Jst thought people should know that I was using fram tough guard filters for my jeep and a few weeks ago my engine started to knock lightly and start rough. Ends up the problem was the fram filter had failed and I barely had any oil draining back to the pan. I did the oil change today with a mobil 1 filter and the knocking stopped almost right away and starts fine now. Gonna call fram on Monday to see if they will buy me new bearings. Good wrenching everyone

Tim

 

Pays to research those kind of things. I use WIX or AMSoil filters. Always use oversize filter too for a extra 1/2 quart of oil.

 

I am not surprised to hear about this. I have named Fram oil filters the OCOD. Orange Cans Of Death.

 

X3. The basic low end Fram filters are junk. The high end ones are just OK.

 

Doesn't the oil drain back to the pan via the head, down thru the block and also once past the crank/rod/cam journals/bearings? I thought oil's not supposed to drain back to the pan from the filter, that way it stays primed with oil for immediate delivery at start-up to the crank/cam, no?

 

Read this:

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oil.../opinions.html

 

It does if you have a quality oil filter with a good anti-drainback valve. Fram does not fit into this category. Adding to the destruction is the fact that our XJs and MJs have oil filters mounted either upside down or sideways. Stay away from Fram.

 

Ford SHO owners learned a long time ago that Fram is a fuggered filter and never use it.
I prefer to use Motorcraft or Wix.
though I have had one bad Motorcraft FL1A on a 351M Ford many years ago.
IT was like the element was made out of Cardboard insted of paper and I had low pressure
lifters started to rattle.
Fram

Wix

images borrowed from: http://forums.focaljet.com/team-pit-...er-filter.html

 

The OP says "barely had any oil draining back to the pan".....so I wonder where was the oil staying.....in the filter?

 

That Wix appears to have much less element surface area than the Fram.

 

All the surface area in the world doesn't matter if the oil filter is full of air on start-up and/or the bypass system is crap. Not to mention Frams are notorious for coming apart internally and clogging the oiling system on our motors. Wix and/or Napa Gold are a sure bet. Fram sucks.

 

Been driving/changing Fram oil filters for over 47 years on a bunch of vehicles....never saw/had one fail. Guess I'm just lucky..... (gotta a Fram on that too). I kKinda like the MotorCraft FL-1A on the XJ also.

All I'm saying is the statement "I barely had any oil draining back to the pan" sounds odd/fishy because u shouldn't have oil draining back to the pan from the filter. That's why the OP sounds fishy.....sounds like the Fram filter was preventing oil draining back to the pan.....like it should.

Isn't the main function of the filter "too filter"? Presuming it doesn't fail, more pleats equals more filtering surface area, no?

 

I don't totally understand that statement either. But, the fact that he, like others, have eliminated knocking on start-up by removing a Fram and installing a different filter is good enough for me. Fram is not the company they were 47 years ago, not unlike many other companies nowadays. Have you ever read this?

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oil.../opinions.html

 

You get what you pay for!

 

Let me know how that goes, I've been a fram guy until now. Wix will be my next filter