Motorcraft 5W-20

[thegoat4]

IME, FRAM works OK for physically small filters. Like what you see on Honda motors. On the bigger ones, I've seen quite a few of them come apart internally. And I alyways cut used filters open. FRAM filters a) are all cardboard, and b) never have anything caught in the filter media. Even the small filters that do not come apart don't seem to catch anything. OTOH, Motorcraft, NAPA, baldwin, and pretty much all other brands I've tried are physically built better and always catch something. Since using Motorcraft filters I've been finding the occasional metal particles in the filter media, and the pan magnet no longer picks up much iron fuzz.

I blast my filters with undercoat-in-a-can before installing so removal is easier later.

I still need a relocator kit, though. Dumping oil on the starter motor each time isn't acceptable, IMO.

 

[Simple_serf]

As to the oil weight...

Our 07 Taurus with the 3.0 Vulcan says 5W20 on it.

Our 01 F-150 with the 4.2 Essex says 5W20 on it

My 98 Ranger with the 2.5 Lima says "Engine Oil" on it....I use 5W30 in it

our 95 Windstar With the 3.8 Essex says "Engine oil" on it, but all i ever seem to get out of it is antifreeze...I put 5W30 in it....

As to the filters.. had a Fram go bad on my Isuzu....I use Motorcraft now.

 

[shadetree]

im not spouting half baked claims to the public shadey. im speaking from experience. so youve had good luck with fram filters, im glad for you. i havnt. personally if i hear negative things about an item, i try to steer clear of it...especially when there are higher quality options for nearly the same price.

Then I will put you in the group of all the others I have asked to supply verifiable data as to your assumptions, that you cannot supply said data.

Filters have design specifications, and they are not eyeballed. Just because it doesn't look like it will work doesn't mean it won't. More or bigger isn't always better. If they do the intended job, more/bigger isn't necessary and would be a waste.

I was born and raised in a garage, have been working on automobiles most of my life. I am 68 years old, so I'll match experience with you any time you wish.

When I suggest to someone that they shouldn't do something, I want to have valid reasons for doing so, otherwise I will state it as an opinion, and leave the reader to make up his own mind. shady

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

otherwise I will state it as an opinion, and leave the reader to make up his own mind. shady

seems to me thats all i was doing.

stay away from fram filters. motorcraft or wix/napa is all i'll run.

 

[shadetree]

seems to me thats all i was doing.

Not to prolong this, but I didn't read it as an opinion, but as a statement of authenticity, "stay away from Fram filters." No further discussion to indicate an opinion. Same as your "because they are cheap" statement. Nothing there to indicate you were talking about their construction, such as "cheaply made, etc. Anyway, this has nothing to do with the subject at hand, and I don't want to hijack the thread any further. shady

 

[pillen140]

do they not recommend different oil weights for different climates any more?

and i never heard anything bad about fram before, seems like a few of you have had bad experiences with them, i always use them because they are easy to get off! and they are more expensive (at least where i get them) seemed like they would be better quality for more money. screw it, im only using motor craft from now on. they are cheaper anyway.

 

[sonicboom919]

Look. All anyone has to do is go to google and type in anything having to do with fram oil filters. A boatload of people have had major major issues with fram filters. They have had massive recalls in the past, and people I even know have had the fram filters give out. The information about fram is all over the place. Just take the time and look. It is simply a low quality product.

 

[shadetree]

Look. All anyone has to do is go to google and type in anything having to do with fram oil filters. A boatload of people have had major major issues with fram filters.

There are also millions of us who have had no problems with the filter. So, that would not prove anything.

They have had massive recalls in the past

Data to back up this statement?????

and people I even know have had the fram filters give out.

Thats just it. It is always "somebody I know", "people said", "I screwed one on crooked one time, and all the threads are bad of Frams", I screwed one on too tight one time, and the seal failed", "I used a wrench to tighten the filter and it bent", so I jump on the internet and bash the filters as to how bad they are, and on and on. Pure BS.

The information about fram is all over the place. Just take the time and look. It is simply a low quality product.

No information that is verifiable as to what you say about the filter. It is all heresay, conjecture, assumption, etc., in other words bs. Just because one or two people may have had problems with a product doesn't make all of the product bad, especially not on the scale of the number of Fram products produced.

If what is said about the filter is true, they would have been out of business by now instead of outselling other filters by a 2 to1 margin. And don't give me this "fall for their advertising" hype. The only time I see a Fram ad is in auto magazines, rarely in publications most people read daily.

What is your experience in dealing with Fram filters? At 20 years old, surely you have vast experience in dealing with major problems with hundreds of them, otherwise, you have been brainwashed, or just want to hate something....... shady

 

[thegoat4]

There are also millions of us who have had no problems with the filter. So, that would not prove anything.

Data to back up this statement?????

Thats just it. It is always "somebody I know", "people said", "I screwed one on crooked one time, and all the threads are bad of Frams", I screwed one on too tight one time, and the seal failed", "I used a wrench to tighten the filter and it bent", so I jump on the internet and bash the filters as to how bad they are, and on and on. Pure BS.

No information that is verifiable as to what you say about the filter. It is all heresay, conjecture, assumption, etc., in other words bs. Just because one or two people may have had problems with a product doesn't make all of the product bad, especially not on the scale of the number of Fram products produced.

What is your experience in dealing with Fram filters? At 20 years old, surely you have experienced major problems with hundreds of them???? shady

Well, at what point do you start trusting others? Granted, you shouldn't be gullible and trust every single thing you read or hear, but the vast majority of people will try to relay good advice to others without having a full-blown study to back it up.

I used FRAM for a long time, heard bad things, started looking at them, found what I considerd to be the problems with them, and switched to other filters that do not have those same problems. Since that time I've become a full-time mechanic and worked in a variety of places on a varietry of equipment and vehicles. And from what I've seen, FRAM is a consistently poor product. As others have pointed out, they do come apart fairly frequently. No, I don't have a number. As others have pointed out, the exterior is flimsy and prone to leaking with high pressures or in corrosive environments. No, I don't have a number. As others have pointed out, the bypass valves are apparently open most or all of the time. No, I don't have a number.

Taking a cynical look at others' opinions is a good thing. But mindlessly demanding numbers that nobody has is just noise. After all, I'm sure you don't have any numbers to back your opinions either. Hell, how much of what you read in the tech library is backed up with statistics and sources?

 

[sonicboom919]

Here are a couple of the MANY links to recalls and crapy product of fram Mr. Shady. Hope you enjoy the information. Again, feel free to google any information about the negativity and faultiness toward fram filters.

http://www.fram.com/recall/index.php#Q1

http://www.math.uwaterloo.ca/~rblander/FRAM_recall.html

And yes, I am 20 yeard old. And I am old enough that I have been working on cars and trucks for quite a while now with my dad and grandpop who have tinkered on cars their whole life. I know what is BS product (fram) and quality product. Age doesnt mean a thing. You could be 1000 years old and never touched a wrench in your life. So what you said makes not one bit of damn sense.

 

[shadetree]

Well, at what point do you start trusting others? Granted, you shouldn't be gullible and trust every single thing you read or hear

It depends on the subject, and who is giving the advice. I don't trust much on the internet.

but the vast majority of people will try to relay good advice to others without having a full-blown study to back it up.

No so. A lot of this stuff is just a "jump on the hate Fram" bandwagon. I see it all over the place, enough that I would like to see some verifiable data to back up the charges of bad product.

I used FRAM for a long time, heard bad things, started looking at them, found what I considerd to be the problems with them, and switched to other filters that do not have those same problems. Since that time I've become a full-time mechanic and worked in a variety of places on a varietry of equipment and vehicles. And from what I've seen, FRAM is a consistently poor product. As others have pointed out, they do come apart fairly frequently. No, I don't have a number. As others have pointed out, the exterior is flimsy and prone to leaking with high pressures or in corrosive environments. No, I don't have a number. As others have pointed out, the bypass valves are apparently open most or all of the time. No, I don't have a number.

Conjecture on your part. I have been a mechanic most of my life, and have not see the problems of which you speak.

Taking a cynical look at others' opinions is a good thing. But mindlessly demanding numbers that nobody has is just noise. After all, I'm sure you don't have any numbers to back your opinions either. Hell, how much of what you read in the tech library is backed up with statistics and sources?

Accepting someones opinions without any basis in fact would be "mindless."
If that is the case, I would never purchase another Ford product again, as they have multi-failures on many parts.

If I give someone advice not to use/purchase a product, I want to know in my own mind that the product has problems. Not because somebody said so, not because a couple of people have had problems, but because there is a valid reason that the product is actually not worthy, and the problems can be traced. Otherwise, you are doing a disservice to those who may want/need the product.

The Fram battle goes on everywhere, the same old info is passed around, and those with little/no experience become experts. So, yes, I question lots of information, mindless or no. shady

 

[colinrmitchell]

delicious sharp cheddar.

Mmmmmmmm!

 

[shadetree]

http://www.fram.com/recall/index.php#Q1
This is a recall notice for a possible defect as stated in the notice. Fram was aware of the problem, and corrected it. This does not make all Fram products bad. All product mfgr go thru this same process. If the defect is not corrected, then it is a bad product.

http://www.math.uwaterloo.ca/~rblander/FRAM_recall.html

This is the same as the link above, recalled product with a defect. This is the one I mentioned in my post #12, so its old news. If recalls make all products bad, and they shouldn't be purchased, then we would all be walking, and mostly naked.

And yes, I am 20 yeard old. And I am old enough that I have been working on cars and trucks for quite a while now with my dad and grandpop who have tinkered on cars their whole life. I know what is BS product (fram) and quality product. Age doesnt mean a thing. You could be 1000 years old and never touched a wrench in your life. So what you said makes not one bit of damn sense.

You are right, age doesn't mean a thing. Everyone is born with the inate ability to work on cars, are filter experts, etc. Or....is it the learning experience that comes with age? You are learning from your parents, so, age/experience must mean something.

Also, along with age and experience, there must be some common sense, and the ability to think for ones self, not follow the crowd. In this vein, I ask, if this product is this bad, and has this many problems, why is it the number one product in the country, and why isn't there information from experts stating that it is bad? Otherwise, I'm making decisions based on rumors. shady

 

[shadetree]

do they not recommend different oil weights for different climates any more?

and i never heard anything bad about fram before, seems like a few of you have had bad experiences with them, i always use them because they are easy to get off! and they are more expensive (at least where i get them) seemed like they would be better quality for more money. screw it, im only using motor craft from now on. they are cheaper anyway.

Most oils currently used for automobiles are multi-viscosity, and as such are usually good for all climates. Colder locations would use a smaller first number, and much hotter climates could call for a higher last number. There are exceptions for special applications.

The Fram bashing parade has been going on for many years on almost every site having to do with the internal combustion engine. I have used this filter thru all its changes of manufacturers, and still use it today. I have never had one filter related problem, nor have any of my many customers. Do I use other filter brands? Yes, I'm not Fram specific. Way too much emphasis is being placed on the filter. At less than 4 bucks they are cheaply made, as is Motorcraft, etc. For better filtration, if that is what's needed, a move to premium filters would be the logical and recommended choice. But, the filters do the job for which they are intended in normal applications. So, not to worry. Use which ever filter you feel comfortable with.

The ideal way to know what a filter is doing is by testing the oil, if it is that important. Blackstone labs is a good source at reasonable cost. shady

 

[pillen140]

Most oils currently used for automobiles are multi-viscosity, and as such are usually good for all climates. Colder locations would use a smaller first number, and much hotter climates could call for a higher last number. There are exceptions for special applications.

i thought the light weight was for when its cold, so its easier to start, than thickens when it reaches operating temp? i remember my owners manual has a chart, it recommends 5w30 for where i live (-20 to 90deg)(not exact, i cant remember) and 10w30 and so on, in warmer climates. do they not apply this anymore? i know toyota, you can run 0w20, warmer you can run 5w20.