Re: Who was it who mentioned Fram oil filters and dropping oil pres...

Best? You'll get a whole mess of different opinions, some even with solid reasoning to back them up. My personal pick for a cheap off the shelf filter would be Wix or NAPA Gold (same filter, both made by Dana) but Purolator is good too. I don't believe that any particular parts store filter has significantly better media than any other, but they are solidly built and I've never had one of either fail. My main reasons for avoiding Fram are the nonfunctional ADBVs plus lots of anecdotal evidence of them blowing apart in high RPM/cold engine conditions (usually on VWs or other engines that spec a heavy oil and are known for high oil pressure.)

If you really want to run 'em forever, Canton/Mecca makes a nice filter that supposedly filters down to 8 microns and uses a depth type element, but they *are* pricey.

If you really, REALLY want to run 'em forever, you could use a C/M full flow filter and add a "bypass" type filter for eat-off-it-clean oil. Believe it or not, supposedly the old "Frantz" TP type filters were pretty good in this regard, but never really caught on for some reason. Used to be you could get depth type elements for the old Fram C4 cartridge filters, but I haven't seen any in years. Probably could scrounge up a couple restorable C4 housings (they were stock on a lot of old 50's cars) for next to nothing, but I don't believe the elements that you can buy now are any different than those used in full flow filters (that is, they don't filter out any finer particles than the filter you already have.) I believe Amsoil makes a spin on type bypass filter, but I don't know how good the filtration is on those.

nate