Oil Filter Question

[Roger 04 RT]

I would not be so hasty bashing the PH6063, it's a totally different animal from the usual Frams. This one has an unpainted finish, weighs quite a bit and is manufactured in Austria. Not really sure of how this came to be in the Fram world, but I use it whenever I find it as it is less expensive than the Bosch, but it looks identical to me. Have I cut it in half, put it under an electron microscope, monitored the flow rates etc, no, but it works for me just fine.

I know we all have an opinion, but I have not seen many vehicles on the side of the road due to a bad Fram filter. I imagine they make the majority of the quick lube badged filters and they seem to be working good enough. Sure, we can quote the articles showing how crappy they are, but are they good enough? I have well over a million miles on my vehicles (autos), typically using "generic" or whatever is on sale, and I always get well over 100,000 miles and have never unloaded a car due to engine issues.

OK, bash away

I don't think I was was bashing the Fram, I've used dozens of them over the years. That said I found the article I referred to be thoughtful so hoped it would help the OP. Personally I decided to go with the Mobil 1 filter and the Mobil 1 4T 10W40.

[krpreston]

Marketing.

Exactly. Just like Harley!

[DARKCLOUD]

Unfortunately, none of the filtration tests or claims are performed by third party lab testing. I rarely believe what a manufacturer states unless they have an extremely good reputation that is maintained over time.

The following pics clearly show differences in filter construction. Both oil filters are for the same vehicle. The top is a Fram oil filter. Note the cardboard end caps. The bottom is a Mahle oil filter.





I don't cheap out on oil filters. I'm amazed that forum members will discuss "which oil" ad nauseam and then discuss how to save a buck on an oil filter.

That's not a Fram 6063 in the picture. Fram and many other oil filter makers do not make a complete line of filters, they have other companies manufacture filters they do not. Then they package them under their brand name. The brand name and the manufacturer can change along with the quality.

The next culprit is the interchange charts, if the gasket on the oil filter will mate to the machined surface on the engine block and the filter has the correct thread size it will physically interchange. Doesn't mean the filter will do the job the engine manufacturer had in mind. Next time you change oil in an engine look at how large the machined surface is compared to the rubber gasket on the filter.

Then there is the oil, how much crud can it hold in suspension until you change it. How much detergent and how long does it last? How fast does the oil break down. The gas you use contributes to the crud in the crankcase along with how the bike is ridden. Fuel system cleaner can dislodge crud and force its way past the piston rings into the oil.

Old oil does nasty things inside an engine. Throw some high detergent oil in the engine and ride it hard for a couple hours get some sustained heat in the engine. That will turn the oil black and fill the filter.

I have a bucket in my garage that I put old oil filters in and let them drain, the next time I change oil in the bike I can pick up the drained filter and see how full of crud it is. Kinda like reading a spark plug.

Oil filters don't do a complete job of keeping the oil clean, that's part of the reason for changing the oil.

Jon

[kantuckid]

While were are off on Fram here why not look at the various Fram options offered in the box stores. They have (I think) three versions of most common oil filters and I have "felt" that the higher priced seem heavier in your hand-does that mean they will pass the "hacksaw test"? Does that mean they lack the awful & feared "cardboard" end caps? Having torn into more than a few high end cars from end to end, its a fact that a lot of their parts are made of El Crapo materials too. I really don't think you learn a whole lot about a filter by whacking on it & laying eyeballs on the guts. It's just another one of those items like oil,tires,shocks,windshields,etc., that are "doable,i.e., attachable by the masses and thus they fit conveniently into conversation.

[acejones]

I don't think I was was bashing the Fram, I've used dozens of them over the years. That said I found the article I referred to be thoughtful so hoped it would help the OP. Personally I decided to go with the Mobil 1 filter and the Mobil 1 4T 10W40.

So, who actually makes Mobil's filters ?