<VV> Bad Quality Control

[Mark Corbin]

Concerning oil filters, I think there are only two sources (short of
finding an NOS supply of AC PF-4's) that produce a filter even worth
considering, that being NAPA/WIX brand and Clark's.

As far as Fram goes, I think their reputation is way overblown. Used to use
them on occasion, until I actually saw an analysis of various filters.  Not
pretty.

BTW, remember the Purolator commercial where a guy takes his date parking
(using the old "car trouble" ploy), only to have her crawl under the car,
prom dress and all, and remove the oil filter. She then emerges, dripping
with black oil, and drops it in his hands, explaining all the time about
the filtering ability of the advertiser's product. Don't you just love it
when the gal knows more about cars than the guy?

-Mark

> [Original Message]
> From: kevin nash <wrokit at hotmail.com>
> Subject: Re: <VV> Bad Quality Control
>
> J.R-
> Only my Parents have ever called me Kev, I'm fine with it.
>  
> 1. I get what you are saying, I however, dont do it like that, I much
prefer to let 
>     the car set for an hour with the drain plug off. I figure that the
crankcase vent
>     is more than capable of allowing the oil to drain freely, especially
since I let it
>     set so long.
>     1a: I had not ever heard of the plastic bag method untill you brought
it up, I'll
>           have to try that next time for kicks and grins! I have yet to
spill any oil using
>           the "be very carefull" method, but theres a first time for
everything!
> 3. Actually, I havent used fram filters since the 1980's, mostly because
the flaps
>     around here havent carried those since then, and also because of the
reputation
>     they've gotten. For some reason, I always remember the fram p/n, and
refer to
>     it like that, even though it been alot of years since I've used the
orange ones!
> 4. If you use the Napa 1038 filter, check to see if it has threads in the
center, dont 
>     ask how I know this!
> 5. I did not mean for it to tie into the marketing thread, I guess it
sorta does though.
> 6. Absolutely!!    
>
> Kevin 
>  
> > From: hmlinc at sbcglobal.net
> > 
> > Kev,
> > 
> > Hope you don't mind - I have a son named Kevin and that is what he gets 
> > called.
> > 
> > A couple of things... in the order they came up in your message.
> > 
> > 1. Remove the oil filter while the drain plug is out of the pan. In
fact, 
> > that is my first step - to remove the filter. Why? Because more oil
drains 
> > out with the filter off. Oh, take the filler cap off too!
> > 
> > 1a. You know the plastic bag method to catch spills from the filter,
right?
> > 
> > 2. I THOUGHT you were going to tell us the filter would not go up into
the 
> > mount on the engine. I had that happen - the Fram filter I had removed 
> > still had it's "top end" stuck up in the filter housing.
> > 
> > 3. Don't buy Fram filters.
> > 
> > 4. Odd coincidence - today I was at Napa (on an unrelated mission), but 
> > happen to ask - "Do you have a NAPA Gold 1038 in stock?" Answer - let
me 
> > check. Instead of going to the filter shelf, he went to one in the back
and 
> > found ONE there. I asked "How much are they?" - knowing full well that
I 
> > have several on the shelf at home. Answer - $11.99 per. My next
question 
> > "What can you do for me on a case of 12?" Understand that this was not
the 
> > boss or the owner - but he immediately offered 10% off. I KNOW I can
beat 
> > that, but just wanted to re-verify.
> > 
> > 5. Does this tie into the "marketing" thread?
> > 
> > 6. In case I forgot... don't buy Fram filters - or ANY other brand with 
> > that inverted U shaped gasket around the outer edge!
> > 
> > Later, JR
> > 
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "kevin nash" <wrokit at hotmail.com>
> > Subject: <VV> Bad Quality Control
> > 
> > >
> > > Last Friday, I decided it was oil change day, so I went to one of our 
> > > flaps, got my oil, got the filter (I rather liked the fact that
> > > I could get the oil filter, in stock!), went home, promptly drained
the 
> > > oil while it was nice and hot, replaced and re-torqued the drain
> > > plug,removed the old filter, dumped the old oil out into my special
drain 
> > > pan (fits under the oil pan, with a screw-on funnel), filled the
> > > new oil filter with oil, smear new oil on the oil filter gasket, set
the 
> > > oil filter under the oil filter mount, set the perfectly clean oil
fliter 
> > > mounting
> > > bolt on the oil filter threads, begin hand threading the bolt home-
just 
> > > like I always do. This time, however, I'm beginning to think I've
> > > forgotten how to screw the bolt in, as I cant seem to get the threads 
> > > started. I carefully removed the oil filter, and after a few more 
> > > unsuccessful
> > > tries at starting the bolt, I found the problem- THAT M&TH%RF%%%!!
oil 
> > > filter had no center threads! It was just a hole!
> > >
> > > I got on the phone, called the flaps (making sure that they knew i
was 
> > > PISSED)- they called the other flaps, who, of course did not have a
fram 
> > > ph-4
> > > or equivalent, and I was basically stranded ( my corvair is my only
car!) 
> > > unless I did the unthinkable- put the new oil in, use the old oil
filter, 
> > > which
> > > is what I did. This experience was enough to cause me to load up on
oil 
> > > filters, from you know who, just so I never have to buy a flaps oil
> > > filter again!
> > >
> > > The flaps I bought the filter from was understandibly preturbed about
the 
> > > whole situation, promptly refunded my money for the filter and
> > > gave me another quart of oil. They took the oil filter off in the
back 
> > > room, never to be seen again!
> > >
> > > Kevin Nash
> > > Soon to be EFI'ed early spyder, daily driver
> >