10 Worst Car Oil Filter Brands

mxz800

mxz800

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Number one, no surprise is Fram.

"Fram oil filters have garnered a reputation for being among the worst in the industry due to their poor build quality and subpar filtration capabilities. Many users have reported issues such as filter media collapse and bypass valve failures, which can compromise engine protection and lead to reduced longevity. Despite being a widely available and affordable option, Fram filters may not provide the level of reliability and performance that your car’s engine requires."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/ot...8afe746286744a3af98af1998275ad9&ei=59#image=2

I would never use one in my Jeep.
 
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Years ago Big A auto parts (We owned a store) was switching to Wix Filter from Fram. The Sales Rep came in took a filter off the shelf cut it open, then did the same to a Wix Filter. The difference was night and day. Everything about the Fram was cheap junk, it was even rusty inside.
 
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I only use my $2 Walmart closeout oil filters.

1710943732075.png
 
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Pure bullshit. I used to think Fram filters were shit too.

I keep this photo as a reminder of how much I hated them at one point, it's a snip of where it sits my huge collection of Jeep related photos. Look dead-center...

Capture.JPG


As in Fram Piece Of Shit filter. I actually believed that at one time. In fact I looked forward to telling others how terrible they were... now I just feel stupid about it.

Unrelated to my feelings about Fram, I was one of about a dozen who were invited to visit the Fram R&D facility in Dayton Ohio where they tested their filters against all other filters. I was pretty shocked at what I saw and it totally changed my opinion. In fact I switched all my cars to Fram's better oil filters and I have been running their Tough Guard TG16 on my TJ ever since.

This documents my trip to Fram...

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...it-to-frams-r-d-facility-in-dayton-ohio.1358/

Disagree with me all you want but I've been there done that and I learned my lesson. And nope, there is NO cardboard in any Fram filter. It might look like cardboard to some but it's not. And know too that the most basic Fram filter has a 95% filtration efficiency which is what many far more expensive oil filters have. Better Frams like the Tough Guard and above have a 99% filtration efficiency which is as good as any any similar cartridge style oil filter out there. Not many claim a 99% filtration efficiency.
 
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These articles are meaningless. Oil filters change construction so often depending on who the parent company of the brand is. OEM filters like the Mopar are usually a bit better, but that also depends on how the manufacturer specs the filter. The Mopar filters for example are nearly identical to the Motorcraft filters, but without the silicone anti-drain back valve. Both are made by Purolator.

Fram filters are pretty decent now. Those "fiber" end caps actually bond really well to the glue holding the filter media together. I've cut them open and getting the media apart was tough. I've cut open several Purolator filters with torn media. As always the higher end filters are usually better, but all brands have their not-so-great offerings. Wix used to be my go-to, but they recently were bought by Mann-Hummel and have been made much cheaper. The last three I used leaked at the base plate seam and were made in China.
 
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jeepguy03 said:
These articles are meaningless. Oil filters change construction so often depending on who the parent company of the brand is. OEM filters like the Mopar are usually a bit better, but that also depends on how the manufacturer specs the filter. The Mopar filters for example are nearly identical to the Motorcraft filters, but without the silicone anti-drain back valve. Both are made by Purolator.

Fram filters are pretty decent now. Those "fiber" end caps actually bond really well to the glue holding the filter media together. I've cut them open and getting the media apart was tough. I've cut open several Purolator filters with torn media. As always the higher end filters are usually better, but all brands have their not-so-great offerings. Wix used to be my go-to, but they recently were bought by Mann-Hummel and have been made much cheaper. The last three I used leaked at the base plate seam and were made in China.
Click to expand...

That's the problem, you do all your research and pick what you think is the best then they change them. Motorcraft used to use the base mounted bypass which IMHO was a superior design, then they switched to the cheap end mounted flapper like the others use.
 
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B1Toad said:
That's the problem, you do all your research and pick what you think is the best then they change them. Motorcraft used to use the base mounted bypass which IMHO was a superior design, then they switched to the cheap end mounted flapper like the others use.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think unfortunately it is a race to the bottom with filter manufacturers unless you buy the most expensive line they offer. I've had decent luck with Fram Tough Guards, Fram Ultra, Purolator Boss, and Champ XL filters from RockAuto. They always seem to look good when cutting them open in multiple applications, not just the 4.0L. Mopar is a good choice as well, but my TJ isn't a daily and only sees 3-4k miles per year and one filter change a year. It will rattle on cold start with a nitrile anti-drain valve like the Mopar has after a few months.

If you change your oil/filter more often than me and a nitrile valve is fine, the SuperTech filters are actually a really good value and well constructed for the price. Made in the USA by Champion Labs.
 
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My dad ran the basic Fram oil filters (with Valvoline conventional oils) on about 5 personal and company trucks from as far back as the early 80’s when I was a kid up until he passed away in 2006. Many 100’s of thousands of miles on these trucks combined and never had an engine problem during that time. 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
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I use Purolator & WIX predominately
However my F150 3.5 EB I only use Motorcraft

Seen enough Bob the oil guy cutaways
Thats just what conclusions I came to
 
jeepguy03 said:
If you change your oil/filter more often than me and a nitrile valve is fine, the SuperTech filters are actually a really good value and well constructed for the price. Made in the USA by Champion Labs.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't waste my time on a filter with a nitrile anti-drainback valve when I can get a Tough Guard at a reasonable price that has the much better silicone valve. When they fail they generally cause a dry start which is never a good thing.
 
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mxz800 said:
Number one, no surprise is Fram.

"Fram oil filters have garnered a reputation for being among the worst in the industry due to their poor build quality and subpar filtration capabilities. Many users have reported issues such as filter media collapse and bypass valve failures, which can compromise engine protection and lead to reduced longevity. Despite being a widely available and affordable option, Fram filters may not provide the level of reliability and performance that your car’s engine requires."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/ot...8afe746286744a3af98af1998275ad9&ei=59#image=2

I would never use one in my Jeep.
Click to expand...

MSN.com?
 
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There are oil specific forums where people are really into this stuff. The concensus from what I've seen lately is Fram is better than it use to be.

Me, I have always been a wix or Purolator guy myself, or the factory filters, mopar, honda, toyota over here.
 
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