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Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go hereXJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.
In my 50 years of driving, I've used a Fram oil filter from time to time and never had an issue. Just lucky so far I guess. I'm cheap, I buy whatever name brand filter/oil is on sale at the time I need to change oil so again that means a Fram on occasion (living dangerous).
Sale priced filters don't beat the everyday price of a MotorCraft FL-1A at Walmart so that's all I have used on the XJ since I found out the FL-1A fit our '98 XJ perfectly. I'm living dangerously at the moment regarding my GMC p/u.....3 guesses and the 1st 2 don't count as to which (orange) filter was on sale. Hope it makes it. Realistically, I think somehow it will.
An issue that is being overlooked here is the orientation of the filter. Our Jeeps need a good quality anti-drainback valve. Fram doesn't have that.
Therefore, we get dry starts from Fram filters, especially for us with the vertical filters.
Just a last thought about this topic. In the two threads that you fram bashers have been running between, I see cruiser saying that fram used to be a good filter. Yet, Freddy claims to have cut one open a long time ago (presuming before the turn of the millennium based on his 25 years of filter surgery experience) and found it to be unacceptable. Perhaps you two should huddle up and get your story straight. That's how you keep a good myth going.
Easy. They musta been thought to be good back then. I was a kid. I was drinking Kool-Aid at the age when I helped Dad change the oil.....
Just a last thought about this topic. In the two threads that you fram bashers have been running between, I see cruiser saying that fram used to be a good filter. Yet, Freddy claims to have cut one open a long time ago (presuming before the turn of the millennium based on his 25 years of filter surgery experience) and found it to be unacceptable. Perhaps you two should huddle up and get your story straight. That's how you keep a good myth going.
You have to go back to at least the 1980s to when Fram filters were "Good" (if your definition of Good is metal end-caps and bypass-valves rather than the card-board and plastic currently used).
You have to go back to at least the 1980s to when Fram filters were "Good" (if your definition of Good is metal end-caps and bypass-valves rather than the card-board and plastic currently used).
These threads make me laugh lol
I've used Bosch since my first vehicle and never had a problem. Never used fram so I won't comment on that. I'm thinking bout tearing one open tho and posting pictures. Just need to wait another 2k miles lol
With all oil filter manufacturers being ISO certified I do not see an imminent danger with any of them. There have been a few reported cases of Fram filters coming apart and clogging oil galleries with debris. It is undocumented whether or not these rare cases were on vehicles with neglected maintenance. With that being said, there is not a perfect oil filter....there will always be a trade off between filtration and restriction (flow). I choose by price and value. Motorcraft FL-1 is a bargain and is backed by one of the largest car manufactures in the world.
With all oil filter manufacturers being ISO certified I do not see an imminent danger with any of them.
It is important to note the difference between "quality" and "accountability". Standards certification like ISO 9001 are given out to production lines that meet a certain level of internal accountability. Essentially it means that if there are issues along the line, they can be found swiftly and with ease. It is not a quality standard.
While I agree that it is unlikely that an engine will sieze 30 minutes after spinning on a FRAM the cumulative effects of using a bottom-dollar product are not good.
Originally Posted by bigbadon
There have been a few reported cases of Fram filters coming apart and clogging oil galleries with debris. It is undocumented whether or not these rare cases were on vehicles with neglected maintenance.
Far more than I have heard with any other manufacturer, but that's not worth much statistically. WIX admits that their own cellulose filtets disintegrate over about a year and use beyond that carries a serious risk of engine failure due to the paper blowing apart. It is possible this happened with FRAM, or that using paper end-caps makes their product more susceptible, but who knows? For the price the restrictive media, poor filtration, and awful ABDV are just not worth it.
Originally Posted by bigbadon
With that being said, there is not a perfect oil filter....there will always be a trade off between filtration and restriction (flow). I choose by price and value. Motorcraft FL-1 is a bargain and is backed by one of the largest car manufactures in the world.
Going larger helps with this. More media means more efficient filtration at the same, or better, flow. FL-1A is an excellent example of this, as is WIX 51515.
I remember seeing a picture several years ago of a Ferrari 250 GTO (or another similar vintage Ferrari with the Colombo V12) running with a Fram oil filter mounted vertically. I don't remember how old the picture was, but I don't think it was from the '60s. Needless to say, everyone was freaking out.
I'm cheap, I buy whatever name brand filter/oil is on sale at the time I need to change oil so again that means a Fram on occasion (living dangerous). 
Realistically, I think somehow it will.
