Oil Filter

[don1945]

How many miles a year do you put on your lawnmower, and how often do you drive it at 70 mph?


You are already in there, changing the oil on your car, why not just do a complete, good job while you are dirty ? I build motors, and it is really important to keep the oil as clean as possible, it is the cheapest thing you will ever put in that motor.

Don

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by Rivertowntalk

I believe we have been definitely been conditioned to change the oil filter because the filter is not that expensive, etc. Not convinced the engine would be negatively impacted over the life of the vehicle if the oil was changed periodically, but the filter filter was not changed (with each oil change). I have lawnmowers and other engines that do not have filters and they apparently have not been damaged by not having a filter. Why do tiny microns damage a car engine, but not other engines, such as lawnmower,etc?

The reason mowers, chippers and generators have no filter is that they are simply splashing the oil onto the connecting rod bearing and wrist pin. If you have ever taken one apart, they are very simple. On a car engine the oil is pumped through many channels within the engine, including the head on top, and lubricates may other parts such as lifters, before flowing back into the crank case. Any clogged passage can destroy an engine withing seconds.

[NYCresident2014]

Originally Posted by Rivertowntalk

I believe we have been definitely been conditioned to change the oil filter because the filter is not that expensive, etc. Not convinced the engine would be negatively impacted over the life of the vehicle if the oil was changed periodically, but the filter filter was not changed (with each oil change).

I agree with your reasoning. There is still so much "lore" when it comes to car maintenance. People do things because they think they should, regardless of whether it's supported by science.

Look at how many people still change their oil at 3k miles! I have a friend who runs full synthetic and changes every 3k.

I'd imagine that there is still some correct interval for changing the filter, but I agree with your suspicion that it is likely a much longer interval than the oil change interval.

[don1945]

I bet your friend, who changes the oil every 3K, has a spotless engine internally. I always do the first oil change, after I build an engine, at 1000 miles or less, then every 6 months thereafter. Since I only put very few miles on my high performance motors, that relates to about every 1000 -1500 miles.

Miles driven are only one factor. Usage and time are two other factors. It might be overkill, but I have yet to have a mechanical failure due to oiling problems.

Don

[stilldriveem]

In the owners manuals to my 70's cars, especially the ones from 70 and 71, they said plainly that you were to change the filter at the first oil change then change it again at every second oil change. That was changed by 74 or so because the engines were running hotter because of the early emission controls. In fact in 74 you had to change the oil every 4 months. By 78 oils had improved so thats when they went to 10,000 mile or 12 month oil change intervals. And you also had to change the filter every time also.