Who was it who mentioned Fram oil filters and dropping oil pressure? (2025 Update)

It's a known problem on the orange Fram filters. The problem is the anti drainback valves don't work. How much it effects the engine will depend on the filter mounting and position. I have two old Ford trucks, both with straight six engines. "300 and

Put a Wix 51515 on it and you won't have a problem again.

Daniel Bought a 95 Grand Caravan SE 3.3l with 223,000 miles on it for $800 and immediatly changed to a 51515 and Mobil 1 5w30 non-EP. I have 10k miles of my own on the van now and the engine is still going strong.

Let's see if I can remember that number! ;)

When I changed the oil and started the engine, there was what sounded like a bottom end knock in it...

I went for a 5 mile ride and the sound went awat...Thank You! Whew!

I had a Gr Voyager w/279,000 miles on it. It had had the trans replaced under warranty and never had a problem with it, excep the guy who gave it to me wanted it back! He ran it up to 324,000!!!

I am confident that the oil pressure pick-up point is after the filter. Therefore a restrictive filter can only reduce the measured pressure, not increase it.

Ed

That number sounds familiar... same filter as a 225 leaning tower of power maybe?

nate

I also had a Ford 300 six. Same problem. Changed to NAPA best filter ( I think this is made by Wix) Problem solved. WW

Doesn't matter how well it filters if the ADBV doesn't work, and Fram's traditionally don't.

NB: I haven't used a Fram filter in 15 years or more because of this issue, so they may have rectified it - but why take the chance when so many other filters have been working well for years?

nate

That's nice, but personal experience trumps a test any day. Time from cold start to oil pressure light going out on my old Dart, >5 sec. with a Fram filter. 1 sec. or less with a Wix filter. Guess which filter I've used ever since.

nate

Lee Maxifilter?!?!?!

How the hell old was this test?!?!?!

I used to use Lee Maxifilters in my Corollas. When I got the Hachiroku, for it's first oil change I went to get a Lee...GONE! I actually found one in a closet last year, but it doesn't fit anything I own. I must have bought it ~1982 or so.

If you find a Lee, let me know!!! ;)

BTW, that same test, from 1984, also said if you had a Toyota, you were getting the BEST filter made...

Every three thousand miles, regardless of age/condition of car...

LOL! Nice description!

Wix got rated very highly from CR, but AutoZone doesn't sell them. The CarQuest I used to work at (and got Wholesale from...) closed last year...they were turning the key to Lock when I went to get some parts for my Supra...there is another place that does have them. The Soob is due in a few hundred more miles....time for a Real World test!

But I suspect not for the reason you think. A lot of the problem is the position of the filter. And lots of older cars had the filter mounted where it drained easily. It's not due to the condition of the engine. Remember, I had this problem with a brand new rebuilt engine that ran great, and it never did it again after dumping the Fram filter. My engine was not a beater and the oil pump was brand new.

They filter ok, but like one said, who cares if the valve doesn't work worth a hoot, and it's a proven fact that they don't.

I'm afraid Lee filters are long gone. The last reference I could find was a magazine ad from 1986. The last one I bought was '84 or '85. I can't understand how they could go out of business. I was buying them 2-3 at a time!

I used them in my 74 Corolla, my 78 Corolla, my 80 Corolla. They were all high mileage cars, due in some part to the oil filter?

Yeah and I'm a talking dog. You change the oil every 3000k on a car you have only had for 100 miles?

-jim

You have to remember that the filter that will remove the smallest particles will generally be the one which has the highest resistance to flow (smallest pore sizes).

Do you have any data that accurately describes what happens when particles of various small sizes are left in the oil? I dont. I have, like you I am sure, read that they are not desirable, but have never seen HARD data.

Punch a hole in the top of the can while the oil is draining from the pan; wait half an hour before removing filter.

It'll still be messy, just not *as* messy.

nate

Yeah and everybody knows the moon is made of green cheese. BTW which way is upside down for a filter/

"Store brand" stuff made by a known manufacturer is often cheaper for exactly the same product. The mfr can tool up for a large lot, stamp it for the store/customer, ship it FOB, and make their profit on short-term volume.

I used to work for a school-supply company back in the days when "spirit duplicators" (read Ditto brand) were the only answer for multiple copies.

We sold Ditto (part of Bell & Howell at the time) duplicators and Ditto's own brand of fluid (basically methyl alcohol with some additives). We sold the same stuff (from Ditto) under our own brand (with it marked as "Made by Ditto for ___") for about 50 to 75% of the Ditto brand, depending on lot size to our customer. Big school districts would buy thousands of gallons per year....

BTW, this was also decent degreaser, fair to good "stove fuel", and also a fairly decent "gas line antifreeze". I used to pour about a quarter gallon in the 50 gallon tank in the back of my truck every other fill.