dealer tells me FRAM air filter is dangerous
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 908
Since some of us don't like to read and claim that "I have been driving on Fram filters for 500,000+ miles, blah, blah, blah..."
Years ago Fram was a quality filter manufacturer. Now their standard filter (the radioactive-orange cans) is one of the worst out there. These filters are manufactured by Allied Signal, Inc. Please do not buy these filters. By boycotting it, we may be able to cause some change. I have personally had one if these filters fail and actually cause engine damage due to bits of paper and glue floating around in the engine.
For some inside dirt on Fram filters, see this email from an Allied Signal production engineer.
Fram Extra Guard PH8A
This filter cartridge has a small outside diameter with a rather low filter element surface area (193 sqin), and features cardboard end caps that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals against the cardboard and easily leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. If you have a noisy valve train at startup, this filter is likely the cause. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak all the time, but they often leak anyway. The backplate has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow, and is made of thin material.
The telltale signs for a Fram Extra Guard are: It has 8 small holes for the oil inlet and a thin, cheap-looking backplate, and is currently stamped with a “2Y”. There are 5 very small crimps holding the gasket in place. If you look into the center hole all the way to the top of the filter, you will see a kind of “button” in the end cap of the cartridge (which looks like it's made of metal from there). This is the plastic bypass valve.
and for those that say "I use the premium Fram filter not the cheap one blah, blah, blah ..."
Fram Double Guard DG8A
This is a frustrating filter. Please do not buy it. It is one of the most expensive filters you can buy and it is junk. Inside is a basic Fram Extra Guard (PH8A) filter element that has larger diameter holes at the end and has been pre-oiled. You can see this in the picture above (far left). I assume this is to hold the Teflon particles in the filter element before the unit is installed. Don’t put Teflon in your engine. It does not belong there! DuPont does not recommend using their Teflon product in internal combustion engines.
Although it has the worst filter element possible (193 sqin), it does have a clever spring-loaded nitrile rubber anti-drainback valve and bypass valve combination. Too bad the rest of the filter is worthless. Please don’t buy this filter!
The telltale signs for a Fram Tough Guard filter are: It has a better backplate that is usually shiny, with six larger holes for the inlet and 6 spot welds around the them. The backplate should be stamped with a “1K”. There are 6 large crimps holding the gasket in place. The anti-drainback valve diaphram behind the inlet holes is black. If you look into the center hole all the way to the top of the filter, you will not see the “button” in the end cap of the cartridge (which looks like it’s made of metal from there).
Years ago Fram was a quality filter manufacturer. Now their standard filter (the radioactive-orange cans) is one of the worst out there. These filters are manufactured by Allied Signal, Inc. Please do not buy these filters. By boycotting it, we may be able to cause some change. I have personally had one if these filters fail and actually cause engine damage due to bits of paper and glue floating around in the engine.
For some inside dirt on Fram filters, see this email from an Allied Signal production engineer.
Fram Extra Guard PH8A
This filter cartridge has a small outside diameter with a rather low filter element surface area (193 sqin), and features cardboard end caps that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals against the cardboard and easily leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. If you have a noisy valve train at startup, this filter is likely the cause. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak all the time, but they often leak anyway. The backplate has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow, and is made of thin material.
The telltale signs for a Fram Extra Guard are: It has 8 small holes for the oil inlet and a thin, cheap-looking backplate, and is currently stamped with a “2Y”. There are 5 very small crimps holding the gasket in place. If you look into the center hole all the way to the top of the filter, you will see a kind of “button” in the end cap of the cartridge (which looks like it's made of metal from there). This is the plastic bypass valve.
and for those that say "I use the premium Fram filter not the cheap one blah, blah, blah ..."
Fram Double Guard DG8A
This is a frustrating filter. Please do not buy it. It is one of the most expensive filters you can buy and it is junk. Inside is a basic Fram Extra Guard (PH8A) filter element that has larger diameter holes at the end and has been pre-oiled. You can see this in the picture above (far left). I assume this is to hold the Teflon particles in the filter element before the unit is installed. Don’t put Teflon in your engine. It does not belong there! DuPont does not recommend using their Teflon product in internal combustion engines.
Although it has the worst filter element possible (193 sqin), it does have a clever spring-loaded nitrile rubber anti-drainback valve and bypass valve combination. Too bad the rest of the filter is worthless. Please don’t buy this filter!
The telltale signs for a Fram Tough Guard filter are: It has a better backplate that is usually shiny, with six larger holes for the inlet and 6 spot welds around the them. The backplate should be stamped with a “1K”. There are 6 large crimps holding the gasket in place. The anti-drainback valve diaphram behind the inlet holes is black. If you look into the center hole all the way to the top of the filter, you will not see the “button” in the end cap of the cartridge (which looks like it’s made of metal from there).
Great link Virus!! Nothing like affirmation of my K&N purchase.
I Miss My Maxima
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 585
From: Arlington, TX
Everyone knows "someone" who had something catastrophic happen while using "Brand X" and every "Brand X" has a similar urban legend to go with it:
"There was this guy, one time while eating at (restaraunt) he found a (kind of bug, animal, body part) in his (food item)"
"I talked to (inside source: engineer, worker, employee, etc) and they personally told me that I should not buy (brand x) because.."
Same thing for Fram and its oil filters. Even Lexus makes lemons.
Bosch is starting to make replacement cabin air filters for some cars.
The web site posted with the studies seems to suggest that there is little difference between the cheapest air filter you can get and the most expensive.
"There was this guy, one time while eating at (restaraunt) he found a (kind of bug, animal, body part) in his (food item)"
"I talked to (inside source: engineer, worker, employee, etc) and they personally told me that I should not buy (brand x) because.."
Same thing for Fram and its oil filters. Even Lexus makes lemons.
Bosch is starting to make replacement cabin air filters for some cars.
The web site posted with the studies seems to suggest that there is little difference between the cheapest air filter you can get and the most expensive.
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