Postby madrock » Mon Jun 28, 2010 1:33 pm
I don't think the oil filter would be the reason for the temperature spike. While I stay away from Fram filters, the Fram Tough Guard filters are okay to use. Amsoil, Wix, Mobil 1, K&N, and Royal Purple are the higher rated aftermarket filters. The main thing is having the anti-siphon valve.
Amsoil claims with their synthetic oil and filter you could go 35,000 miles between oil changes under normal driving (17,500 miles under severe). A quart runs about $10 each. I am running the Mobil 1 Extended Performance synthetic oil and filter which says you can go 15,000 miles between oil changes under normal driving (7,500 miles under severe). I will most likely change it around 8,500 miles. I don't have a lot of stop and go traffic but it is pretty dusty where I live.