<VV> Oil Filters - Warning

[John]

There is some interesting consumer info on the FILTER MANUFACTURERS
COUNCIL's Web Site.

<http://www.filtercouncil.org/>

Gives Web links and telephone numbers for oil filter manufactures. 
Includes all the brands that have been mentioned on VV.  Also tells how
to make warranty claims.  I wonder how a "replace my engine" warranty
claim would be received on a clearly defective filter design?

John

> From: Sethracer@aol.com
> Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2004 21:10:30 EDT
> Subject: Re: <VV> Oil Filters - Warning
> To: BobHelt@aol.com, virtualvairs@corvair.org
> 
> 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