Hey everyone.. I hope you are all staying warm and getting ready for a new year.
I thought I'd share some surprising information about Fram oil filters that I read on another site,
Here is the body of that thread:
OK, some of you have heard me say to not use Fram oil filters. Some probably figure I'm being too anal and any filter that meets the car manufacturers warranty has to be good. Maybe you've seen pictures of new unused filters cut open and the cardboard ones look passable. Here's a picture comparing the Fram to the Napa Gold filter (and the Napa is a Wix filter). The Fram has 20 minutes on it, the Napa filter went to Dayton, Ohio and back home filtering the oil in my GTO.
1. Napa pleats are deeper
2. Napa has at least double the number of pleats
3. Napa pleats are a finer material
4. Napa has a steel top and bottom to the inside canister compared to cardboard on the Fram
5. Napa pleats are set in a poured epoxy base, Fram pleats are glued to the cardboard
6. Napa has a real spring to keep canister pushed up correctly to the bypass valve, Fram has a bent piece of spring steel
7. Napa body is much heavier steel. Note the smooth cut on the Napa and the ragged cut on the Fram - both cuts made with a filter rolling cutter.
Anyway seeing is believing so here's the picture. Note how the cardboard has already deformed at the top and the pleats have pushed apart on the Fram. Fram was just taken apart so the oil looks glossy in the picture.
At least now you know how O'Reily can offer a two for one sale on Fram oil filters and still make a healthy profit.
Chris
