I got a new Redtop today and really was excited about getting the car - at least started.

I raised the car on one side and rotated the wheel to prime the oil system in the car before I attempted to turn an engine that has not been ran since July 2007.

It started to turn and I primed the carbs with some gas and it started, but within 5 seconds the oil filter popped and drained all the oil on the garage door.

Can someone please educate me as to how the oil filter blew from the seam? When the external oil filter was installed is there a certain in / out manner in which the hoses are placed to the external oil filter housing or am I just chasing the rabbit down the hole here?

Click to view attachment

Any help would be appreciated.

Fern

There is an in out on the filter adapter for that style of take off.
And don't use Fran. Not a good filter

Sure, it's a fram.

Simple really; it blew because it is a POS Fram.

.....ECHO!

Okay - how do I determine which is the in out from the engine or does that matter?

Understand there is an in / out on the external oil filter housing and I need to ensure that I match the out flow hose from the engine to the oil filter housing.

The only question now is why / how does it blow? If what you are eluding to is that because it was backwards how can the oil pressure make the filter blow at the seam?

thanks,

Fern

How many more answers do you need?
Don't let the capt'n. See this thread.

This is the first actual picture of a failed Fram filter I have ever seen.

I always here 'they're bad', but never any reason why.

How is the company still in business if all they sell is junk?


KT

I am sorry that was no help. Seriously the seam is where it will be weakest, right? Sounds like the system is/was plugged somewhere or something is backwards. Double check with the manufacturer that you have all the hoses plumbed in the right direction. Also, not kidding here, don't use another Fram filter. PM me your shipping address and I will ship you a Mahle filter for free.

If the oil filter is plumbed backward it will pop this seam.. Ensure the flow is in the proper direction.

Also:
Fram sucks.

The reason why has been documented so many times and is so easy to find it's usually not referenced. But here ya go. The quick version Fram PH8A has 193 sq. in. of filter material, WIX has 349. A quick Google search will get you plenty more such comparisons.

And how are they still in business? That's obvious. It's advertising, plain and simple. Oh and they're the cheapest. Most people shop by price, not quality.

Please don't take this the wrong way. I now understand there is an in / out - right way of doing it.

If I am asking it is because I want to know, I could care less who reads my post (no disrespect to the capt'n). Everyone on the site has a right to read, respond or ignore.

If it bothers you that I am inquisitive - ignore my post. I just don't understand why it blew, regardless of weather the hoses were put on backwards. I would have thought that the oil would not flow into the filter - if the hoses were on backwards???

I visit the site to gain knowledge from those that know more than I know in the area of 914's - nothing more.

respectively ,

Fern

Oil normally flows into the filter through the multiple holes near the outer edge of the filter. The rubber flap is pushed down by the pressure of flowing in. If the hoses are reversed the oil goes in through the center hole and can not flow out of the filter as it is pushing the rubber anti drain back flap against the top of the filter. Hope that helps you understand why that happened.

In answers to your question:

- It happened at least in part because you used the Cheap Crappy Orange Filter
- You may have also swapped the inlet and outlet hoses, if you installed a remote filter mount
- It fails along the seam because that is a weak point

--DD

What I am hearing is that with the oil system improperly plumbed, ANY filter would fail?

Does a Fram not properly filter oil for 3,000 miles?

I use Mahle, but I've heard this bias against Fram for so long, I'd like to know a little more.

So if the surface area is smaller than others, does it allow dirt/particles to contaminate the oil?


Just curious?


KT

Yes, reversing the oil flow would cause any filter (that I am aware of) to fail.
...and yes, the smaller amount of filtration material means that fewer contaminants are removed from the oil flow resulting in increased engine wear (and heat).

Basically, Fram filters support the cliche that "You get what you pay for."

Can you post a pic of the inside of the filter, please?

I'd like to see the filter media.

I used to use Fram until one day I looked at the metal screw on portion. That section had metal shavings on the threads! Their QC sucks!

Smaller surface area will get clogged sooner with dirty oil.

BTW, these are not my seven kits!

These things weren't hard at all to find, and I had page after page showing these types of results.



Look at these SHITTY components!

That's one clean desk you got there Mark!!

You know that WAS a valid question, why so many people buy Fram. I've seen this kind of comparison at least a dozen times, different places, and every time the Fram is embarrassingly shoddy and/or tests worst by far. I'm sure you've seen it to, yet Fram still sells a lot of filters, and worse, don't seem have the lousy reputation that their products should earn them.

So how can that be? I know, you know, we know, but the general public doesn't. Or is it that know but they have to buy cheap? Or they don't think you really need good filtration. They don't believe the test results? Or are going to trade the car so don't care? Fram has good marketing? Or what? I wish I knew, it would make this whole dog-eat-dog capitalism thing a lot easier.

"How"? Saturation advertising. Kinda like HF, Autozone, and Walmart.

The Cap'n

The General Public, in portions:
- Doesn't know
- Doesn't care
- Doesn't believe the testing proves anything
- Figures "it's good enough for 3,000 miles" (or their preferred interval)
- Just goes by what they see on TV (hello, Slick 50!)
- Just buys the cheap ones
- Gets distracted by the bright orange color


.... I dunno, maybe we should ask the OP why he bought FRAM instead of the Mann or Mahle filters that we know work well .....

--DD

People buy Fram for the same reasons that they buy Mobil 1 oil.

Yo to that!

So Mark, based upon your destructive testing, which filter is the best constructed and which filters to the smallest particle size?

And while were at it which filter fits the outboard setup and works the best?

On my LeMons car I run a Fram and O'Reilly synthetic.

I change the oil/filter before every race. ( 700-1000 ) miles.

Car sees nothing but 4500 plus rpms for 8-24 hours straight depending on the race.

No problems.



KT

Trekkor, that's a completely different situation from what most people are running. FRAM and cheap oil should be used on a Lemons car.

Randal, those were just pics pulled from the internet. But WIX/Mahle/Mann all make great filters. For your setup, you should be able to fit a 914/6 filter (OC61?) which is larger/longer than the 914 setup. The extra size will avoid any restrictions.

I can't run the high filter as I have side braces that get in the way. I also need something that works on one of outboard filter sets ups. HP3 fits (I run 2), so what filter will provide better filtration, construction and fits?

BTW I change oil and filter every 4 events, so like less than 10 minutes on the engine. I also run the high zinc Kendall oil because the guy who build my engine recommended it.

Sounds like you're doing plenty to keep it happy.

Maybe people run Fram because in the end it's good enough? Look at how long a new car lasts, even with 7k mile oil changes, cheap oil, etc.

Easily could have had moisture in the Oil and after 6 Years sitting could have Rusted out from the Inside. It really wanted to be part of the 914 Culture!

I'm in Matt's camp. While I use better filters is more demanding applications (914, 911, racecars, etc), we have a 20 year old F150 with well over 150K on it which has always used Fram filters and cheap oil. It doesn't seem to have any issues.

Filter selection in this instance seems like some of the arguments we have at work; the question is always how good is good enough.

The Only Way a Fram should be used!

Click to view attachment

Any pictures of the inside of a Mahle filter?