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fram oil filter lower oil pressure

18K views 30 replies 14 participants last post by  MNFatz 
#1 · (Edited)
Fram oil filter = lower oil pressure

I have 66 chevelle w/ a small block Chevy 400 cubic inch motor app. 450 H.P. the engine was built one year ago blue printed and balanced. i have been using Fram TG5 oil filter because it is the long filter and has the black rough surface to get off easier. after the engine warms up my oil pressure drops to 16 - 18 psi at 700 rpm idle in drive and my oil pressure warning light (good one) comes on. i have read all the stories about Fram filters being cheap and dropping oil pressure. i put on a Mobil 1 MI302 oil filter and drove a hour to a car show the light did not come on!! on way home had to idle for long period water temp. got 195 degrees same 700 RPM oil light did not come on! oil pressure was about 20 - 22psi it made me feel better. i am now using royal purple 10W30! do you guys think this oil pressure is ok or should i go to heavier oil???? cruising oil pressure is about 40-42 after warmed up!!!!

Thanks
Doug
 
#8 ·
Another Lifelong Myth Shattered !!!

I've been normally been using the standard Motorcraft in my F150/5.4 but occasionally end up with a Fram (from Wal-Mart)
This scares me as I was under the impression that Fram still built a quality product. I do pull a 6-7000 pound camper with this set up, using Mobil 1 and thought I was giving it a treat with a Tough Gard. Are there any write ups about the Fram? I'm still not going to use this again, but would like some actual test results to review.

Dave
 
#9 ·
filter

It's the filter.Fram filers with a plugged by-pass is a disaster waiting to happen... Many people do not plug the by-pass and the oil is routed around the filter and they never even know there is an issue with the filter..

Run a napa gold or K&N and all your issues will go away...

I have been up this road with customer engines and it IS the filter....

Keith
 
#11 ·
interesting information, I did use a Bosh once and actually saw a pressure increase. I like that but never could find the filter for my block again. The old computer inventory control thing. If the part in not used a lot it gets deleted from inventory. With that said I change my oil when it starts to look bad. Brown is ok , but it soon starts to get black after the color change , then it goes. New oil is cheep and the engine LOVES it
 
#12 ·
Fram oil filter = lower oil pressure

thanks k - star. since i have a plugged bypass does that mean i SHOULD use a filter with a filter bypass relief valve?? so if oil is not flowing fast enough through filter then relief valve will open and let oil flow as not to restrick oil flow??

Doug
 
#14 ·
filter

No run the normal syle filter..You want all the oil passing through the filter..

I personally change the oil and filters every 2500 miles on my street driver stock style engines...Of coarse a racing engine is another story.

Keith
 
#15 · (Edited)
elvis 66 chevelle said:
I also plugged the oil by pass hole so all my oil has to go through the filter, so its important for me to use a good filter with good volume and flow ability. i believe i have proved fram filters give you less oil pressure.

Doug

Oil pressure is the RESISTENCE TO FLOW.

Lower pressure with a Fram filter proves it has LESS restriction in the filter media.

All oil pressure should be measured at the END of the system, not the beginning. Smokey Yunick said it and recommended minimum 15 psi idle and increase of 10 psi per 1000 rpm at the END of the system.

Your pressure is normal for a used Chevy, but too low. SBC are notorious for dumping oil out the lifter bores, while people worry about bearing clearances. Lifter clearance above .001 becomes a problem. .0015+ is horrible. Why do you think that racers bush the lifter bores?

Oil pressure sending units are available in different pressure values. Install a 12 psi and your light will not come on.

EDITED: Install your oil pressure gauge at the END of the gallery and see what oil pressure you really have. You will be shocked.
 
#16 ·
Good reading

66Caprice said:
This link http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html shows a study somebody did that covers the insides of many brands of filters.
This is a real good read tho not conclusive as the author says.
Fram seem to be the puniest physically and have the fewest square inches of filtration media. Purolator has a lot of sq in surface area and Mobil 1 has a lot as well plus synthetic media rather than paper, but expensive. The Motorcraft seem good as well, and I will probably stay with them as long as I have a Ford truck and Escape SUV.
 
#17 ·
xntrik said:
Oil pressure is the RESISTENCE TO FLOW.

Lower pressure with a Fram filter proves it has LESS restriction in the filter media.

although the first statement is correct depending on where the gage reads the pressure the second statement is not. If the pressure is read at the port next to the distributor then it is being read after the filter and a lower reading indicates a restriction in this case.
 
#19 ·
A friend of mine at Rousch Racing sent me this on his recommendation for oil pressure on our road racing motor:

How much is enough? The rule of thumb: "10 psi for every 1,000 rpm", was originated more than 25 years ago by Smokey Yunick. Does that mean that because you think your engine will run 7,000 rpm you need 70 psi?

No. Recommendations also depend on application.
Note: All pressures are "hot" (ideal temp is about 220 F)

Street engines 35-45 psi

Street HP 45-55 psi

Racing (only) 60 psi

Pro, turbocharged 70+ psi

In the 1984 Power Manual, Chevrolet recommends 65 � 80 psi for racing applications. This means purpose built, trailered racecars. Bob Mainetti of Canton Racing was quoted in Circle Track (April �96) as saying: " At 6,500, you want 50 to 60 pounds. At 7,500, 60 pounds is plenty of pressure."
 
#20 ·
steve t said:
if you got a million dollars to use a product, you would use anything, but john is just a fast racer, hats off to him
Just cause the money comes from frame doesn't mean they race with hit.
I've got all kinds of sponsors that I don't use their products. They never said John, do you use fram filters? IF they do, it'll be a one application product that you can't get anywhere but john himself, much less any store.
 
#21 ·
Fram oil filter = lower oil pressure

My oil pressure gage autometer electric and warning light sending unit electric are installed on a T at back of block behind intake beside distributor on drivers side. my light comes on when oil pressure is below 18 PSI. So at 700 - 750 RPM'S in drive 17 PSI is ok??
 
#24 ·
onovakind67 said:
A friend of mine at Rousch Racing sent me this


How much is enough? The rule of thumb: "10 psi for every 1,000 rpm", was originated more than 25 years ago by Smokey Yunick.


e."

Pardon me sir. :welcome: That is partial mis-information and a misquote of what Old Smokey actually said.

I suggest looking up what Smokey Yunick wrote in HIS book about the small block Chevrolet.

He also emphasized that those pressure readings must be taken at the very END of the delivery system.
 
#25 ·
Don't ever, ever, ever use a Fram.

Fram Extra Guard

Years ago Fram was a quality filter manufacturer. Now their standard filter (the radioactive-orange cans) is one of the worst out there. It features cardboard end caps for the filter element that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals against the cardboard and frequently leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak all the time. The stamped-metal threaded end is weakly constructed and it has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow. I had one of these filters fail in my previous car. The filter element collapsed and bits of filter and glue were circulating through my system. The oil passage to the head became blocked and the head got so hot from oil starvation that it actually melted the vacuum lines connected to it as well as the wires near it.

Fram Double Guard

Another bad filter idea brought to you by your friends at Fram. The filter itself is a slightly improved design over the Fram Extra Guard, but still uses the same filter element. It has a silicone anti-drainback valve, a quality pressure relief valve, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The big problem is that they are trying to cash in on the Slick 50 craze. They impregnate the filter element with bits of Teflon like that found in Slick 50. As with Slick 50, Teflon is a solid and does not belong in an engine. It cannot get into the parts of the engine that oil can and therefore does nothing. Also, as the filter gets dirty, it ends up filtering the Teflon right out. Dupont (the manufacturer of Teflon) does not recommend Teflon for use in internal combustion engines. Please do not waste your money on this filter.

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilters.html
 
#26 ·
Fram oil filter = lower oil pressure

Thanks for reply, i use fram on my my wifes car........no more! first used Fram HP-4 racing filter on my SB Chevy 400 because my son uses these on his race car. I had hard time getting mine off, header and flex plate in the way!! From my research the best filters are .....1 Amsoil, 2 mobil 1, 3 K&N, 4 Pure One!! The only other problem i have is a long filter is very close to header, can not get a finger between filter and header!! Do you guys have this problem?? Does it raise oil temperture or do damage to filter it self?? Do any of you put heat wrap on oil filter? That is what i am thinking of doing because i don't want to go with short filter.

Doug
 
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