Hi all

Here in good ol' South Africa we use = FRAM filters freely, as well as the "official" black VW = stuff. Another popular make is GUD (which some people reckon are made = at the opposite end of the FRAM factory).

Anyway, apparently some of the filters = from yesteryear (in particular FRAM) were made *without* the non-return = valve because of the engines they were designed for (ie. the filter was = mounted upside down & theoretically always had oil in it). However, = that has now changed and I believe ALL filters are now made with the = valve.

I have been using FRAM filters on my = rebuilt engine since October 2000, along with 20W50 oil. Absolutely no = oil problems, no clatter, no nothing. Maybe FRAM shipped out their old = stuff to you guys in the States!!!

Cheerio
Nigel
Cape Town, SA