Bad Fram Fuel Filter

RustedRanger · Oct 21, 2012

Changed the fuel filter yest (Fram)....got it off and noticed it rattling...I haven't cut it open yet but it feels like the whole filter media broke loose inside. I read posts here about their oil filters coming apart inside so I stopped using them.

adsm08 · Oct 21, 2012

I have seen several brands of fuel filter, including motorcraft, do that when left on the vehicle long enough. I think yours is the fourth instance of this that I am personally aware of.

03ranger4x4 · Oct 21, 2012

If you go to youtube, and search for oil filter comparisons there are a couple videos of a guy who cuts most oil filters you find at walmart open to examine where your money really goes when you choose one.

I forget all the details, but i remember Fram being one of the very worst in internal quality right along side that "super tech" cheap brand. As in the internal media was held solely together with glue, and cardboard, on an OIL FILTER :shok:

.

And of course the best was Purolator(sp?), and Motorcraft which were almost identical in design, the internal media was held together properly with stamped steel and a steel end cap with a metal sping bypass valve if the filter becomes too clogged as to not restrict oil flow.

Ill never use any oil filter beside Purolator, or Motorcraft. Unfortunately I can only use Fram for my motorcycles oil filter, seeing how thats the only company any place seems to carry....might need to start ordering those online.

RustedRanger · Oct 21, 2012

I think it had been on there about 9 months or so....no more Fram for me...

shane96ranger · Oct 22, 2012

Look up "My Fram Filter Experience" on Youtube. It's my video of the fuel filter in my Ranger. Same deal as yours - rattled like a paint can.

EDIT: I will attempt to put it here with my phone.....

Also have some pics somewhere of my *hides head in shame* Fram oil filter I pulled off my Mustang. It sat for 2 weeks, and it was pretty dry. No precharged (I think that's what it's called) oil for startup. I only start it every two weeks when it's cold, and the previous time I noticed it sounded oil starved - so I looked into the filter. Blam-o.

Sent from a Commodore 64 using a 300 baud modem

snake · Oct 22, 2012

I wouldn't put a fram anything even on a car I was selling! Pure junk. I have seen those oil filters cut open, wix looked really good too, as did the $13 mobile 1 filters. I quit using mobil 1 because I found some metal filings in one from where they cut the threads... Motorcraft only from then on.

FritzTKatt · Oct 22, 2012

I quit using fram when I had to go through the whole lot for one with a good starter thread. I had spent a half hour screwing with the filter wondering why it wouldn't go on. Looked at threads and low and behold, bad starter thread. Took it back and they all had bad threads. I use purolator pureone now. Purolator fuel and air filters too.

RustedRanger · Oct 22, 2012

Wow...that does sound like a paint can lol Mine is muted sounding,like whatever is rattling is soft. I started using Motorcraft oil filters and also noticed it holds more oil than the Fram....one time I changed the oil and filter and wondered why the oil was way overfilled after putting in 5qts.

killj0y · Oct 22, 2012

RustedRanger said:
Wow...that does sound like a paint can lol Mine is muted sounding,like whatever is rattling is soft. I started using Motorcraft oil filters and also noticed it holds more oil than the Fram....one time I changed the oil and filter and wondered why the oil was way overfilled after putting in 5qts.

Are you sure it takes a full five? Mine calls for 4.5 qts...

RustedRanger · Oct 22, 2012

RustedRanger · Oct 22, 2012

After it dried out it did sound like a rattle can...whatever held the filter media in place is gone...Yeah it holds five

shane96ranger · Oct 22, 2012

RustedRanger said:

Deja Vu. Mine was the same when I cut it open. It appeared to be glued in place to me. Look down at the bottom where it says "Made in China".... that's good enough for me not to buy it.

Anything that had filtered out moved right on through now. Effin' Fram......

Someone above made the comment about the age (maybe Adsm?). The guy I bought my Ranger from told me he had just changed the fuel filter. So, if he wasn't lying, it was only about 2 years old. This filter above appears to be pretty new as well.

4x4junkie · Oct 22, 2012

shane96ranger said:
Look down at the bottom where it says "Made in China".... that's good enough for me not to buy it.

Yep.
Unfortunately it's gotten harder to find USA-made ones anymore. Purolator and other's fuel filters are the same chinese garbage now too (probably the same supplier serves all of them now). After spending over an hour driving around town I finally just said "F'-it!" and went to the Ford dealer and overpaid for 3 Motorcraft ones (I think they were like $17 or so, I forget exactly, I know I had already spent what amount extra they cost in gas just from driving all over town). :annoyed:

shane96ranger · Oct 22, 2012

4x4junkie said:
Yep.
Unfortunately it's gotten harder to find USA-made ones anymore. Purolator and other's fuel filters are the same chinese garbage now too (probably the same supplier serves all of them now). After spending over an hour driving around town I finally just said "F'-it!" and went to the Ford dealer and overpaid for 3 Motorcraft ones (I think they were like $17 or so, I forget exactly, I know I had already spent what amount extra they cost in gas just from driving all over town).

Same thing I found - Chinese at Autozone and Napa. The Motorcraft was 17 dollars here too, but it's a USA filter.

snake · Oct 22, 2012

Wal-mart sells a limited line of motorcraft oil filers for cheap, but I think ur SOL on the fuel filters... I'd still bite the bullet and put the factory stuff on there. Never a problem with factory parts, they always fit and it runs like new.

Bad Fram Fuel Filter

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