat as much
as
>others. Where the two ends of the filter element meet to create a cylinder
>of filter paper, most makers glue the joint to make sure there is no bypass
>of the element. Fram simply tucks one end inside a pleat on the other.
>
>Most makers glue the cylinder of filter paper into a stamped metal end cap
>filled with a substance called plastisol which goes in hot, the filter is
>pushed into it. When it hardens, it is leak proof. Fram glues on a piece of
>paper card stock that looks like the back of a note tablet. And when there
>is a bypass valve installed in an end cap, most makers spot weld the valve
>into the metal end cap, or crimp it at the very least. Fram simply drops
it
>into a hole in the paper end cap and maybe puts a spring behind it to keep
>it in place.
>
>It is the sacrifice of quality to enable a cheap price on the market. Be
>aware that Fram is one of the largest private label filter makers out
there.
>A lot of store brands are made by Fram.
>
>Cut open a few different brands of oil filters and see for yourself.
>
>Larry Steckel
>
>
>>From: "Michael R. DeBusk" <mdebusk@vt.edu>
>>Reply-To: "Michael R. DeBusk" <mdebusk@vt.edu>
>>To: autox@autox.team.net
>>Subject: Fram Oil Filters
>>Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2001 12:24:51 -0500
>>
>>I've been running Frams for a long time. Now it sounds like some knowing
>>people know a good reason that they're not good. Would those of you who
>>possess this secret be willing to enlighten the rest of us? Or are you
>>just superstitious about the orange color?
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________________________
>>I'm on AOL Instant Messanger. My screen name is Maxtang 96
>>
>> 1987 Ford Taurus
>> 4 cly. 5-speed, FWD
>> (Yes, I Auto-x that thing)
>
>_________________________________________________________________
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