Ok since this thread has taken off very nicely i have done some housekeeping on it the following rules apply to posting in this thread

1) ONLY post pictures of your OPENED oil filters in this thread with the appropriate comments/observations with them

2) any other posts will be deleted or moved to the discussion thread located here

3) when making comments on a specific post in this thread either click the quote button and then copy/paste the quoted text block into your post in the other thread or paste a link to the specific POST (click the number in the top right corner of the post) cross posting photos in both threads is O.K.

4) Please post the following at the top of each post (Copy paste the block if you like)

Engine:
Brand: (purolator, fram, ect)
Manfacturer: (purolator, honeywell, champion ect, reference list found here)
Model: (example purolator l14670, supertech st2 ect)
Miles on filter:
Link to PDF of oil analysis: (optional)



So in the spirit of this website i decided to cut open the old oil filter after i changed my oil this weekend (i also pulled an oil sample which im going to send out to blackstone labs ill post those results when i get them)

the filter on the truck was a cheapo walmart brand supertech filter, which after cutting it open is not great, but it better than i expected it to be. It turns out it is made by champion labs (same company which makes AC Delco, Car and Driver, Champ, Deutsch, STP and Bosch brand filters), it uses their ecore design, which is a plastic center, surprisingly enough the plastic still seemed to be structurally sound after going a full change interval and then some.

so i assume you will all want pictures now that i have talked about it.

Engine:4.7
Brand:SuperTech (walmart house brand
Manfacturer:Champion Labs
Model:ST2
Miles on filter: 6655
Link to PDF of oil analysis:



full filter (can still intact)



top of filter can after cutting open



top of the filter media, this part bothers me a little bit, but it seems to be part of the rest of the filter media so is unlikely to fall off like the fram cardboard endcaps are prone to doing



filter medium



empty can with bypass valve spring



bottom of filter medium including seal of the anti-drainback valve
this seal was very stiff IMO which could easily explain noisy starts as the oil pump will have to fill up the filter before getting oil to the top of the engine.



Close up of the filter media, the only tear i found in it.


all in all its not a bad filter, however given a choice go with one that has a better anti-drainback valve.

My opinion, dont use it, however in a pinch it will likely be just fine.

 

be very careful cutting it open if you decide to do it for 3 reasons

1) it WILL be full of oil still, I made quite the mess on the garage floor cutting it open I suggest going it outside if you can get setup outside

2) you'll probably cut it open the same way that I did, withing the top 1/4 inch of the filter with a hacksaw using a vice to hold it in place, be very carefull that you don't cut the filter material and you'll have to turn the filter and make a very small amount of the circumference at a time so that the blade doesn't cut too deep.

3) also when you get finished cutting it open be carefull that the can and the filter media don't fall out on the floor/ground.

id be very interested to see what the inside of the purolator looks like (that's what I put on mine this time when I did the change), and I think you'll be in for quite a surprise when you cut open the FRAM

probably something like this
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oil...ence.html#fram

 

Here is pics of my Fram Extra Guard i pulled off my truck this morning....












The filter was so brittle that it was literally falling apart! there where little chunks of the filter inside there laying in the bottom...

 

Changed the oil in my dad's Wrangler JK (EGH 3.8L V6) this morning. (Of course it started pouring down with rain right as we finished his so once it stops raining later we'll do my oil change.) It had a Fram Extra Guard filter on it. It had right around 4,000 miles on it since the last change. Surprisingly the filter was in very good shape. The filter media was in good shape and not torn or collapsed and the end cap was fine too.









The little filings in there are from cutting it apart. I got impatient with the hacksaw and got out the angle grinder. I did nick the filter a bit in the 3rd picture. Of course I got the whole "told you so" and "I've been using Fram for 30 years with no problems" spiel, but I kind of have to agree with him that the filter was fine. I thing Fram may have redeemed themselves.

 

Ok, here are the pictures of my Purolator filter that I took off today, and I don't think you're gonna be very happy with the Purolator filters performance shrp.

It had 3881 miles on it since the previous oil change. To my shock it was in worse shape than the Fram Extra Guard filter that came off my dad's Wrangler. It had a few small tears in it and parts of the filter media were starting to pull away from the center of the filter. You can see this best in the 3rd picture. The groove is from the angle grinder I used to cut it open. I was barred from cutting the filter apart in the garage this time so I couldn't use the vice and get a good straight cut.

I know that this isn't an ideal comparison since the filters were from 2 different engines in 2 different vehicles, but it still shows a lot. They both had around the same mileage on them and they both are subjected to the same kind of driving in the same conditions. I put a Fram Tough Guard filter on my Durango so next time it needs changed I'll get a better comparison between the Purolator and Fram filters.












I wanted to add that the dirt on the ends of the filter was from setting it down on the driveway.

 

ok guys i cut open a purolator tonight, did the oil change about a week ago, still waiting for the oil analysis to come back on this one, (once again i cut it open w/ a hacksaw)

Engine: 4.7
Brand: Purolator
Manfacturer: purolator
Model: purolator l14670
Miles on filter: 5291


full album https://plus.google.com/photos/11530...08211573264865

highlight reel




direction the element went into the can



filter was immaculate, all the pleats looked like this one inside (i only took one picture time was a constraint)

IMO this filter looks much better than the supertech filter i did last time, no damage to the filter element, the bypass valve still had good strength to it (the metal bar shaped piece in the end) and the anti-drainback valve (black rubber piece on top) was still nice and flexible and even had imprints of the outlet holes on it implying that it was pressing against the plate when the engine is off stopping the oil from draining back into the pan.

when i get the oil analysis back on this one i will be sure to post it up to see what the results are.

EDIT: i just realized i dont have a picture w/ the string in it, the string was in the bottom of the can when i opened it up, and was basically disintegrated when i tried to pick it up it fell apart to nothing, so the oil does affect the string, but this is not a concern for the string getting sucked in since the string is located on the downstream side of the filter, it must pass through the filter media before it is possible to get into the engine.

 

I was about to mention the string, but I just saw that you found it. I still have no idea what in the hell was going on with that purolator filter I had before. I'm still a few hundred miles from my oil needing changed, but I helped my dad change the oil in his Wrangler last weekend. It had right over 4000 miles on it (which is when the change oil message comes up).

He had a fram tough-guard on it. It was in pretty good shape. The drainback valve was still good and the endcaps were in good shape. They only look a bit torn up from the saw cutting them open. The filings are also from the saw. I didn't find any tears or anything in the media.

Sorry about this picture being fuzzy.

 

Hey - I work for the company that used to own FRAM filters - this is no longer manufactured or owned by Honeywell. GOOD RIDDANCE.

 

hmmm maybe we found out why the units opened up recently have looked better than expected??

 

Maybe, all of the ones I've seen recently have looked fine.

I know it's been a while, but how much did blackstone labs charge to analyze your oil? I've been keeping that in mind for the next time I change my oil.