I got into a pissing contest with a car dealer 14 years ago who wanted to void
the
new car warranty on a wheel bearing that failed because I had a Fram oil filter.
He said using a non-OEM supplied filter voided the warranty on the entire car. I
contacted Fram and they sicked their lawyers on the dealer.
Besides the entertainment value I got watching the lawyer rip the car dealer, I
learned that some or most OEM filters have a check valve on them that keeps oil
from draining back to the pan when the engine is shut off. This is critical on
cold starts. It turned out Fram also had this feature and make a pretty good
filter, but some of the filters quick change places use do not have check
valves.
I helped a friend change the oil on his Miata last year and the filter was dry
when we took it off. You have to catch the oil when removing an OEM filter from
a
Miata.
There really was an issue, just not with Fram filters. Even so, I now use only
OEM
filters. They only cost a buck or two more, if you buy them mail order.
Jim Hedderick
Houston
Vern & Betsi Lyle wrote:
> Thanks to all who sent the link to the Oil Filter Study. The guy says
> basically that all filters have shortcomings. Better listen to him - he is an
> electrical engineer who admits that he has no expertise in oil filtration.
> Just another belly-button.
>
> I repeat - any data?
>
> The Lyles
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