Fram doesn’t use cardboard for the end caps.
They use a fiber board which matches very closely to what the filter media is made of.
This allows the pastisol adhesive to create a strong bond between the end caps and the filter media.
Tester
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Did either of you watch the video? Just look at the picture then. The Fram shown isn’t the one with the paperboard end…
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I didn’t watch the vdo, but just took a closer look at the photo. The filters seem to be Wix, Fram, and OEM, from left to right. The filter on the right (presumably the OEM) appears to use some sort of paper product at the ends of the filter element, while the Fram and Wix use metal. The OEM filter however seems to be longer than the other two. The extra length and corresponding increase in surface area should allow the oem to filter better, everything else being equal. It’s possible however the extra length is just an illusion, related to the way the photo was taken.
Watched the vid and went back again to re-look. I just don’t think this analysis really is worth much just imho. He talks about more holes drilled for more oil flow but so what? He shows the filter material but so what without getting into microns and total surface area. Then lays out the parts in each and the difference in the by pass valve, and the metal is better than the rubber?
The only thing I got out of it is that the fram is not identical to the Honda filter. Can’t say better or worse or what plant each came out of, but they are different.
So maybe the fram or wix is better, I dunno, but the Honda filter is what was on the car from the factory, and my delco filters say GM on them. So I have no idea why I would care what fram or wix look like when I can just
Go with oem.
Maybe someone will cut apart a $20 John Deere or Briggs filter to provide a cheaper alternative but beware, a small engine was ruined by too short a filter that blocked oil flow. And they looked identical at first blush. See Taryl if you want.
I keep it simple, guys. My Chevy Volt gets a A/C Delco filter. My boat has a Ford 351W V8 and I use a Motorcraft filter in it. My 2006 Harley gets a K&N filter. Why? It had a 17mm nut welded on the top to make removal easy. The filter location on the touring bikes make it hard to use a conventional wrench. The welded nut solves that plus it’s chrome plated!
Similarly, according to engineers, because of the lack of computer modeling in the '40s-'50s, the old step-down Hudsons were at least 1,000 lbs heavier than they needed to be. In their efforts to provide structural rigidity, Hudson’s engineers over-engineered the car’s frame/chassis to an incredible extent.
Not necessarily. Different filtering material will have more of an effect then length.
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Frankly, I’m not convinced we even need an oil filter anymore. Engines run so clean that very little particulate matter is found in the oil even after extended intervals. When was the last time you changed a gas filter? I can’t even recall and most cars only have a sock on the pump inlet that is not intended as a disposable item. Many have been eliminated and perhaps it’s time for the oil filter to go the same route…
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hmmm… confused by the suggestion that oil filters are no longer needed … For example, we get quite a few reports here of variable valve timing problems, which are often said to be caused by dirty oil. If the vvt problems aren’t due to dirty oil, what’s causing them? Or do you mean no oil filter is required as long as the filter is changed frequently enough? Or that newer vvt designs aren’t as sensitive to oil quality?
VVT problems are caused by a change in viscosity of the oil. Multi-viscosity oils don’t last forever, they are subject to breakdown by shearing. If there is a problem with gasoline washdown, that can also thin the oil. And there are acids formulated over time as well. None of which are removed by an oil filter. You still have to periodically change the oil to restore the critical properties and remove those contaminants…
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