Posted By: A57_RT
When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 06:30 PM
It seems maybe at one time they were not so bad....
When did Fram filters start being junk??
Posted By: terzmo
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 06:35 PM
years ago...Fram was tested with alot of ther filters and wix/napa came out on top..issues with cardbord/element failure,pressure valve. Alot of $$$ spent on clever advertising can get great returns. The only thing I liked was the skid resistence ends of the filter...everyone should have that feature.
Posted By: NicksGarage
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 07:25 PM
Posted By: 1_WILD_RT
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 07:32 PM
Quote:
It seems maybe at one time they were not so bad....
What in that ad makes you believe they were any better then than now? Print ads & paid endorsements don't always tell the truth....
Posted By: JohnRR
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 08:02 PM
Quote:Quote:
It seems maybe at one time they were not so bad....
What in that ad makes you believe they were any better then than now? Print ads & paid endorsements don't always tell the truth....
Posted By: 68HemiB
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 08:08 PM
Posted By: Pacnorthcuda
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 08:13 PM
BITOG took apart a 20+ year old PH11 and it had the cardboard endcaps.
Maybe in the 60's they were better, never seen proof. I do recall the reputation in the 60's and 70's was great. It wasn;t till years later that the 'orange wall of death' was discussed.
Maybe in the 60's they were better, never seen proof. I do recall the reputation in the 60's and 70's was great. It wasn;t till years later that the 'orange wall of death' was discussed.
Posted By: SattyNoCar
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 08:34 PM
I think the turning point was in the mid '80's?
Just my observation, not hard fact.
Posted By: 68X426
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 08:44 PM
Quote:
I think the turning point was in the mid '80's?
Just my observation, not hard fact.
It can be pinpointed to exactly February 1, 1983, when Allied bought Bendix, the owners of Fram Company. Junk ever since.
From back in the day:
STOCKHOLDERS CLEAR PURCHASE OF BENDIX; ALLIED NET OFF 22%
By ROBERT J. COLE, Special to the New York Times (The New York Times); Financial Desk
February 1, 1983, Tuesday
Stockholders of the Allied Corporation voted overwhelmingly at company headquarters here today to approve a $1.8 billion merger with the Bendix Corporation, formally ending one of the most bizarre merger battles in American corporate history. As the vote was being tallied, Edward L. Hennessy Jr., chairman of Allied, told stockholders that Allied's profits plunged 22 percent in both the fourth quarter and for all of 1982. Later, he said that those results would have been even worse if Bendix had been acquired in time to be included in the results. In response to questions at a news conference, Mr. Hennessy sharply assailed the highly publicized takeover battle that began last summer with Bendix bidding for the Martin Marietta Corporation.
Posted By: Von
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 08:49 PM
Knock on wood....Ive never had a problem with Fram filters.....
My Nissan has 230xxx miles on it. Almost always used Frams on it....and OMG Trop Artic oil....
Had the pan, front of motor, etc off to change the timing chain and it looks very very nice. If I posted a pic of it you would think it has maybe 50k on it....
Im not doubting that a Wix/Napa, etc filter is better, but Ive not had any issues....yet.
My Nissan has 230xxx miles on it. Almost always used Frams on it....and OMG Trop Artic oil....
Had the pan, front of motor, etc off to change the timing chain and it looks very very nice. If I posted a pic of it you would think it has maybe 50k on it....
Im not doubting that a Wix/Napa, etc filter is better, but Ive not had any issues....yet.
Posted By: 2boltmain
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 09:04 PM
I found 2 discarded oil filters in the dumpster at work. A Fram and a Delco. I cut them open and showed everybody. Lots of Fram users were surprised. The Delco filter showed them what a filter should be like. In addition to the cheap cardboard ends the Fram had unevenly spaced pleats.
Posted By: Kern Dog
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 10:17 PM
Quote:
Knock on wood....Ive never had a problem with Fram filters.....
My Nissan has 230xxx miles on it. Almost always used Frams on it....and OMG Trop Artic oil....
Had the pan, front of motor, etc off to change the timing chain and it looks very very nice. If I posted a pic of it you would think it has maybe 50k on it....
Im not doubting that a Wix/Napa, etc filter is better, but Ive not had any issues....yet.
I had similar luck with a 305 in a Chevy truck. I went 367,000 with Fram PH30 filters. It spun 3 rod bearings but still ran! Maybe using Fram filters is comparable to driving without seatbelts or prophylactics...... the danger is all around you, but some come out unscathed...........
Posted By: GwaiiEagle
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/04/12 11:09 PM
PH8A, Baby!
Posted By: SattyNoCar
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/05/12 04:19 AM
When I was in HS (which would have been about '84-'85) I had two Fram filters, one was an 'old' one (never used, still in its package), and a brand new one from the local auto parts store.
The weight difference between the two was VERY obvious. The 'old' one felt almost as if it were full of oil it was so much heavier than the new one. I didn't know at the time that Fram had been bought out.
I continued to use Fram off and on off for a few more years, then, I started noticing the differences with oil pressure between Fram and a good filter like WIX.
I've never had an engine 'blow up' because of a Fram (though the original engine to my wagon has a spun bearing and a Fram filter on it, coincidence?) but, I use only WIX now.
Posted By: fox
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/05/12 03:00 PM
Back a long time ago, engines didn't have filters at all.!
You motor has been a lucky one and has been poorly filtered for years. You might as well just leave the factory one on it for the life of the motor.
It funny how we can be so finicky about things we see like shocks and tires but ignore what is hidden.
You motor has been a lucky one and has been poorly filtered for years. You might as well just leave the factory one on it for the life of the motor.
It funny how we can be so finicky about things we see like shocks and tires but ignore what is hidden.
Posted By: DPelletier
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/05/12 04:12 PM
Quote:
Maybe using Fram filters is comparable to driving without seatbelts or prophylactics...... the danger is all around you, but some come out unscathed...........
....well put! 
Dave
Posted By: dusturbd340W5
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/06/12 02:04 AM
I would never use a Fram on the race car but I have put 100's of thousands of miles on them in my DD and in 30 years I have never had a oil filter related problem.
Posted By: Pacnorthcuda
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/06/12 02:07 AM
Quote:
I would never use a Fram on the race car but I have put 100's of thousands of miles on them in my DD and in 30 years I have never had a oil filter related problem.
And my Father-in-law has been smoking Pall Mall straights for over 50 years and he's never had a cancer problem (knock on wood). That don't make em healthy
Posted By: AndyF
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/06/12 02:38 AM
Sounds like a good theory. I've been involved in a few corporate takeovers and it is pretty common for the new guys to ruin the old place with their "new" ideas. Most of the new ideas are nothing more than cheapen the products until they are junk and then sex up the advertising. It usually works for a while.
Posted By: HEMIDOG 70
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/06/12 02:58 AM
You nailed it it's everywhere now.
Posted By: Von
Re: When did Fram filters start being junk?? - 03/06/12 03:20 AM
Quote:
You motor has been a lucky one and has been poorly filtered for years.
1. 88 Dynasty 150K on it when it caught on fire
2. 90 Dodge 3/4 360 165K when we traded it off
3. 94 Concorde 202K when we sold it
4. 97 Cummins CTD has 176K on it
5. 00 Concorde has 196 on it
6. 03 Cummins CTD has 125k on it
7. 90 Nissan PU 230K on it
Guess all of my stuff has been lucky and poor filtered...Not one oil related issues with the above with and almost always a Fram, Supertech or Oreillys filter (made by Fram)...The Dynasty, Nissan, 90 Dodge and 94 Concorde were almost exclusively run with Trop Artic oil...which is another story in itself....