Does made by Fram mean it’s the same filter as Fram? It’s entirely possible that Fram manufacturers filters to different specifications depending on the customer’s demands.
The same company that makes the Sonic also makes the Corvette, yet the two items perform quite differently.
Yes.
If you go to Wally World and buy a FRAM oil filter for your Honda, it’s the same oil filter the Honda dealers sell.
Tester
I’ll chime in that as a diy’er I’ve pretty much always used Fram oil filters since the late 70’s for my VW Rabbit and early 90’s for my Corolla, and never have experienced any oil filter failure or oil-related engine problem. Maybe 5-7 years ago the parts store stopped stocking the plain-jane Frams which I had been using, and switched to the “Extra Guard” version. I’ve been using that one since the switch, although I highly doubt it has offered me much benefit over the plain-jane. I usually use Motorcraft oil filters for my truck. On all my vehicles I’ve changed the oil and filter at 5k mile intervals.
Owned by Honeywell yet? Might have a fram house thermostat too. In the end doesn’t matter who runs the plant as long as it meets specs.
I’ll have to say though in these confusing times you don’t know who brews your beer, where that porter cable is made, who made the sheet metal, or the fasteners. Justbhooevth3 quality control folks are on their game.
Yep!
Tester
I think it has been proven that even the cheapest oil filter is adequate, oil filters normally don’t cause problems.
I cut these oil filters open last year to see what they looked like after 18 months of use.
The filter on the left was used on a 2000 Pontiac 3.4-liter V-6.
The filter on the right is a Mopar filter used on a 2000 Dodge 2.0-liter engine.
I used to love the B&M hydrostick transmission.
Correct. No OEM makes their own filters. What they do is have filter manufacturers make filters to the exact specs they provide to perform best in the application. I know for a fact that the filters I buy for my Mazda are made in Thailand to an exacting specification and without an anti-drain back valve that all of the aftermarket filters have (since the filter sits face up and never empties due to gravity, an ADV is not needed and just impedes oil flow).
On the issue of price, it appears that Toyota/Lexus is gouging it’s customers on parts, one reason I left Toyota years ago (that, and driving a Toyota is like driving an appliance, not a car). Besides, most Toyotas use that annoying filter set-up that doesn’t use an actual filter can. Better for the environment? Yes. Annoying as heck to service? Totally. For me, my Mazda filters cost about the same as a premium aftermarket filter. Could I save a couple of bucks by buying a cheaper filter? Yes. Is it worth the couple of dollars over five to seven thousand miles to possibly provide lubrication that might not be up to manufacturer’s spec in a turbo engine? NO!!!
And so are quality aftermarket filters. They meet or exceed the manufacturers specs.
How do you know that? I’m not challenging your assertion, just trying to learn something.
I read the test results for the filter company I worked for.
It stated that FRAM and Honda oil filters were constructed exactly the same as they were from the same oil filter manufacturer.
I also read the test results for K&N filters.
That’s why you’ll never see a K&N filter in any of my vehicles.
Tester
I have found the canister filters on the Toyotas quite easy, there is even a plug to drain the filter for less of a mess. My BMW is the same way.
An interesting comparison vid:
Maybe not what most expected…
I think those tear apart tests are totally worthless. What’s the flow-rate? What size does each of one filter down to? How much debris can each filter hold?
If cheap oil filters were actually a problem, we should be seeing questions about them or the worn-out engines they should cause. On the street we should be seeing cars burning oil. Aside from abused engines, I’m just not seeing either.
There are two facets to any product- how is it constructed and how does it perform? Very few people open up an old filter to look inside. How is it performing? No idea, we just change them on schedule- well, maybe 
Looking inside, I get an idea of how well they are constructed. Using cardboard where another uses metal shell? Drain back valve material not as robust? Filter volume smaller? You’re right, I have no idea what the pore size of that filter material is nor do I know what the flow rate is. But do I care? Not really. I look at the oil when I do changes and never have I seen anything concerning so the filter I’m using is probably good enough. But if you’re spending extra money on expensive filters and then when it’s opened up and looks inferior in some way, maybe that sheds some light on perceived value…
On a related note, my friend’s Rav4 started to burn a lot of oil–just like so many Toyotas of the early 2000s. Only OEM filters were used, and the oil burning problem was the result of defective engine design–not the type of filter that was used.
I should have added ‘problem engines’, like that Toyota, some Subarus, Nissans that pump their cat converter fragments back into the engine through the EGR system, etc.
The engine oil I buy is rated by the API (American Petroleum Institute) and has their emblem on it. I’m not sure if API actually performs tests on the oils, but I presume they are mostly involved with making sure whoever does the testing is doing it according to established standards. This gives me confidence the oil I’m using in my cars meets the manufacturer’s specifications. I don’t recall seeing any similar emblems on oil filters.
No that really doesn’t tell you that much. The steel may be better, but is it necessary? Is the cardboard good enough. In fact, it’s MORE THEN GOOD ENOUGH. We do this in the engineering field all the time. We’ve overdesigned something so we could say how much better it was. The cost to overdesign was MINIMAL. But we were then able to advertise how much better ours is. But in reality there’s no difference what-so-ever.
