[Sniady]

I've been doing some research on Oil Filter's, and I've been running into some interesting information. Good and bad oil filter's, some designed well and some crummy.

I was using the Puralator oil filter for a while, it's real BIG which is a plus. Cool's oil better then the smaller one's and has more filter. But I switched to a Fram oil filter which is a lot smaller. Fram's also look cooler and have the ruff end's, which make them easy to take off. Little did I know that Fram make's one of the worst oil filter's. They use to be a quality filter manufacture. They have cardboard endcaps which are glued in. The anti drainback vavle against the cardboard tends to easily leak, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. The bypass valves are plastic and sometimes not molded correctly, but they often leak anyway's.

In summary: FRAM rated lowest. PENNZOIL and QUAKER STATE are FRAM filters. AC DELCO, MOBIL 1, PUROLATOR (PROLINE, MOTORCRAFT, POWERFLO), WIX (NAPA) are solid quality filters.

It's time to switch to something else, probably go back to the painful Puralator (so hard to get off). Here's something you should read if you don't believe me or if you really want to know what's up with oil filters, read it in its entirety. A definite well done project by a guy using his intuition to determine a good or bad oil filter.http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/oil_filter_study/

So what kind of Oil filter do you use? Have any useful information to provide?


p.s. If you use a Fram in you're race car, you might have a future issue. Race car's usually have a higher oil pressure, and since the fram uses cardboard endcaps which are glued in, they have a tendency to loosen up. Not good!

 

[smestas]

Thats some great info....talk about a man on a mission!

 

[TinTop]

It's time to switch to something else, probably go back to the painful Puralator (so hard to get off).

Might be able to spray the filter with something that dries in a rough finish so your able to get a grip on it when you take it off.

And thanks for the info on Fram, I've always used them, guess its time to change.

 

[Sniady]

Re: Re: Oil Filters

Might be able to spray the filter with something that dries in a rough finish so your able to get a grip on it when you take it off.

Actually you just sparked an idea. Skateboarders use grip tape on their boards, which is sticky on one side and grippy on the other. It's not as ruff as sand paper so it won't eat you're skin up. You can find some at a skateshop, they come on a 36 x 8 inch sheet for 5 bucks. You can probably find some at Home Depot, but you'll waste a hour trying to decide which one to get. If you end up dropping by a skateboard shop just ask for GRIPTAPE.

p.s- Problem finding a skateboard shop around you? PM me, I know them all.

 

[TinTop]

Ya I thought of griptape but I think the heat will cause problems with the glue.

 

[smestas]

Don't forget the age old secret of jaming a screwdriver thru the filter and turning it right off!

 

[JoeCab]

OK guys, here's a little preview of an oil filter study Rex Chalmers is doing on the major filters available for Alfas. In case you were wondering just how bad FRAM filters are, you can plainly see the cheap cardboard and the relative lack of filter material.

Personally, I have for years used OEM filters but they kept getting smaller. The last 10-pack I purchased contained small, black filters with FIAT, Lancia, and Alfa logos on them, which I took to indicate it's now a universal filter.

I have since been very happy with the Baldwin brand filters sold by Centerline.

 

[smestas]

I cant beleive that all this time I've been using FRAM!

I guess I always got taken by the higher price and the bright orange color. Any one else willing to admit the same or am I the only gullable consumer on the BB?

 

[JoeCab]

Simon,

You were just a victim of FRAM's clever marketing to Alfa owners. By imitating the traditional "Alfa Parts Orange" they prey on our conditioned response to that color

 

[LBC]

I must agree, Fram blows.

The only Oil filters world ever run on my car is Mobil1, K&N, Denso, or Purolator Gold.

Right now im running Purolator

 

[LBC]

To add to my post theres a website called Bob is the Oil guy, its has tons of good information about different oil filters and oil's. Its worth a look...

www.bobistheoilguy.com

 

[Keven]

great info here!! I also have been duped by
Fram. I have used them for years because of
a an article in Consumer Reports.

Should have known that they would move all the
production off-shore, and sell a crappy filter now

Im going to give the AC Delco's a try. I have
had good luck with their batteries, spark plugs
and air filter. Hard to find though...

Is it just me, or is the selection at most PepBoys,
Kragen, AutoZone, etc suuuuck?

 

[italcarguy]

i have never had a problem with fram filters on an alfa. however, one time on the way back from willow springs, my friends fram filter fell apart on his dodge ram. all the crap passed on through his motor and fried it. i spent the rest of the night towing cars and his truck to my place from palmdale. in the race cars we run "fram racing" filters and have never had a problem...probably because we change them so often. anyways, this is great info to people who read this, can save all of us a lot of money in the future! thanks for the great post sniady!

 

[Sniady]

Is it just me, or is the selection at most PepBoys,
Kragen, AutoZone, etc suuuuck?

It's not you, it definitely sucks!

 

[TinTop]

in the race cars we run "fram racing" filters and have never had a problem...

Where do you get Fram racing filters?

 

[italcarguy]

I get the racing ones at PAW in Chatsworth, CA. They are on Nordhoff, 1 block west of DeSoto on the northwest corner. That is their main warehouse. They also have a store on Topanga Cyn. in Canoga Park across from Lowes. This past weekend, while at the track, I had to make an motor oil run to Walmart and saw they had the "racing" filters there too.

 

[alfa_chan]

I cant beleive that all this time I've been using FRAM!

I guess I always got taken by the higher price and the bright orange color. Any one else willing to admit the same or am I the only gullable consumer on the BB?

Mobile One or BOSCH will be my next filter... oh no... I still have two FRAMs in my toolbox...

 

[JoeCab]

The internal construction of the Mobil 1 filter is indeed impressive. But, at $11.95 per filter, it had better be.

The Baldwin (Centerline) and Clean (International Auto Parts) were as well constructed at half the price.

 

[67GTV]

Any information on the pre '68 cartridge filters? I have heard of people converting their engine to conventional oil filters. Does this imply that the cartridge design is inferior?

 

[JoeCab]

No. from what I understand the main reason to convert from cartridge to spin-on style filter is convenience, not that the spin-on filters are better.