are fram oil filters really the worst filters you can buy? walmart supertech vrs fram

[Ezrider]

i thought this was rather interesting maybe you guys will too. 

 

walmart brand supertech oil filters vs fram

 

 

 

[h67st]

Surprising! I figured Fram would be better quality than that.

[1965]

I always thought fram was suppose to be one of the best too. I heard years ago they were bad

[RowdyRebel]

Saw the insides of a Fram years ago during a similar comparison and was glad I'd never used them.  Surprised the Walmart filter was as good as it was...craftsmanship (from the video) looked to be on par with the higher quality ones.  Curious about the paper element, though...filtration, quality, etc...and how that would compare to a higher end filter.

[Ezrider]

its one of them things i think every car guy has heard someone say fram oil filters are junk. i know i have but my thought was well they are such a large manufacturer surely they have a engineering department and make a product that is just fine for normal use. and they might be, but once you actually see how there made its like do you really want to take a chance? i would suspect there failure rate is much higher than there competition. also it seems to me the stamped steel spring/center cap would be very prone to letting unfiltered oil bypass the filter. 

 

i have always avoided fram but i wasn't scared to use one from time to time until i actually saw the insides for myself. 

 

i cut open a number of filters both for the big truck and break in filters on engines and stuff like that just to inspect for potential internal problems, i am kinda surprised i had never cut open a fram in the past. 

 

i wouldn't be afraid to run the super tech filter but i have no way to test the quality of the filter medium and would still shy away from them in preference to a wix, lubrifiner, or oe filter. givin the choice. before i cut these filters open my preference between the two probably would have been to the big name fram over supertech. 

[Vladislav]

Here on my side of the pond Fram filters were always good for the last 20 years at least. As I remember the company location was Italy and those for sale here were made there. I can't say I installed a hundered or two of them, actually much less. But had no troubles with, no worries about and didn't heard from others anything bad too.

[Hobert62]

I  ran Walmart filters on my festiva when I had it,  and honestly the oil appeared to stay cleaner longer between oil changes.   When I would start it with a fram filter it would rattle on the top end for a second until oil got there. It didn't do that with the super tech.  

[kscarbel2]

Baldwin

http://www.baldwinfilter.com/

[farmer52]

I would not trust Walmart filters either.  The filter may be good quality today and lower quality tomorrow.  Walmart seeks the cheapest supplier and buys a set quantity from them.  Then when the contract expires, they may be supplied by another OE (i.e. cheapest bidder and it could be Fram).  Stay with a known good quality filter brand (Mack, Donaldson, Baldwin, or WIX/NAPA).  I say there is usually a reason why an item is cheaper.  A quality filter goes hand in hand with a quality lubricant.

[Wobblin-Goblin]

I read an article about a testing firm that said the Extra Guard Frams were bad, but the next step up, the "Tough Guard" Frams were decent filters.

I've been running the Tough Guard Frams in our Explorer ever since reading that article about a dozen years ago.

[70mackMB]

Anyone ever use or hear of anyone using a toilet paper oil filter?

http://www.toiletpaperoilfilter.com/thetoiletpaperoilfiltercompany.html   .....Hippy

[Ezrider]

3 hours ago, farmer52 said:

I would not trust Walmart filters either.  The filter may be good quality today and lower quality tomorrow.  Walmart seeks the cheapest supplier and buys a set quantity from them.  Then when the contract expires, they may be supplied by another OE (i.e. cheapest bidder and it could be Fram).  Stay with a known good quality filter brand (Mack, Donaldson, Baldwin, or WIX/NAPA).  I say there is usually a reason why an item is cheaper.  A quality filter goes hand in hand with a quality lubricant.

i would not be surprised if Walmart changes manufactures often. one thing i did find interesting is the walmart filter i bought for this test was on sale for $2.00 the average fram filter on the shelf was around 3.60 shelf sticker showed normal price on the super tech filter at 2.89 almost made we wonder if they were trying to move out a production run or phase out the filters.  but who knows. i did find it interesting that they were not only cheaper but appear to be better constructed. 

 

 

1 hour ago, 70mackMB said:

Anyone ever use or hear of anyone using a toilet paper oil filter?

http://www.toiletpaperoilfilter.com/thetoiletpaperoilfiltercompany.html   .....Hippy

i have heard of this with people who make there own home brew bio diesel. i have never heard of it being used in a high temperature high volume high pressure application such as a modern engine. 

[Red Horse]

Well I have to say I have always bought Fram or Purolators thinking they are two trusted brands.  The only negative I ever heard actually had to do with Baldwin and I recall we actually had a directive NOT to use Baldwins-I believe it was specific to a particular engine-don't remember if it was Detroit, Cummins or Mack.

Now as for air filters, got tired of paying 35 bucks for a Deere element so I called the local parts house and gave them the deere number-said they'd have it in the afternoon.  go down to pick it up, guy is ringing up sale so I look at box and its smashed on end and I open it-filter is damaged.  "Professional" parts guy say-sorry-I'll have another one in AM.  22 bucks by the way vs. 35 for JD.  Filter aside from being damaged did not look as good as the 35 buck Deere.  I go on line, cross reference and check Walmart website and they have ONE.  Went and picked it up-16 bucks but I would say equal to the JD in quality-at least based on observation.

[41chevy]

17 minutes ago, Ezrider said:

i would not be surprised if Walmart changes manufactures often. one thing i did find interesting is the walmart filter i bought for this test was on sale for $2.00 the average fram filter on the shelf was around 3.60 shelf sticker showed normal price on the super tech filter at 2.89 almost made we wonder if they were trying to move out a production run or phase out the filters.  but who knows. i did find it interesting that they were not only cheaper but appear to be better constructed. 

 

 

i have heard of this with people who make there own home brew bio diesel. i have never heard of it being used in a high temperature high volume high pressure application such as a modern engine. 

 Remember one small thing, toilet paper is septic safe and degrades when it is wet. picture it in the oil pick up or pump.

 

3 hours ago, Wobblin-Goblin said:

I read an article about a testing firm that said the Extra Guard Frams were bad, but the next step up, the "Tough Guard" Frams were decent filters.

I've been running the Tough Guard Frams in our Explorer ever since reading that article about a dozen years ago.

Ford stated on our Focus and 2018 Fusion they will not warrentee engine issues if a Fram filer is used

[Ezrider]

5 minutes ago, 41chevy said:

 Remember one small thing, toilet paper is septic safe and degrades when it is wet. picture it in the oil pick up or pump.

 

Ford stated on our Focus and 2018 Fusion they will not warrentee engine issues if a Fram filer is used

i would never consider using a toilet paper filter for a engine.....lol just does not seem like a good idea

 

interesting on the ford. we had a 2003-4 ish ford focus up till a couple years ago when someone decided to smash into it for us only had like 70k original miles on it (wifes car) 

 

she has a new nissan altimia now. she remembered that she had picked up a fram filter for her car last time she had me change the oil on it and made me go out and change her filter after she watched my video.....lol

[41chevy]

8 minutes ago, Ezrider said:

i would never consider using a toilet paper filter for a engine.....lol just does not seem like a good idea

 

interesting on the ford. we had a 2003-4 ish ford focus up till a couple years ago when someone decided to smash into it for us only had like 70k original miles on it (wifes car) 

 

she has a new nissan altimia now. she remembered that she had picked up a fram filter for her car last time she had me change the oil on it and made me go out and change her filter after she watched my video.....lol

The Focus is a 2007 Rousch ZX3, the Fusion is a  2.7 V6 Eco Boost 345 h.p.that wify's daily ride, Focus is my toy.

[1958 F.W.D.]

Interesting, I have always believed that Fram was the best. Recently though I changed to Royal Purple oil and filters when I started running that in the 5.7 Hemi Ram. 

[Ezrider]

nice, i was never too impressed with the focus i did not drive it much thoguh, it was a good inexpensive transportation pretty reliable it was just a base model manual windows locks ect. i seem to remember changing ignition coils a couple times. and a few other little things but relatively trouble free for the 10+ years or so we had it. we bought it as a couple year old used car for not a lot of money. fit and Finnish is nicer on the altima its quieter and smoother. i suppose we have had that 2 years now and i think it only has 15k miles on it right now so we have not done anything to it but change the oil a few times. (she doesn't drive much if you cant tell....lol)

 

she really liked her focus though. she would still be driving it now if some dingbat didn't total it for her. i tried talking her into a new focus or fusion but she did not like the look of the newer ones. she wanted a Honda or the Nissan i thought the Nissan seemed like the better of the two. 

[41chevy]

The 07 is a Roush built  2.2 liter supercharged 170 BHP with 6 speed and traction loc diff, all kinds of handling crap and big 4 wheel discs. Never seen winter or rain and doesn't look loke an old mans car. 

[Ezrider]

yeah that is certainly a far different car than a base model bare bones car, although i must say even her focus did handle fairly well for just a basic transportation car. iv never drove any of the special package focus's id hear people talk about a focus being a fast car and i was just kinda like well my focus is not....lol

[Mack Technician]

Dig the cardboard end plate, nasty!

As a rule of thumb.......if it has no check valve in the filter I won't buy it. The few filters I've seen Walmart sell in the service dept have not had a flow back check valve installed. The system drains to pan, unrestricted, during engine off. Also found a couple NAPA Gold with non-working check valves. Particularly the 1085. I complained to rep and he said "fluid will cause the valve to start working". That was bunk. A year went by and now they started installed one that works. 

Edited February 13, 2018 by Mack Technician

[RowdyRebel]

I usually just grab the OEM filter...Motorcraft for my Fords, AC Delco for GM, and Mopar for Dodge.  Always figured it'd be more difficult to deny a warranty or damage claim if it were all the same company.

[1965]

The man that told me to stay away from Fram said he thought purolaters were good filters. 

[farmer52]

9 hours ago, RowdyRebel said:

I usually just grab the OEM filter...Motorcraft for my Fords, AC Delco for GM, and Mopar for Dodge.  Always figured it'd be more difficult to deny a warranty or damage claim if it were all the same company.

I am the same with OE filters.  I had an interesting experience when I worked at the Cat house many years ago.  They rejected a batch of CAT branded oil filters, the filers later showed up repainted with another name on the filter.  Since that day I will never use a non-OE filter (MOPAR for the Jeeps/Dodge, AC for the GMs, Mack for the Mack, and Deere for the John Deeres).  Not because of potential warranty issues but I think the vehicle/engine OEs run quality checks on their filter suppliers.  If no-OE filter, I will use a Donaldson, WIX/NAPA, Baldwin, or Purolator brand.

[BillyT]

MB many years ago, before "spin on" oil filters someone marketed a "kit" to adapt a roll of toilet paper to the old canister type filters (like the one on top of the small block Chevy!) Wouldn't touch it! Imagine how quick it would disintegrate and plug up all the oil ports in an engine! I used to haul AC Delco batteries in a beverage trailer in the 80s. They sent us to a school at the GM training center and they cut a Fram filter in half and compared it to a AC filter!  The media wasn't as dense! My wife's 2012 corolla has a canister type filter with a separate element.the canister is thick plastic! Suddenly the price went from 3.50 for a Fram "spin on" on her 03 corolla to 9.00 for just a tiny element! Took me awhile to figure it out(Im a truck driver!) When they went to the canister, they also went to 0w20 synthetic oil 9.00 a qt and changed the interval to 10000mi. From 6000! Other than greed the reason for the raise in price is they figured the average person would change their oil less often so they would sell less volume! Well I reject the 10000mile interval on principal and change oil between 5 and 6000mi! Nobody in my area sold ow20 in castrol so I talked the local Sam's club into selling it, it's 6.00 a qt by the case! So an oil change costs me around 34.00. Lot of b.s.,but worth it to me! Also the media is visable so you can compare the quality! The two Fram filters are made in Us and France I forget which is which! I used to know a heavy hauler who bought his truck tires at Sam's club!