Fram aftermarket Sonata Oil Filter - Failure!

Several Months ago, there was some discussion about aftermarket oil filters
for the Sonata. I had purchased a Fram PH9999. I took several pictures of
it - the filter, O rings, and took similar pictures of the genuine Hyundai
filter. Matt Whiting had the following to say: "The pictures are very nice.
In the pictures, it appears that both the filter media and the inner o-rings
(I think they are o-rings anyway) are a different color from the Hyundai
filter. This may be inconsequential or it may mean that these materials are
materially (pun intended!) different from the Hyundai filter. I'd want to
know if this was my engine."

Well, Matt hit the nail on the head. Around the end of August, I did an oil
change, and installed the Fram filter in my 2006 Sonata. All was well until
I noticed the oil stain on my driveway yesterday. (My wife drives the car).
This morning, I looked under the hood, and found oil had been leaking from
between the cap and the filter housing. I tried to give it a turn, and found
it tight. I started the engine, and the entire filter housing was almost
immediately covered in oil. I took the filter cap off, hoping that it wasn't
cracked.

It wasn't. The O ring for the cap was flat. It actually had hardened. I've
changed the oil in the car like 6 times now, and the Hyundai O ring was
still round and soft (flexible) when replaced. The Fram O ring actually is
now flat on the outside, and was really hard. I have pictures of the Hyundai
O ring I replaced it with up against the Fram O ring I removed. My server is
currently dead, so I anyone's got either a way to host them, or suggestions
as to how I can link to them, let me know (my email address is valid), and
I'll either email them to you, or follow whatever instructions so everyone
can see.

I think a contributing factor was the cold weather we had the past few
days - pretty close to 30. I would have noticed the oil on the driveway, and
the way the oil flowed out, it would have made a really big puddle, and ran
the oil level down in the car. I suspect that as soon as the oil warms, it
quits leaking.

I figure there's no point in trying to contact Fram about this - I can
picture how their customer service would react - denial.

"Bob" wrote in message


>
> Well, Matt hit the nail on the head. Around the end of August, I did an
> oil change, and installed the Fram filter in my 2006 Sonata. All was well
> until I noticed the oil stain on my driveway yesterday. (My wife drives
> the car). This morning, I looked under the hood, and found oil had been
> leaking from between the cap and the filter housing. I tried to give it a
> turn, and found it tight. I started the engine, and the entire filter
> housing was almost immediately covered in oil. I took the filter cap off,
> hoping that it wasn't cracked.

That sucks.


>
> I think a contributing factor was the cold weather we had the past few
> days - pretty close to 30. I would have noticed the oil on the driveway,
> and the way the oil flowed out, it would have made a really big puddle,
> and ran the oil level down in the car. I suspect that as soon as the oil
> warms, it quits leaking.
>
> I figure there's no point in trying to contact Fram about this - I can
> picture how their customer service would react - denial.
>
>

Why assume that? While it may indeed be true, you have nothing at all to
base that assumption on. Why not provide Fram the evidence you are so
willing to share here, and see exactly *what* they have to say.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE.RemoveThis@alltel.net