At 22:14 5/20/99 -0400, you wrote:
>I'm in canada. If this is true, then I'd really avoid those FRAM built
>bosch's filters....but frankly I just can't see it. I'd see Wix being
>used before fram.
>
>The local VW filters, are exactly the same as the Bosch. I think I even
>saw the word bosch on them somewhere.
>--

I'm holding a Bosch 72150 and a VW (of America) 070 115 561.  Both say (on
the box) that they are made in USA.  They appear to have been made on the
same machinery, right down to the profile of the case-crimp.  Both have
four D-shaped holes in the base and eight spot-welds beneath the gasket;
but the spotwelds differ slightly in character.  Could be
machine-to-machine variation.  The gaskets each have a short red, short
blue, long green paint mark on outer circumference.

However, the VW one has a rubber diaphragm anti-drain valve pressed against
the backside of the D-holes which opens with light mouth suction on the
inner hole. There is another metal valve, presumably the bypass valve,
located at the extreme far end of the element. The Bosch, OTOH, has a metal
valve identical in appearance to the VW one, but located about two inches
into the filter, and no rubber flap-valve.  It takes considerable
mouth-suction (have to use mouth-muscles, not just inhale) to move anything
through the Bosch one.  The VW filter weighs about 335 grams; the Bosch
about 345.

No, Mr. Bulley, I *don't* have too much time on my hands.  I'm putting off
doing stuff I hate, a legitimate purpose in my book <g>.

david
David Beierl - dbeierl@ibm.net