Here is a great web site that oil filters are cut open and explained. My 09 Camry takes filter elements. The Purolator filters collapsed. The Napa brand worked fine, but I decided to go OEM, because it had the deepest and most pleating.
http://min…index.html
Don’t worry be happy.
I really love those photos of filters cut open. If my goal was to cut open my filter and have it look neat, I would worry, but why do you have oil and filters? I have them so they will help my engine last longer. I don’t believe there is a reason to believe that how a cut open filter looks is a good indicator of how will it will actually do the job.
Those who have done those test I am sure mean well, but they, like me, don’t have the ability to do the kind of testing that would tell if there was any meaningful differences in how long your engine is going to last.
If there were real problems I would expect to see the car manufacturers coming in to at least blame the makers of the other oil filters for their engine wear.
However if you are concerned about how the inside of your oil filter looks, don’t let me stand in your way. Even if there is no difference, spending a few cents more for the more may make you feel a lot better and well worth the additional cost.
BTW I love the part about the “cardboard” parts in those filters. Of course they don’t seem to tell you that it is not your everyday cardboard being used in the filter.
I know this is not scientific, but the amount of filter material does determine a filters capacity. He used to have all the specs from each manufacturer on his web site, but he removed it. That way it was just opinion and he could not be sued for his free speech. This site was shutdown in the 90’s by a retailer that did not like his opinions and threatened to sue. I do like the way his site breaks down who manufactures what brand of filters. He does have a letter from a FRAM engineer that explains their reason for using cardboard end caps. It states that it is for adhesion of the end pleats of the filter material and as been thoroughly tested.
that’s cool info.
being a German car freak,i was very interested to read that,thanks.
oil filters have changed a bit since the time that those were tested.‘spin-on’ filters are not the norm,anymore.most manufacturers are using the replacement cartridge-style filter elements.i’d be extremely interested to see some test data on those newer style filters.on my last trip to the parts store,i picked up a NAPA Gold #7083 oil filter & Purolator #F65285 fuel filter.
My 1947 Pontiac didn’t have an oil filter and it worked just fine. The valves were down in the block where they ran cooler. Someone then got the bright idea that the valves should be in the cylinder head. Then another person got the bright idea to put the camshaft in the head. Why, the other day, I saw a push lawnmower with an overhead cam engine. I’ve had the same mower with a flathead engine that has worked perfectly since I bought it in 1988.
Now if engines run so much cleaner with the electronic fuel injection and synthetic oils are so much better than what we had, why do we even need filters?
I have always thought oil filters did most of their work during the first 1000 miles of the engines life…All the “particles” and “chips” and “shavings” that an engine is going to shed should be shed by then…After that, they have very little work to do since engines are not continuously shedding chips, particles and shavings…I bet the cheapest, crappiest oil filter made can handle the job…
This topic comes often and it always makes for a lively discussion.
What’s missing from all of them, however, is how the looks of a “cut open filter” have any relationship to the life of an engine. Lots of speculation and opinions.
With millions of vehicles using these filters every day, there’s still no evidence that visual pleating differences affect engine life.
Any one of those filters that was cut open is perfectly fine for the application it’s being used on.
I guess maybe seeing a few filters fail and engines damaged or destroyed makes even the most minor shortcomings appear significant.
I dunno, I always found his results a little confusing. Even though he doesn’t like AC, I only use AC filters in my GM’s and Honda in my Acura. I don’t know what else I can do if the manufacturer can’t figure out a good filter. I believe the Honda are also a Honeywell product which he doesn’t like. That’s just me plus if there is an engine problem, I’d like to have an OEM filter hanging on there instead of a Wix or something they can argue about.
The other thing is, the AC are made in Mexico now and the other thing is there are so many counterfeits out there that look just like the main products, you really need to watch where you buy them from.
“but the amount of filter material does determine a filters capacity”
This is only true if the filter material is identical. I very much doubt that.
Changing oil and filter regularly is much more important than construction details.
Here is a suggestion for you with tongue in cheek, of course.
Buy a Sawzall and use it to cut your car into several pieces including the engine block. Measure a few things that you deem pertinent and then make a judgement regarding the performance and lifespan of the car.
I have YET to see ANY FILTER BY ANY MANUFACTURER FAIL or cause any car’s engine to fail if the proper filter was used in the proper way it was designed. I also don’t see how cutting a filter open can reveal anything about how well a filter will filter. It’s about as scientific as Ghost Hunters. MILLIONS of oil filters are sold every year. If there was a problem with filters or their materials then you’d be seeing TENS OF THOUSANDS of cars every year who’s engines blow up because of these poorly designed and built filters…GUESS what…we’re NOT. If using a card-board end-cap made one bit of difference again we’d be seeing TENS OF THOUSANDS of filters exploding and thus destroying engines.
I liked the email from an engineer who worked at a filter factory:
I smell B.S.
Pick a unique phrase from that “fram1.txt” file that circuitsmith posted and do a google search on it. That exact page has been posted to dozens of sites going back many years (at least to 2002). That doesn’t prove anything either way, but I too smell BS.
I didn’t say I BELIEVED it. I just liked it.
“I didn’t say I BELIEVED it. I just liked it.”
No problem. That’s the way I took it.
I must say however I had a Fram filter spring a leak at the seam on a road trip ~700 miles from home about 30 years ago.
Luckily I checked things out under the hood each morning.
That was the last time I ever used a Fram filter.
As I said…if there were any design or manufacturing flaws…they’d be showing up in the cars we drive…
How many people have actually had a filter fail on them??? Or know someone…or repaired a car that it happened to??? If there was a problem (even 1/per million)…we’d be seeing THOUSANDS of vehicles every year with engines that blew up.