I hate oil changes...

[RedLS1GTO]

I will let this picture speak for itself.




With the way that the headers and oil cooler lines are set up on the '96, I have a very small window to get to the filter. I got a strap style wrench on it, which immediately collapsed the side of the cheap POS Fram filter.

Side bar... F*CK FRAM.

Back on topic. I ran to the closest parts store and grabbed one of the end cap type of filter wrenches. The clearance is almost zero so after 10 minutes of squeezing it up there I finally got it on. I attached the ratchet and of course it was siezed tight enough that the middle broke right out of the wrench. I have no idea why it was so damn tight. I put it on by hand.

Back in the truck to head to a different parts store to try to find a better wrench that would actually fit. No luck, so I grabbed a couple of the same kind as before. Insanity is trying the same thing and expecting different results... apparently I am insane.

Filter wrench number 2 goes on. Ratchet gets attached. Filter decides to collapse on itself and twist up like a pop can rather than coming loose.

Long story short, after 4 different filter wrenches, blood, sweat, cussing, and busted knuckles... it finally came off.


After seeing the sidewall of the Fram tear like no filter I have ever seen, I will NEVER put another of their products anywhere near my car. I cut open a Delco, a Wix, an Amsoil, and even an Amsoil filter. None of them had the same paper thin sidewalls.

Lesson learned.

Rant over.

[PLRX]

Bryan, I'm surprised you have a multi-thousand dollar engine and you use fram filters.

Fram Oil Filter Failure, High Performance 2804-1 DSCN0625 - YouTube

[WW7]

I can't believe it took you this long to discover that Fram is junk..It has been general knowledge for years.. If you cut a Fram apart you will see that the paper used inside is so thin that it has been known to collapse causing a drop in oil pressure and sometimes cutting off oil flow almost completely... Others with higher oil pressure have had them split and leak the oil out in a matter of seconds because of the lightweight metal used.. They also have a paper end cap which has been known to come loose dropping oil pressure ...Yeah, I would use a different brand if I was you......WW

PS..Damn, Pete beat me to it again.......WW

[Taurus]

I hate oil changes too. I have to get in the car, head over to the dealership, tell them what I want, choose and oil and antifeeze color, sit in the comfy chair in the waiting room, pay the bill and drive home. Way too much work.

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by WW7

I can't believe it took you this long to discover that Fram is junk..It has been general knowledge for years.. If you cut a Fram apart you will see that the paper used inside is so thin that it has been known to collapse causing a drop in oil pressure and sometimes cutting off oil flow almost completely... Others with higher oil pressure have had them split and leak the oil out in a matter of seconds because of the lightweight metal used.. They also have a paper end cap which has been known to come loose dropping oil pressure ...Yeah, I would use a different brand if I was you......WW

For what it's worth, I can show you similar failures on every filter line out there. Personally, I prefer AC Delco or Wix but I have pics a their failures as well.

[DukeAllen]

Fram was my brand 20 years ago. Now it's whatever is on sale

[WW7]

Originally Posted by Taurus

For what it's worth, I can show you similar failures on every filter line out there. Personally, I prefer AC Delco or Wix but I have pics a their failures as well.

Jon, This may be true, but Fram is the only one that has failed on me. I have never personally had any of the others fail , just Fram.. I had one collapse on my truck about 4 years ago dropping my oil pressure to zero. Once something like this happens you never trust that brand again..I now use "Pure 1" filters....From what I have read, Wix is also one of the best........WW

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by WW7

Jon, This may be true, but Fram is the only one that has failed on me. I have never personally had any of the others fail , just Fram.. I had one collapse on my truck about 4 years ago dropping my oil pressure to zero. Once something like this happens you never trust that brand again..I now use "Pure 1" filters....From what I have read, Wix is also one of the best........WW

Agreed, we will always remember our own experiences. If I had a Wix implode on me it would be the last one I used as well.

[Sweet 90]

Originally Posted by Taurus

I hate oil changes too. I have to get in the car, head over to the dealership, tell them what I want, choose and oil and antifeeze color, sit in the comfy chair in the waiting room, pay the bill and drive home. Way too much work.

I do that now as well Jon. A friend of mine bought an Oil Change franchise (who BTW is a total gear head) I take mine there as do some nice 70's muscle car owners. His kid though is like his old man, loves cars and as my friend says "A proverbial know-it-all" so we let him suffer for about ten minutes while he struggled trying to figure out how to open the hood on the Vette - priceless

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by Sweet 90

I do that now as well Jon. A friend of mine bought an Oil Change franchise (who BTW is a total gear head) I take mine there as do some nice 70's muscle car owners. His kid though is like his old man, loves cars and as my friend says "A proverbial know-it-all" so we let him suffer for about ten minutes while he struggled trying to figure out how to open the hood on the Vette - priceless

We are wise beyond our infinate years..................................

[Sweet 90]

Originally Posted by Taurus

We are wise beyond our infinate years..................................

Someone want to kindly tell the dawg that

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by PLRX

Bryan, I'm surprised you have a multi-thousand dollar engine and you use fram filters.

Fram Oil Filter Failure, High Performance 2804-1 DSCN0625 - YouTube

I had no choice the last time.

Long story short, the only reason it was on there in the first place is that I got myself in a jam and the only thing I could get my hands on at the time was a Fram. It was only on the car for 1 day of track time. I didn't want it to be on any longer than that... which is why this change was happening in the first place.

[DukeAllen]

Originally Posted by Sweet 90

Someone want to kindly tell the dawg that

I don't have the heart to tell him that in human years we're 7x as wise as he'll ever be

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by WW7

I can't believe it took you this long to discover that Fram is junk.

I knew Fram was junk. There has never been a question about that... I just didn't realize exactly how bad. With the way I use them, the elements honestly don't bother me. They are on the engine for a grand total of a few hours of run time before they get changed again.

What bothers me is the ridiculously thin case. NONE of the others that I compared were even close to being as thin.

Originally Posted by Taurus

Agreed, we will always remember our own experiences. If I had a Wix implode on me it would be the last one I used as well.

It better not.



FWIW, depending on what vehicle we are talking about... when I have the choice I shop between Delco, Wix, Mobil, and Amsoil filters.

[Sweet 90]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

I had no choice the last time.

Long story short, the only reason it was on there in the first place is that I got myself in a jam and the only thing I could get my hands on at the time was a Fram. It was only on the car for 1 day of track time. I didn't want it to be on any longer than that... which is why this change was happening in the first place.

Damn, that's ugly (the video, not Bryan)

[mike100]

There is an old study on oil filters floating around the net... you would be horrified how bad the Fram ones are. All their money goes to marketing (and orange paint). The filter itself is useless.

[mike100]

Oil Filters Revealed - MiniMopar Resources

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

I had no choice the last time.

Long story short, the only reason it was on there in the first place is that I got myself in a jam and the only thing I could get my hands on at the time was a Fram. It was only on the car for 1 day of track time. I didn't want it to be on any longer than that... which is why this change was happening in the first place.

Due to the fact you are one cool moderator we are going to give you a a pass this time.

[PLRX]

I was going to buy two of these couple of years ago. I checked again today thanks to this thread and the price went down like $100.

This is the replacement for the PF-52 for the LT1 and LT4.

Stainless Steel Cleanable and Reusable Oil Filters for your Motorcycle and ATV

[WW7]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

I knew Fram was junk. There has never been a question about that... I just didn't realize exactly how bad. With the way I use them, the elements honestly don't bother me. They are on the engine for a grand total of a few hours of run time before they get changed again.

What bothers me is the ridiculously thin case. NONE of the others that I compared were even close to being as thin..

Actually when I was on the CF and said something negative about Fram filters, 383vett ( Willie) informed me he uses Fram fiters on his track car, but evidently its a better grade of filter then the ones we get....He swears by the ones he uses......WW