Ahh, the old Fram debate. I love this one.

So speaking from experience, I used to be a Fram oil filter user. Until I heard pretty much the same rumors as the rest of you. So I decided to find out for myself.

I cut open 2 standard Fram filters I'd had on my 91 F-150, each one after 3 months of use. In both of them, the paper was collapsed. Switched to WIX filters, cut open 2 in a row, and everything looked good. Haven't used Fram since.

I hear that some of Fram's specialty filters are good, but I don't know.

Maybe the oil I run in my truck is too heavy for Fram filters and that's why the paper was collapsed, tho I don't see how that could be the case. Either way, WIX is working just fine for me.

 

the ones I use have a perforated steel core to prevent that.

Either way, it doesn't matter now because I'm switching to K&N.

 

X2 on the K&N filters, a couple of friends with diesel trucks picked K&N oil filters and I just about fell in love with the nut on the end of the filter Genius Idea

 

If you cannot find a cup style filter wrench, try to find a strap style. If it is stuck real bad and the screwdriver trick doesn't work then yes you are screwed.

Put some clean oil or better yet some silicone dielectric lube on the new filter gasket and only tighten as much as recommended by the filter manufacturer...usually 3/4 to 1 turn past when the filter contacts the mounting base.

 

damn... makes me want to see if the "specialty" filters have the same problem. time to dig out the trusty Sawzall, lol.

wounder if their fuel filters are ok. i just replaced that not long ago, and now i am worried about that one now.

jeez, this thread is making me paranoid, lol.