Fram Oil Filters = Dead Cummins Warning! Warning!

[sdalton]

This is for the newcomers. I have a co-worker friend who hasnt heard of the TDR and used a Fram oil filter. He had to replace the block, after it blew. The engine had less that 30,000 miles on it. He thought he would save a couple of dollars and buy Fram. The Fram filter disintigrated and part of the paper eliment blocked some oil passages. Lucky the dealership replaced the engine under warranty.

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Y2K, 2500, 4x2, QC, 3. 54 LSD, Auto, patriot blue. K&N, silencer ring put back in. 14000 miles as of 1-05-01. best milage:28. 5 mpg. transmission reflashed

 

[JoeFreeman]

great #ad
I took my truck to the jiffy lube where I supply the oil and the filter. I had instucted them to use my filter but before I could stop the kid he had already filled one of their Fram filters with my oil. I was in a hurry(hence changing the oil at Jiffy Lube) so I let it go. Now I'm worried. What are the chances of something like this happening to me? Geez.

 

[twolf913]

Rocket
By all means get a new filter ASAP. Ask yourself which is better, spending the money for another filter, or winding up behind a tow truck. It's not worth the risk. Stay with Fleetguard. #ad
#ad


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99 2500 Quad 4X4 Black 5-Speed
Cummins Longbed

 

['956Wheel]

Hate to start a "fire" but what is the best oil filter for the Cummins? I am the second owner of my truck so I don't know what DC sticks on it.

[This message has been edited by Statland (edited 02-11-2001). ]

 

[DennyDay]

Statland --- You can't go wrong sticking with the Fleetguard. Even the price is right for a quality filter. Check Geno's Garage for prices, even with freight it is a good deal.

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Denny
'99 2500 4X4 White short Q cab to much added to put here

 

[madams]

Ditto . . Im with C. D. Day.

Stick with the fleetguard, Gino's has a price list and part numbers for your year truck. Great prices too boot!

Or get the part number for the correct model year . . then go to NAPA. Should be an off the shelf item.

Michael

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00 Driftwood 2500 ST QC ISB LB 5spd 3:54 LSD Tow & Camper Groups . . SunnyBrook 33FKS Travel Trailer

my photos

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Fleetguard is a division of Cummins. They label their filters Fleetguard, Cummins, Case, and Mopar. The standard filter is LF3349 for 12 valves. 24 valves should use the filter with the heavier casing, LF3935. These are the standard medium (cellulose). You can get Stratopore medium if you prefer. Of course, the 12 valve can use the 24 valve filter for Dodges. Some 24 valves use a filter with a different thread.

 

[HC]

24 valves should use the filter with the heavier casing, LF3935. These are the standard medium (cellulose). You can get Stratopore medium if you prefer.

The number for the Stratapore filter is LF3894. Fleetguard claims this is "the best" filter they make for the 24 valve ISB application. Be very careful to use the heavier casing filters (LF3935 or LF3894) for this engine. Some shops WILL sell you the wrong one, and just because the threads fit doesn't mean the casing can take the required pressures.

 

[Sled Puller]

If you guys want the BEST filter, research the Amsoil SDF 80. You will be impressed. It is a step above even the Stratapores.
Otherwise, I would never use anything but Fleetguards.
Never, ever bargain shop on oil or fuel filters.
Gosh Joe, we have never discussed filters, How I could I let them slip by? #ad

Gene

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1997 Cummins Dodge 4x4 Bombed & Amsoiled. Amsoil Premiere Direct Jobber, Member of: NRA Business Alliance, GLTDR, WANTED: Wrecked Dodges.
www.awdist.com

 

[Joe G.]

USE FLEETGUARD!!!! Don't mess around with cheap filters. These engines just cost to much to take a chance. I get mine at the local Peterbilt dealer. A little less money than Geno's and they are close by.

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Joe George
Eureka, CA

'95 2500 CC auto 4X4,3. 54,Combo EGT/boost guage,custom switch panel,PacBrake,TST #5,BD valve body,Automatic motorhome steps on both sides,Foldacover hard bed cover,Cummins chrome kit,Black steel grill guard,Front hitch receiver

 

[Deezul1]

If the Fram filter fails and destroys your motor Fram should replace it.
A friend of mine was assistant Mgr fot a Jiffy Lube and told of a customer with a VW that returned after a oil change(10 days later) and said that they had not tightened the drain plug, it had fallen out and ruined his motor. Jiffy Lube bought him a new motor. A few months later this guys dad had the exact same problem with the same Jiffy Lube ( do we see a scam here?) and even though they knew that it was a scam they bought him a motor also. So dont worry about the fram filter installed by Jiffy Lube, 99. 9 % chance of no problem and if it should happen I bet somebody besides you will pay for that motor. But who needs the hassles.

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96 SLT Laramie CC 5spd, 3. 54, no muff, no cat, 5"turn down tip
. Member NRA/USPSA

 

[Black Fingernails]

I had to replace my Fram air filter. The rubber gasket was cracked and the filter warped. Unfiltered air was passing through. I became suspicous since the filter minder was not recording alot of vacuum pressure. Use fleetguard for all filters not just oil.

95 LWB, 4x4, AT

 

[Steve M]

Go to Fram's website and read their warranty. Then go to K&N's website and read their warranty. Compare warranties on all your maintenance items. You'd be surprised who has faith enough in their own product to warranty the engine from damage from their product and who doesn't. In writing...

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98 2500 CC SB 4X2 12v 5spd 4. 10, -silencer, AFC+20, Edelbrock IAS, VDO gauges, Reese 15k Classic
97 Dodge Stratus 150HP
92 Harley Fatboy, Dynojet fuel management, Supertrapp 2-1
00 Jayco 25' 5th wheel, single slide

 

[sdalton]

Steve, Pleeease. You know as well as I do that it doesnt matter what is written down on paper. You still have to prove that your engine was blown up by their product. It will cost you more in legal fees to fight it. You can use the crappy filter if you like, but there have been too many failures with the Frams for my liking. The Frams are fine for your engine, and I hope you keep using them. Let us know how many miles you get on yours. As for the, "they make millions of filters with a small percentage of failures" reasoning? Most Frams are used in gasoline engine, not diesel engines. Higher pressures with diesels. Those are the engines that seem to be failing. My friend had the engine torn apart, and they found parts of the filter blocking several areas in the engine.

 

[JohnB]

I don't think anyone's intention is to bash Fram. I had an asphalt paver with a 6TB engine do the same thing with a Wix filter. The Cummins dealers know about this problem of using filters that cannot take the presure pulses of this engine. The media comes apart and ends up stuck in one of the piston cooling jet tubes resulting in a piston seizing.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Sigh... !

The "bash Fram" threads crop up fairly regularly, and the venom and adrenelin start to flow as the smell of blood permeates the air...

FACT is, there ARE some filters better than others - it's ALSO true that ALL makes of filters have their failures, ranging from minor leaks to catastrophic failures - these occur pretty much in relation to the number of filters sold, and if you refused to buy ANY filter that ever HAD one of those failures, you probably wouldn't have ANY brand left to purchase.

SO, doesn't it seem at least SLIGHTLY likely that the Fram filters will ocassionally surface a few more such failures due to the OVERWHELMING numbers they sell compared to other makes?

I'm NOT saying that the Fram is the best filter out there - but I dern sure don't think they are the WORSE by a LONG shot! *I* would like to always be able to buy the VERY BEST of all products I use too - but sometimes they aren't available locally, or other reasons make it difficult or impossible - should I then live in fear and agony because of what I *did* purchase? Not hardly... #ad


FACT IS, *I* have used Fram filters far more than any other brand for all my life, and I'm 64 years old. During that time, I've owned cars and trucks from all the "big 3", and my fair share of imports. I have NEVER experienced the SLIGHTEST problem at ANY time with them, nor have I had ANY oil-related engine failures.

And before some yahoo in this group again posts that notorious "oil filter study" that keeps floating around in threads like this, I submit that it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to judge and evaluate oil filter quality by visual inspection ALONE, especially from merely looking at the paint job on the outside, the thickness of the can, or looking down inside the opening! #ad


The only accurate measure of quality is lab tests that put a fairly large number of filters into actual use, carefully introducing known grades of contaminents into the oil supply, and then measuring the overall effectiveness of the filter - just cutting one apart and looking at the components is pretty worthless in regards to how it will actually function in use! #ad


Got a Fram on your truck? DON'T sweat it, there probably ARE some better filters on the market - but your engine has a FAR better chance of survival WITH the Fram than YOU do of winning the lottery in your lifetime! #ad


NOR does buying the "best", or highest priced filter guarantee the buyer that IT won't possibly fail in some way too!

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http://community. webshots.com/user/davison71 Early '91 250, 727 AT, 307 rear... Banks Stinger exhaust, intercooler... US Gear OD... MORE than a match for every new PS Ford encountered so far...

[This message has been edited by Gary - KJ6Q (edited 02-12-2001). ]

 

[Okie-Go]

Well I plan on changing oil tomorrow pm. I have the fleetguard LF 3935 from Geno's. Plan on leaving for big D early Friday with 30ft 5er, Hope it holds up. I have a mopar on now,I have also used the Mobil 1 filter. With the Mobil filter it seemed like it takes longer for the oil to get dirty looking. Makes me think it catches more crud.

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2001 quadcab slt 2500 HO 6spd. LWB,2wd,dk garnett red, trailer tow package,camper special, anti spin 3. 54 axle, speed liner,oversized stainless steel chicken slide,66 gallon in bed aux. tank,K&N air filter,Reese 20k hitch, Terry 2000 EX 30ft. double slide 5er, 2000 20ft gooseneck for haulin jeep, firewood and huntin stuff. 5X12 tagalong for haulin the 4 wheeler. Okie Newton

 

[RHARVEY]

What is the fuel filter element #... Please. .

97 2500.....

Rick


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RICK
97 2500,CC,5 SPEED, 3. 54 Limited Slip,Psychotty System,K&N, Pre-Turbo ISSPRO 3" Pyrometer & Boost Guage,Silencer Ring Removed
12,000 RBW 5th Wheel Hitch,25' Excel 5th Wheel,Rancho RSX17000 Shocks,Amsoil Dealer,Straight Piped

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I got an Email response to one of my posts on this thread, claiming that DC warranty reps have info on Fram filter failures in the Cummins, inferring that they refuse warranty repair when it can be proved that the oil filter was defective - here's my response:

"Doesn't it seem logical that DC would probably deny warranty engine repair/replacement due to filter failure on ANY brand, NOT just Fram? Does it not ALSO seem likely that since Fram is the #1 seller of filters, that they would ALSO likely have the largest number if failures, based on pure percentages? If YOU have official DC failure numbers comparing failures of one brand against another, taking into account numbers of filters in use, POST THEM for us to see - I'm certainly interested, but all I usually get is empty rhetoric and rumors - do YOU have facts from a reliable source to provide?"

AGAIN, if ANYONE has REAL documented info, from OFFICIAL sources that unquestionably PROVE that ANY filter available for our Cummins is NOT recommended for use BY Cummins, or that display unacceptable failure rates based on percentages of filters in actual use, *I* would like to see them! OTHERWISE, all we're getting here is fear-mongering, more old wives tales and anecdotal "a friend of my neighbor's brother-in-law" stuff that RARELY proves to be accurate - any more than a SINGLE reported failure means that ALL the REST of a given product is junk.

Simple math shows that if all makers had a 1% failure rate, outfit "A" selling 1000 filters will have 10 failures, while company "B" selling only 100 filters will only have *1* failure - same PERCENTAGE, different number! Does that mean company "B's" filters are any better? Absolutely NOT!

I had one of my Uniroyal tires experience a tread separation and thrown tread a couple of years ago, causing nearly $2000 damage to my truck - does that mean *ALL* Uniroyals are suspect? I *hope* not - I put a brand new set on the truck again, because *I* figured it was a freak occurrance...

If we refuse to buy a brand because we hear ONE of their products failed, we will have NONE to buy, because a certain percentage of ALL products fail - it's only when that percentage is PROVEN to be unusually high that it becomes a valid issue - does ANYONE here HAVE that proof? This IS a valid question, and WITHOUT provided documentation, all this discussion is rather pointless!

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http://community. webshots.com/user/davison71 Early '91 250, 727 AT, 307 rear... Banks Stinger exhaust, intercooler... US Gear OD... MORE than a match for every new PS Ford encountered so far...

 

[illflem]

. Gary,I agree with you 100%,but sometimes the somebody told me such and such is the only info available,not everything is available as scientific data... you take it for what it's worth.
As far as warranty denial due to the oil filter the law says that if you are required to use a certain product for the warranty to remain valid that the manufacture must supply the item.
I don't see Cummins handing out Fleetguard filters so that must mean it's cheaper for them to repair the few engines that die from non-Fleetguard filters. You could buy a lot of filters with the money for replacing just one engine so I feel that it must be a pretty rare occurrence.