When you run you car the oil goes to the top of the engine and takes a while to drain down. When you turn it off and check it right away, it will show lower. If you let it sit, then it will show fuller. I don’t think it is a problem. I know Fram has less filter material, but the canister is the same size. Don’t use Fram next time, but you can leave it.
I do not understand your methodogy on checking the oil level. You’re comparing a 10 minute wait to an instant check so of course it will appear to be fuller on the former due to oil draining back down from a thousand places in that engine.
You specify that you measure 3.8 quarts of oil but do you account for oil cling, which will vary on both the oil container and engine and which is also affected by engine temperature, ambient temperature, etc.
The small holes around the circumference of the filter are the inlets so if the logic is used that the flapper valve (mechanicese) is prevening oil drainage then how do you prevent oil drainage through the center outlet?
It’s often stated that filters have an affect on valve lifters and this is not true. If someone has a problem with rattling lifters then they have a lifter issue, not a filter issue.
I’m still waiting to hear of one verifiable case of an engine being damaged in any way because of a Fram filter.
To get back to your question, if your Civic uses the Fram 3593A filter, the Wal-Mart “Super Tech” equivalent works well in my Hondas when I’m feeling short on cash;-), and from stuff I’ve read on-line, I think it is a bit more well-made than the Fram. For the annual cost, you’d do well to buy the Honda OEM filter.
By the way, if it’ll make your life easier, your car will be fine if you simply pour 4 quarts in there. The extra 6 Oz. won’t hurt anything. Just don’t accidentally pour a 5 qt. jug in!
I don’t think this is going to be much help, but here goes:
I don’t always buy the same brand of filter. I use Purolator, Fram, or Bosch, depending on price and my mood at time of purchase. I’ve used other brands over the years, too, but I’ve never had an oil filter that casued any problems.
I have used Fram filters in the past and see no reason not to use them in the future. My Subaru currently has a Fram installed, but since it’s mounted with the inlet up the oil can’t drain out.
I’ve also used Fram filters on my Accord, which has a horizontal mount. I have no idea whether the oil drains out of the filter or not. I’ve never noticed an overfill indication on the dipstick, nor does the OP light stay on at start-up.
Since oil filters are inexpensive, I suggest you replace it if it causes you to worry.
The oil filters on our cars, an 08 and an 09 use the new cartridge style filters. The filters naturally drain down when the engine is stopped. This is a positive feature that makes the filter changing procedure much less messy. The filters are small enough to hold a visually estimated one cup of oil or a little more so the drainback amount is minor and refill time at startup is quick.
Whitey, you need to spend a buck and get a new car. With it you might get a cartridge type filter and your troubles will be gone. At 11 years and 196,000 miles you got your money’s worth.
You’re comparing a 10 minute wait to an instant check so of course it will appear to be fuller on the former due to oil draining back down from a thousand places in that engine.
…but it doesn’t just appear “fuller,” it appears over-filled, and it never happened with any other oil filter before.
You specify that you measure 3.8 quarts of oil but do you account for oil cling…
I do account for oil cling. I am using the same oil I always use, in the same engine I have been maintaining for 11 years and 196,000 miles. That car has sat for weeks at a time unused, and never before has the oil appeared so over-filled, and its just after 10 minutes of sitting. The only thing that is different is the cheap Fram filter. I have effectively ruled out the factors you mention.
By the way, if it’ll make your life easier, your car will be fine if you simply pour 4 quarts in there.
Funny you should say that. When I first started doing my own oil changes, I did that, but I have been buying 5 quart jugs, so there is always oil left over, and I figured as long as I have to remove some, I might as well remove the correct amount.
Whitey, you need to spend a buck and get a new car. With it you might get a cartridge type filter and your troubles will be gone. At 11 years and 196,000 miles you got your money’s worth.
You make a good point! 
However, I made a pledge to keep the Civic until it turns over 300,000 miles. I only have 104,000 miles to go!
Whitey:
I understand your reasoning. However it seems difficult to lay blame on Fram unless time is taken to verify it is indeed a Fram filter problem.
Well, you’ve gotten enough advice already on wether or not you should replace the filter.
I agree with the consensus that you should replace it with a better filter.
It only takes 1 bad filter to damage a good engine, if it’s not doing its job properly.
Since you want to get the engine to hit the 300k mile mark, you have to get a good filter in place.
As for my own personal curiosity, are you planning on cutting open the filter to see what went wrong inside of it? I’ve seen the insides of quite a few different brands of filters on various websites, and its always interesting to see more.
Personally, I will switch between Purolator (regular and PureOne), Mobil, and Bosch on an irregular basis. Heck, last week I did 3 oil changes, one on my Altima, one on my gf’s PT Cruiser, and the last on my gf’s daughter’s Toyota Corolla. All 3 cars got the exact same oil, Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30. My Altima got a Purolator PureOne, and the other two got the newest Bosch, which by the looks of the design and factory stamping, is made by the same people who made my Purolator PureOne.
Honestly, it all comes down to what makes you feel more secure when you first turn that key in the morning. If you can’t trust your oil filter, why have it on there?
BC.
As for my own personal curiosity, are you planning on cutting open the filter to see what went wrong inside of it?
No, I have no such plans. I am more angry than curious at this point, and I don’t currently have the facilities. I am currently living in an apartment, with most of of my tools back at the house four hours away. I don’t even have my oil filter wrench with me right now, so I guess I will need to buy another one when I buy the new oil filter.
It seems to me that Experience is a form of data. Real life happenings with filters is good food for thought no?
It certainly is. But for it to be meaningful, there needs to be data indicating a meaningful negative result. A looking at a filter and seeing what appears to be cheap parts or design is not really meaningful IMO. If there were data supported any connection between the filters and resulting damage to a car, I would not likely every use a Fram Filter. But I have not seen that.
If anyone feels the looks or some other indicator makes them believe there might be a problem, then I would not suggest they use it. Any difference in cost is not nothing to the uneasy feeling you would have otherwise.
BTW I don't use Fram in my car as they don't make one for my car, but I have been using them in my wife's car for over 100,000 miles, and it is one that has the filter installed gasket side down, so if there was a problem, I would expect there to be some sort in indication by now.You shouldnt need a filter wrench
This is pretty simple. Your car is not growing oil overnight. You check the oil and it’s fine, then after a while it shows as having more oil in the pan. The anti-drainback valve on the filter is faulty (if it even has one), and the extra oil that WAS in the filter is now in the pan, causing it to read overfull.
I’m not aware of anyone that has had an engine failure attributable to a Fram filter, but I’d have to say that they are pretty cheaply made and don’t have as much filter material as others. The last time I used one I had some clatter on cold starts, indicating to me that the anti-drainback valve wasn’t the best. I switched to a Wix filter and the problem went away.
An interesting dissection of some popular filters is here: http://www.300cforums.com/forums/general-discussion/31190-oil-filters-dissected.html
I used to like my up-side down filter on the 83 Camry that was usually dry. I loved doing oil changes on that thing. I sold it when it hit 260,000 miles. The car, not the filter. I guess Frams were made for that car or that car was made for Frams. I may have been born to put Frams on that car. Maybe I won’t buy them for the Honda.
Over the years I have cut many filters and seen that some are obviously cheaply made and avoid them totally even though I have not seen catastrophic engine failure from any but 2. For a couple of bucks more I choose to install the filters that I have seen for myself are well made from obviously high quality material. If I can’t get OE then Wix, Hastings or NAPA Gold are used. If interested here is the Wix site. http://www.wixfilters.com/productinformation/index.html
That’s assuming Whitey has the “Kung Fu Grip”
I always am careful to not overtighten my filter, but sometimes it just won’t come off without a filter wrench.
Thanks, orangevega. You are absolutely right.
My “Kung Fu Grip” seems to work better when installing oil filters than when I remove them. I only hand tighten my oil filters on cars, but they still end up being tight enough to need a wrench to remove them. I don’t want them to leak or fall off because I didn’t adequately tighten them. Better to need a filter wrench than blow an engine.
It’s drainback. And I’ve had enough oil running down my arm while changing the filters on my daughter’s Civics to testify that the filter is horizontal.
There really does not exist any data on whether that initial moment to fill the system upon startup affects the life of engines. I personally have used budget filters for over 40 years and have never worn out an engine, even after hundreds of thousands of miles. My '89 Toyota pickup had a horizontal filter, and the engine was still running reliably and without excessive oil usage at 338,000 miles when it got hit by and errant Hyundae and totalled. So while no data exists, my personal experience leads me to believe that the drainback does no harm.
Just curious, do you literally “hand tighten” or do you turn the amount stated on the filter after the gasket contacts the base?