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

One of the largest oil change chains, Jiffy Lube, for instance, is owned by Pennzoil-Quaker State, and as such has an incentive to sell as much of the companys traditional petroleum-based oil as possible."

This information is only partially correct. Shell Oil owns Pennzoil-Quaker State.

My oil chnage light in my 2009 Dodge Truck comes on around 2500 miles.

That never was the question. Here is the quote

"As a car ages, more frequent changes might be in order, but that's for a qualified mechanic to decide on a case-by-case basis."

Modern oils hold the fine dirt particles that the oil filter do not remove in suspension. But oil can only hold so much dirt. If you change oil often enough the oil changes get rid of the dirt. If you don't change the oil as often them some of the dirt will stay in the engine. If every oil change you leave some dirt in the engine it adds up. This does not require a Ph.D. to comprehend. Examining an old car and determining whether the engines oil needs to be changed more frequently is not the intractable and difficult proposition that you are making it out to be.

I have seen plenty of examples where car manufacturers provide recommendations to mechanics in one form or another to examine the oil and engine to determine if the oil has been changed as often as it should be. Typically this sort of advice comes in service bulletins that are intended to help diagnose engine noises like valve train clatter. More often than not these descriptions do not go into any particular detail of how the mechanic is to make such a analysis. It is assumed that a competent mechanic can tell the difference between a clean engine and one that is not.

-jim

You don't seem to quite grasp the concept of insurance. Is buying fire insurance stupid for those who are among the vast majority that never collect a benefit?

-jim

As I have said earlier, the book says 5000, less under severe conditions. The two different dealerships I have bought from recommend 3500. It is a small price to pay,and I am content with it.

Our 1998 Buick LeSabre actually had a reset button in the glove compartment area.

There were occasions it came on at less than 3500 miles, but not often.

I have heard the GM algorithm strongly defended as far as its ability to predict oil change intervals, but like most everything else in this entire thread, there is no hard proof that I have ever seen.

I am sure these studies must exist, on filters, oil change intervals, effect of particulates of different size distributions in the oil, etc etc, but I have never seen them. (And I HAVE looked for them)

I'm not the one claiming to have knowledge of what is going on inside an engine with nothing to go on but fairy tales and superstition.

Lets examine your claim that Ford went to great expense to improve the design of their filters in order to fix the problem you experienced with your engine. This story is nothing but a fairy tale. Its purpose is not to inform but to comfort the ignorant. The main purpose of this fairy tale is probably intended to divert you from noticing that there are design flaws in Ford's engines. The fact is many owners of these engines have had the exact same complaint even when they were using the magic filters and magic oil that Ford sells.

Do some research on Nitrile and Silicone:

- again all the test results show the opposite in motor oil applications. And finally there is no evidence that it costs more for Ford to put a piece of silicone rubber in their filters instead of a piece of nitrile rubber. And even if that part of the story was true there is no evidence that throwing more expensive parts inside a tin can makes a better filter.

There is no part of your story that has a single factual basis. The entire story and all its parts are based on myth.

-jim

I have never seen that, in all my days. It takes one hell of a lot of pressure (or very weak threads) to do something like this.

I believe that the ad copy for any good preoiler has this information, but I don't have time to find an example at the moment. maybe on CM's web site?

nate

I have no idea, Ed. These statements have been made as fact by others than you, but the apparent obvious will come back to bite you in the ass. I want to see some data....scientific significant data.

And I fully agree.. It is the owner/driver, at the end of the day, who has to assume the responsibility for his maintenance diligency. (Except when someone dogs one unmercifully and dumps it on an unsuspecting used car buyer.)

You could start dropping hints that this is what you want for Xmas:

I'd wait for an analysis...

Yeah, my sweetie would love to put that under our tree ;>)

There are some good engine test labs here in Texas, and I have gone onto some of their sites, also SAE, but in most cases when there appears to be data, there is first a $$ charge.

I posted earlier that I just changed my Solara oil and filter today, total expense $19.63. If I paid $20.00 for an oil analysis, that would be money rather poorly spent, woundnt it.....

Here is a link to the Fram FAQ, which gives a minute bit of information on how the filters are tested and certified....Still no hard data, but worth an insomniac's second glance:

Hmm, a place that makes money by selling parts and service recommends short oil change intervals.... how surprising.

As long as I get the change in under 5000k, I have a paper trail to support my warranty, and that is important to me. Although, on the Avalon, we have now had it nearly three years and there has been nothing falling off, no rattles, absolutely nothing to complain about. The warranty on this one goes 7/70.

Go to

The following was extracted from 981443 - Extended Oil Drain Intervals - Conservation of Resources or Reduction of Engine Life (Part II)

"....The authors jointly presented a paper at the February 1995 SAE Congress (1). The main conclusion of the experience up to that time was:

"Used oil analysis of test cars in the European Market demonstrated that engine oils can be already exhausted at 6,000 km (» 3,700 miles) or could last up to 30,000 km (» 18,650 miles), depending on quality of the oil and use of the car....

"4. CONCLUSION

"For a considerable time it has been the objective for scientists and engineers around the world to optimise the use of resources on the one hand and on the other hand to reduce operational costs for cars by defining the ideal ODI. So far the best tools for the optimal definition of the ODI [Oil Drain Interval] are relatively simple engine calculation systems based on mileage, number of starts and average oil temperature.

"But also the oil quality has a major influence on the ODI. Since there is a wide variety of lubricants with different performance levels available in the market, it is necessary to develop a more intelligent system to include oil quality in the calculation.

"An important task is to detect the correct engine oil performance level. High performance engine oils are usually blended with extra high refined or synthetic base stocks at higher cost. But they have a range of benefits, especially reduced friction properties to improve fuel economy and emissions, reduced oil consumption and better wear protection properties. If this is also the case after several thousand miles of use, a bonus has to be included by calculating the ODI. On the other hand the ODI has to be shortened if a poor oil quality is used.

"But the ODI is not only heavily influenced by the quality of the engine oil, but also by the design and the use of the engine which are major influencing factors. Therefore ideally we have to develop on-board monitoring systems to detect the condition of the engine oil during its use. Sensors able to do so are under development, but not yet available for production.

"Combining the data stored in the engine management systems with "in situ" conductivity measurements is a step forward towards optimised ODI's. The experience and the high number of tests accumulated within the cooperation of both companies over several years resulted in the new ASSYST service system. With this system the car owners will benefit from an optimal mileage calculated up to the next oil change. But there will also be a cost benefit since the customer is able to select the most appropriate oil quality level (to benefit from high performance oils) and increase the lifetime of his car...."