Ok, dumbest thing I've ever heard...

[SleeperG37]

So, about 6 weeks ago, I do my first oil change. As I have for every car I've ever owned, picked up a Fram filter and the requisite quarts of Mobil 1 Synthetic. Everything goes fine as usual. Then, last Tuesday night, I'm about a mile from home when the oil light comes on. Get home, check for leaks, don't have any, so I add a little oil assuming the motor has eaten some during break in (5,040 mi). Check the oil, all is good. Next moring I get up and leave for work and the light is still on. I drive a block or so in the neighborhood to give it a minute to reset. No change. Great, I must have a bad pressure sensor.

As I leave the neighborhood and give it some gas, engine light comes on and major mis-fires. I return home and call the 800 tow number. I end up getting a call from the dealer saying the pump wasn't pumping to the top of the motor, so it went into limp mode. They then say that they noticed I had an aftermarket filter on the car and are not sure what weight oil I put in. They say they've seen more than a few cars that don't use factory filters come in with issues because they lack some valve in the filter. I assured them that I used the proper 5-30 and that there is no auto company on the planet that dictates the use of factory maintenance parts. I think to myself, this is probably the worst ploy I've seen to get maint work for the dealer.

He calls me back again a few hours later to tell me all is solved. "Bad oil pump?" I ask (Side note - Long shot with this few miles, I know, but two months ago I had the brake master cylinder randomly go bad. Go figure.). Anyway, he says, "no, we just changed your oild filter and now everything is fine. Lights are off, motor's running fine." ARE YOU s***ING ME?

I guess there is an outside chance I just got a bad filter, but really, has anyone ever had/heard of issues with these motors on non-factory filters? Sorry for the long rant, but it just made me laugh.

[pfarmer]

So, about 6 weeks ago, I do my first oil change. As I have for every car I've ever owned, picked up a Fram filter and the requisite quarts of Mobil 1 Synthetic. Everything goes fine as usual. Then, last Tuesday night, I'm about a mile from home when the oil light comes on. Get home, check for leaks, don't have any, so I add a little oil assuming the motor has eaten some during break in (5,040 mi). Check the oil, all is good. Next moring I get up and leave for work and the light is still on. I drive a block or so in the neighborhood to give it a minute to reset. No change. Great, I must have a bad pressure sensor.

As I leave the neighborhood and give it some gas, engine light comes on and major mis-fires. I return home and call the 800 tow number. I end up getting a call from the dealer saying the pump wasn't pumping to the top of the motor, so it went into limp mode. They then say that they noticed I had an aftermarket filter on the car and are not sure what weight oil I put in. They say they've seen more than a few cars that don't use factory filters come in with issues because they lack some valve in the filter. I assured them that I used the proper 5-30 and that there is no auto company on the planet that dictates the use of factory maintenance parts. I think to myself, this is probably the worst ploy I've seen to get maint work for the dealer.

He calls me back again a few hours later to tell me all is solved. "Bad oil pump?" I ask (Side note - Long shot with this few miles, I know, but two months ago I had the brake master cylinder randomly go bad. Go figure.). Anyway, he says, "no, we just changed your oild filter and now everything is fine. Lights are off, motor's running fine." ARE YOU s***ING ME?

I guess there is an outside chance I just got a bad filter, but really, has anyone ever had/heard of issues with these motors on non-factory filters? Sorry for the long rant, but it just made me laugh.

More than a few have complained about Fram oil filters. So I would state that you can use aftermarket filters however Fram seems to have gotten itself a bad reputation so maybe that reputation is justified.

Question is why would you continue driving with the oil light on, especially giving it some gas? Bad sensor or not, you should believe your indication until proven false. Hopefully no real damage is done.

Perry

[kmckis1029]

interesting... the infinity dealer gladly put my k & n oil filter on and royal purple in my car. Then complimented me on using the "good stuff"... i know i dont have the same engine but thats the response i got...

i hope it really was the filter... cause that a simple fix.

try k & n

[marlin29311]

Fram oil filters are garbage - it's been discussed and pretty much proven over at Bob is the Oil Guy and other sites.

Use a K&N or Mobil 1 filter (both are the exact same thing), or use the OEM Nissan filter for the best results.

[Poyzinous]

How much do you pay for a fram oil filter? And what does your dealer charge you for a 15208-65F0C factory filter? Here at my dealer the filters go for $9. They have a check ball in them. Very possible that the fram filter is just terrible. Hell even the H**** owners here use the nissan filter in their cars. Its the only thing keeping their crappy civics and accords running like decent machines. Kmckis you're lucky to have an infinity dealer close by. An infiniti dealer would never allow that in their shop.

[kmckis1029]

lol yeah an "i" but my infinitI dealer is an 1 hr and a half away... not close at all... but im always in atl and their service has been great so far.

Infiniti of Union city(south atlanta)

[4drsleeper]

Crap. I just put a Fram oil filter on my car about 3 weeks ago. Well, if something goes wrong I know what to do. Good post.

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

I use M1 filter with Royal Purple... I get it on sale for 30 bux....

5 qts and a M1 filter.... Find a better deal than 30 bux for that!

DJ

[Poyzinous]

Heres a better deal. OEM filter, 4 quarts of Quaker state High Horsepower, 1 quart of ester (yes, i like the ester oil, it assures quiet start ups and other friction benefits) and a new drain plug washer for $0.00every 2800 to 3000 miles.

[kmckis1029]

where you find that deal?... it cost me about $50 for the same thing... just k&n filter.

[kmckis1029]

show off...

[pfarmer]

Crap. I just put a Fram oil filter on my car about 3 weeks ago. Well, if something goes wrong I know what to do. Good post.

If you have any concerns it would be better to just change the filter now and refill with oil.

Once your oil light comes on it may be more than a simple change oil filter fix.

Perry

[DAAN.]

apparently dumbest thing you've ever heard is not dumb at all

anyway ... next thread, this one is done

[psicho]

Many OEM filters are better than aftermarket because they have anti reversion/drainback valving. My guess is the Fram does not. I have heard that this means you risk having your oil drain back into the pan when your car sits or is stored, and the upper regions of the engine (head, cams, etc.) are oil starved for a brief period on startup. Take this FWIW; I have no problem with the Fram on my 170,000 mile maxima, but then again it's worth about $2600 blue book. When my G37 arrives next week, it will get only the OEM filter.

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

Do you think the OEM is better than a K&N or M1?

DJ

[pfarmer]

Many OEM filters are better than aftermarket because they have anti reversion/drainback valving. My guess is the Fram does not. I have heard that this means you risk having your oil drain back into the pan when your car sits or is stored, and the upper regions of the engine (head, cams, etc.) are oil starved for a brief period on startup. Take this FWIW; I have no problem with the Fram on my 170,000 mile maxima, but then again it's worth about $2600 blue book. When my G37 arrives next week, it will get only the OEM filter.

Recently there was discussion on filter size. What counts with the exception of maybe a little bit of cooler is filter media area. In one of the demonstrations involving the Nissan filter it was shown to have one of the largest media areas of the name brand filters.

I wonder if they kept the Fram filter, it would have been nice to take it apart and see where it failed, in fact may have had a case against Fram.

Perry

[smockers83]

If aftermarket parts are used and can be attributed to a failure, out goes the warranty because the company's engineering controls have been taken out of the picture. If you put an aftermarket intake on and over oil it damaging the MAF, that won't be covered under warranty now would it? No, it wouldn't. If the company has any reason to believe aftermarket parts could have contributed to the failure, out goes the warranty. Read the warranty.

Fram sucks, I would suggest staying with the OEM filter.

[nguy0750]

Do you think the OEM is better than a K&N or M1?

DJ

OEM filter isn't good either. There was a test done before that shown it was about the same quality Fram filter.

Do some research you'll know.

GL.

[Poyzinous]

There was a test done before that shown it was about the same quality Fram filter.

no. just, no.Saying they are about the same is like saying winning $50,000 dollars on plinko and never paying taxes again is about the same as being dragged through a mud covered spike strip over a river of lava. please confirm this 'test'.

[pfarmer]

OEM filter isn't good either. There was a test done before that shown it was about the same quality Fram filter.

Do some research you'll know.

GL.

State the source of your research. The Nissan filter has been highly rated in several articles.

Perry

[smockers83]

OEM filter isn't good either. There was a test done before that shown it was about the same quality Fram filter.

Do some research you'll know.

GL.

State the source of your research. The Nissan filter has been highly rated in several articles.

Perry

no. just, no.Saying they are about the same is like saying winning $50,000 dollars on plinko and never paying taxes again is about the same as being dragged through a mud covered spike strip over a river of lava. please confirm this 'test'.

Look who you guys are talking to. First, his forum name is nguy, which should = newguy. Secondly, only two posts in 5+ years. Don't waste your time.

[pfarmer]

Look who you guys are talking to. First, his forum name is nguy, which should = newguy. Secondly, only two posts in 5+ years. Don't waste your time.

We're not.

Perry