My Lesson with Fram Oil Filter

bobistheoilguy.com if you want to know more about fram...

I like to buy the dealer filters several at a time, so I have a supply of multiple oil, air filters and gaskets on hand for future use. I like to group those purchases with other large purchases so I can ask for price discounts at the same time. Kragen is fine for bottled oil, but staying with genuine parts is the right idea. When I bought my Camry, someone had neglected to replace the air temperature sensor in the air intake enclosure for the filter - allowing unfiltered air into my engine for 15,000 miles until this newsgroup helped me figure out what was going on. All you can do it move ahead and avoid past mistakes. My engine still runs great 50,000 miles later, and I'm sure you'll be fine, too. One would not intentionally abuse the engine, but once it's done, you can't go back, so just forget about it - while not helpful, those seconds aren't going to do irreparable damage either you just heard the engine running dry of oil for a short time with no load. One would not intentionally abuse the engine, but once it's done, you can't go back, so just forget about it - while not helpful, those seconds aren't going to do irreparable damage either you just heard the engine running dry of oil for a short time with no load.

Tell me about this please. I am having a problem with my 97 Camry where outside air coming into the cabin smells like crankcase exhaust.

When I had my car service at one of those jiffy lube type places, I always noticed that the valvetrain was extremely noisy when I first started the car. At some point later, I got one of the coupons from the car dealer and took it there. The valvetrain clatter was gone!

This was some 80,000 miles down the road when I made the discovery and the subsequent switch back to the dealer. No doubt the jiffy lube places were using a cheaper filter that didn't keep sufficient pressure in the engine's oil lines. Maybe it was some Fram clone filter they used?

The engine, and car, were retired at 125,000 miles as the valvetrain and chain were getting really noisy. I didn't want to pay for any costly engine repairs as every time I have done so in the past something else costly went wrong as well. The clutch was about shot as well.

Anyway, now I rely on the dealer for service on the new car and they usually address any Service Bulletin matters from the manufacturer. Occasionally I'll buy a filter from them and do my own oil change - but only if I have too.

B~

By "crankcase exhaust",.you mean engine fumes due blow-by? This should not happen if the PCV system is working with no split hoses around the PCV valve or the direct line from the cam-cover into the throttle body or intake. It maybe you are smelling exhaust. In this case, you need to check for exhaust leaks by momentarily blocking the exhaust pipe outlet with a rag. The car should start to stall. If you hear a hissing noise, or no effect, then there's a hole/s in the system somewhere. The other cause, maybe a poor seal on the trunk or boot-lid. This allows exhaust to enter the cabin, especially on over-run, down hills.

Hope you find it.

Jason

in my 4cyl. '99 camry i use nothing but Fram filters and have so since i bought the car new. it now has about 165k miles on it and is still going strong. i've used Fram filters frot he last 20 years on everything i drive and have never had a single oil issue w/ any of my cars, work trucks or motorcycles. the oil in my '99 and my 4cyl. '02 camry get changed every

Happy New Year......

mike................

More info on oil filters:

I must echo Mike's comments on FRAM.

I was shocked to see any negative comments on FRAM filters as I also have used almost nothing else on all of my vehicles (way too many to list here), for many decades now! In all that time, I have never lost an engine or vehicle to sludge or oil related problems, never! In the interest of open disclosure, I change the oil and filter in every vehicle as close to 3,000 miles as possible, no matter what the manufacturers say about longer intervals, and I don't use synthetics.

When I tried to go to the links in this subject for all the horror stories, the only one that worked was bobtheoilguy so I'm still wondering what's the problem with Fram?

I am much more interested in what causes Camry's much alleged oil sludge problem. I don't have any problem, and none of my vehicles (from motorcycles to boats, to sports cars, to sedans, to trucks, etc.) has ever had a sludge problem. Some of those vehicles were/are old enough to vote two-times-over! So, why is Camry so famous for sludge problems, and why does Toyota think this is just fine?! Are we supposed to think that Camry owners are somehow inferior to others, or somehow too stupid to maintain their vehicles properly?

If there is a real problem, it must be designed in, don't you think? I know I'm just as "stupid" with my other vehicles, and as said before, I have NEVER had a sludge related problem in any engine I own(ed). Of course, it must be said, there is no sludge in my Camry, either!

Just my 2-cents worth.

Bob in Los Angeles

Bob Giel wrote: snip

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Your diligent maintenance of your vehicles prevents you from having sludge and/or gelling problems. So, you have answered your own question on how to prevent sludge in any vehicle, Toyota or other. davidj92

In replay to Bob and Mike: I don't know much about oil filters, and I cannot evaluate their quality. Maybe the Fram filter I complained about performed excellent job in filtering. But in my experience with Fram TG4967, it took ridiculous amount of time until the oil pressure light turned off. In the past I used ACdelco, Proline, Pureone (and more), and never had this type of a problem. I used Fram's air filter before, and had no problem. Maybe I just got one defective filter, but I don't think that I would try it again. When I noticed the oil pressure problem, I thought it was the Castrol high mileage oil I just tried for the first time (trying to solve my valve stem seals problem, which didn't help at all so far). I also thought it might be a sludge/oil pump problem, therefore I thought it would be a good idea to share my experience with other non-oil-filter-experts, like myself.

I had reduced oil pressure with from a Fram some years ago. I have never had a problem with Purolator .But i have to agree that the OE toyota filter is always the safest bet. I would definately contact Fram I think you got a defective filter !

More than likely what you heard was valve clatter. Not a problem.