The Fram filters are often blamed for oil light maladies, but they are
not the real cause of the problem. The different reaction with is
indicative of other problems. The warning switch that sounds the buzzer
and flashes the light when the engine is running above 2,500 rpm is
located between the oil pump and the oil filter. If a Fram filter allows
this warning to activate where another filter will not, it is because
the Fram filter has LESS resistance to oil flow. While a higher
resistance filter may keep the buzzer and light from activating, it is
doing this by actually reducing oil flow to the bearings. This
resistance can be real troublesome at low/idle speeds. While I agree
that the Mahle filters may be of a better quality construction wise, I
am not convinced that they do a better job at actually filtering the
oil. I have seen a few Fram filters fail by having the check valves fall
a part as if they started to melt, but I have never long term fixed an
oil pressure problem by using a different brand. This is an automobile
engine and a 1-2 psi drop difference across an oil filter should not
present a problem. I now like to use the Fram Tough Guard Filters as
they are now available in the TG2870A. This filter keeps oil noticeably
cleaner for long periods. Important for me as I run Mobil 1 @ 7,500 mile
change intervals. This has been working in the FUN BUS for 200K.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of John Rodgers
Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2003 8:25 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Oil Light Discovery

Well, yeah, that Fram filter doesn't help matters either.

The Castrol is good oil, but you need to be running a Mahle filter,
available through our various list vendors.

I run Mobil 1 15W50 Synthetic and a Mahle filter, and I have Redline MT
90 in the manual tranny, and Texaco Havoline Orange Coolant with two
bottles of Redline WaterWetter in it. No Problems!!

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Jere Hawn wrote:

>Hi All,
>
>
>
>I changed the oil and filter in Digi-wife's 88 GL and after a little
use and
>some freeway driving the oil light would come on and the buzzer would
go
>off...panic!!!!
>
>
>
>I had just used the Techno Oil 20-50 from Wal-mart (cheap stuff) and a
fram
>filter.  I changed the oil back to my favorite Castrol 20-50 and the
oil
>light and buzzer have yet to come on.  I suspect the Techno Oil is just
too
>cheap.
>
>
>
>Jere
>
>90 GL/Carat-a-version
>
>88 GL
>
>
>