"That" aftermarket oil filter

[NorthernDancer]

At BMW club meeting tonight I was getting asked numerous BMW questions from 2 new members who each had Z4's. They lived far away where there wasn't too many other BMW guys and definitely not a club. Some how the conversation turned to oil filters and I ragged upon that aftermarket filter (lets call it Exhibit A) and the fact that in 1986 Honda put out a special bulletin warning people about the weakness of Ex A. Well it turned out that 1 of the new guys had used Ex A in his car and thought everything was just hunkie dorie.
We go down to the cars and I ask this man about doing an oil change and ask to see his engine. Immediately I see the oil filter cap has a gap of about 1/8th inch and I say THAT'S NOT RIGHT. He asks what torque I use on the cap. I say I just align the 2 green dots. I show him the oil filter cap on my car plus 2 other cars; the cap and the housing meet with no gap. His green dot on cap is almost 180º from the housing green dot. IT'S NOT RIGHT. Needless to say I impressed him to get that POS out of his car and get a proper filter (OE BMW, Mann or Mahle). Note that in many cars the green dots may no longer be visible, BUT, there should be no gap. And a torque spec is right on the cap.

[asiflicious]

What filter are you talking about lol

[YearOneOne]

Originally Posted by asiflicious

What filter are you talking about lol

Exhibit A

[jetrep]

How do you know the filter is at fault and it wasn't installation error?

[blue135]

Becomes self explanatory if you sit a Mahle next to Exhibit A. Also clearly explains why there could be a gap if Exhibit A is used.

Unless Exhibit A has changed its filter dimensions.

[jetrep]

I'm seeing zero value in this post without naming the oil filter to be avoided. What's with the 'Exhibit A' games?

[captain slowly]

I'm fairly sure exhibit A is Fram

[desertman123]

[olds350]

Not BMW related, but I was at a HPDE with my mustang a few years ago. Can't remember the car, but I noticed a Fram filter on one of the track cars. Happened to meet the owner and suggested he not run the Fram filter based on past history and tests I'd seen on other forums. He sorta shrugged it off.

Fast forward to an on track session and I'm a few cars behind the guy running the Fram on the back stretch of VIR. All of a sudden a cloud of blue/white smoke and Fram guy pulling off the track due to a blown oil filter. Lesson learned there.

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by olds350

Not BMW related, but I was at a HPDE with my mustang a few years ago. Can't remember the car, but I noticed a Fram filter on one of the track cars. Happened to meet the owner and suggested he not run the Fram filter based on past history and tests I'd seen on other forums. He sorta shrugged it off.

Fast forward to an on track session and I'm a few cars behind the guy running the Fram on the back stretch of VIR. All of a sudden a cloud of blue/white smoke and Fram guy pulling off the track due to a blown oil filter. Lesson learned there.

Fram's are pretty popular on domestic vehicles, from what I've gathered. We used to run them on our '04 F150 (with the infamous 5.4L) and never had a problem.

[WDE82]

Who torques the oil filter housing to spec? That's stupid. Just bottom it out.

[StuP]

My local specialist shop tightened my filter down about 3/8" past aligning the green dots. I'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing.

[JimD]

WDE82 is 100% right. Aligning the dots and torque are not the right thing to do. I lost a lot of oil doing it that way. The O-ring was not in the housing and it leaked. I was in town and had oil in the trunk but I had to stop and get more just to get home.

YOU TIGHTEN THE CAP ON THE HOUSING UNTIL IT BOTTOMS OUT. Doesn't matter what the torque is. Doesn't matter where the stupid paint dots are.

I use Mann oil filters. I have to order them on-line (I use Amazon) but I see no reason to use anything else. I suspect the Fram users are going to Wally World or something. But you can get a Mann 816X like I use at Advance auto parts. It costs $12.50 instead of the $10 I pay from Amazon. Walmart gets over $8 for the Fram. I've used Fram's on other cars, I think they are OK, but if they aren't the right size, it would be stupid to use them.

[NorthernDancer]

Ok the Fram filter is 10075 if I remember correctly and its quite expensive in Walmart, maybe double what most here are paying for their Mann or Mahle. Height is 3 inches, pretty much what Mann/Mahle/BMW are. So I have to believe the owner did not "snap in" his filter element so, again, its operator error not a fault of the Fram filter.

[galifardo1971]

Hi is the fram xg10075 a good filter?

[________]

Originally Posted by galifardo1971

Hi is the fram xg10075 a good filter?

Just get the OEM Mann or OE online or at the dealer. It's 10 bucks, no reason sweating it...

[juld0zer]

Another possibility is he was supplied the filter for the phased out plastic oil filter housing. That cap seal is thicker than the seal for the metal housing.

I am surprised it wasn't pissing out oil if there truly was a gap or if the wrong seal/filter was installed.

[galifardo1971]

thanks

Originally Posted by OnerDriver

Just get the OEM Mann or OE online or at the dealer. It's 10 bucks, no reason sweating it...

[JimD]

The only issue I remember with Fram filters is with the cardboard they use to support the anti return valve. That does not apply to our cartridge filters. But I still use a Mann 816X and will continue to do so. I use BMW recommended oil too even though I doubt another synthetic would be an issue. Just not worth messing around with oil and filters IMHO.

[galifardo1971]

hi what about the K&N oil filters?, any one prove them?, thanks

[Dackelone]

I use BMW, Mahle or Mann oil filters. Cost me something like 9 euros over here at my parts store. A filter from my BMW Zentrum(dealer) runs around 12 euros(discounted, 14 euros list).

I always do my own oil changes. I never over tighten the oil filter housing cap. I just get it snug and then tighten maybe ~10mm's further. It's low torque... I think something like 25 Nm. Maybe shops crank down the crap out of the oil filter cap and before you know it the OFH(oil filter housing) starts to leak oil down the engine block.


Green dots on the oil filter cap - never changed by the looks of it.














and who can remember this tasty example of an extended oil change, ie never!! This was from an e36 a few years back.



Also... counter fit oil filters are rampant...

I posted some of the cheap oil filters I order online. Here are some pics.... see my post #33...

Recent DIY oil change... PA or AL... What the heck does this mean?
https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show...1383391&page=2










AND... remember the BEST oil is FRESH oil. Change it often.


Dackel

[JimD]

Nice pictures! The off-brand filters look like they are shorter, which doesn't seem like a good thing.