<VV> Oil Filters - Warning

[Sethracer@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/23/2004 4:40:35 PM Pacific Standard Time,  
BobHelt@aol.com writes:


It  would seem that cheap is in the eye of the beholder. How can you 
determine  
how well a filter will filter and how much crud it will hold by looking at  
the parts? all commercial filters have to pass certain SAE performance  
requirements that include pressure testing, flow, contamination retention,  
etc. etc. So 
it would seem very subjective to try to determine a filter's  quality by 
cutting it open.
Regards,
Bob  Helt




Well, Bob I would be very surprised if the new Fram oil filter I saw at our  
Silicon Valley Corsa meeting on Tuesday night would pass any test at all. ( I  
know of no requirement for passing any SAE test, in order to place a filter 
on  the market) One of the members had a new style Fram, a (New) older Fram and 
 a broken off filter housing, courtesy of a long ago rear-ender. You could 
place  each filter onto the carrier, and see the inside contact flange as well 
as  the outside. The mounting face of the filter was quite diffeent on the new  
filter. There was no retainer ring to keep a flat face gasket in place during 
 install. So the new filter had a thick gasket that just kind-of draped over 
the  contact face, and contacted the housing when bolted in place. The quite 
visible  problem was that as the outer face contacted, the inner gasket was 
about 1/8 to  3/16 inch from contacting the housing. The old type contacted on 
installation  and sealed to complete an oil filter circuit. The new filter could 
never  have been pulled up tight enough to seal internally. It would seem to 
bolt-up  tight, but little, if any, filtering would take place. It was scary. 
As far  as I'm concerned, it was no filter at all. I recommend not using the  
new-style Fram Corvair filter. I have asked the member to do a bit of  
photography and I will post any shots he provides. - Seth  Emerson