I have only owned my car for a short time. The last two weeks when starting car I would hear rod knocks for several seconds. Usually this is the result of the drain back valve in a FRAM OIL FILTER FAILING. If you have one of these or are about to change your oil/filter it would be good to buy another brand and avoid this common problem..I have purchase a tech filter for a Nissan passenger car which is about 1 inch longer and has greater capacity than OEM. here then is the story:
An engineer started a website called "Oil Filters Revealed"[1], for which he bought several brands of oil filter, dissected them to find out the quality of the internal components, and posted findings and photos on the website. Of the Fram oil filters, the following was said: "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 oil filters are also a recurring point of contention on automotive message boards, where many people have shared first hand bad experiences with Fram oil filters. Most of them report the observance of lower or fluctuating oil pressure; an issue that is resolved when a higher quality filter is reinstalled

 

Because of the cardboard end caps, I avoid any oil filter made by Honeywell. I try to avoid paper filters too, so I tend to stick with Mobile 1, K&N or WIX. You'll be fine if you change your oil every 3000 miles, but synthetic oils are good for much more than that nowadays, usually lasting longer than most oil filters. The oil is a different story.

 

Good stuff. Here's the link if anyone wants to check out the website.

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oil...reference.html

 

OP, is your car ok? Have you called or emailed fram?

This is why many people on this board and many others say to never buy fram, or use the OEM Nissan Filter which is a Fram filter as well.

 

There are apparently good Nissan filters and poor ones. Filched from a Driver thread filched from a Maxima thread:
Nissan OEM 15208-9E000 (metal cap)
Nissan OEM 15208-65F00 (cardboard...AVOID)

 

It is said that knowledge is power, you just made everyone a little smarter by posting this imformation....THANKS! I used Fram filters for years because I considered them better than OE and never had a problem. That was until 6 years ago when I discovered they were having issues and using cardboard. Just switched to AMSOIL and noticed their filters are $18, I'll stay with K&N since I plan on changing my oil more than once a year....
Gary

 

Good info. I have been using Fram for over 3 years (1 with the G) without any issues, but definitely switching next oil change.

 

Amsoil oil filters FTW. Worth the peace of mind!

 

Amsoil filters are supposed to out last their oil which is rated by them for 7500 miles.

 

It's not FRAM you want to look out for... look on the box to see who manufactured that filter. If you see Honeywell, put the filter down and step away...

 

although I changed oil upon getting my car home...although OIL was clear. I now have about 1500 miles on the Mobil 1 and again although OIL is clear with no particles in it I am about to change for the first time filter and OIL...looking at the clarity of your oil is very important. When is has been used for a while it can get colored. It is then I will get a good glob of in between my thumb and forfinger and allow the sunlight to hit it...If there any metal particles in it you will see it easily enough...again although OIL is clean I now have rod knocks for about 3 seconds when starting. I have no idea what brand filter I have. I will post later.

 

i experienced the same prob with fram (if my car sat for more than a day it would dry start) so i went to k&n and mobile 1 - have had no probs since. usually buy which ever one is on sale!

 

Nothing but Mobil 1 oil and filters for my fleet!

 

always heard purolator and mobil1 made great filters

 

mueller....you are so right.....DRY START....alot of your oil in the filter drains back into pan...when you start say from a day or two of having car sit...the oil pump takes 2 or three seconds to fill filter and pressurize and send that good juice into your rod bearings...hence the mild rod knock...I am guessing that my car as someone say Nissan filters are made by Fram....why make a piece of junk when it might only cost an extra nicket to have a metal drain back valve...my car is jacked up and new oil and filter is on hand...will post soon...