Many people don’t give attention to the oil filter as much as they do to the oil; changing the oil filter is as Important as changing the oil, so don’t ever ignore changing the filter at its recommended intervals.
How important is the oil filter to the engine? When should the oil filter be changed? What are the consequences of not changing the oil filter? And how to change it by yourself?
What Is the Role of Oil Filter?
Oil filters ensure engine oil stays as clean as possible for as long as possible.
Engine oil is made to flow through parts that move, keeping them lubricated and preventing the engine from getting too hot. As the engine runs, the oil picks up small pieces of debris, like metal filings. These things that shouldn’t be in the oil make it get thicker over time.
This slowly makes oil less effective as a lubricant and coolant, which speeds up the wear on many of your car’s moving parts. This process takes longer because oil filters catch and hold the contaminants while letting relatively clean oil flow through.
When should you change the oil filter?
Most car makers and mechanics say that you should change your oil filter every time you change your oil. You should generally change your oil every six to eight months or every 6,000 miles. It makes sense that when you change your engine oil, you should also change your filter. After all, there’s not much point in pumping clean, new oil through an old, dirty filter.
Why do you need to change your oil filter regularly?
Oil filters are important, but they can’t keep doing their job forever. Over time, the engine’s naturally occurring pollutants will build up and fill your filter to the point where it can’t do its job.
When an oil filter gets clogged, it slows the flow of oil, which opens a built-in pressure relief valve and lets the oil go around the filter. This makes oil get dirty faster, which turns the oil black, making parts of the engine that move quickly less lubricated and more likely to overheat.
In short, a dirty filter that isn’t changed shortens the life of an engine by letting clean, new engine oil get dirty and stop working efficiently. This is why it’s best to change the oil filter every time you change the engine oil.
How do you know when it’s time to change your oil filter?
Since the oil filter is made of metal and is permanently sealed, you can’t just look at it to see if it needs to be replaced. No instrument, gauge, or warning light tells you it’s time to change your oil filter. If your oil filter is clogged or dirty, you won’t even notice a difference in how your engine runs.
The consequences of not changing the oil filter
We have previously discussed the consequences of not changing the oil on the engine, and the filter has similar effects on the vehicle, such as :
- Lack of oil in the engine
- Wear and tear on the engine
- Internal engine damage
- losing oil pressure
How to Change Oil Filter
Oil filters can only be changed after all the oil in a car’s engine has been drained. This is another reason why changing the filter every time you change the oil makes sense.
Make sure you have the right replacement filter for your car before you start. Check the owner’s manual or look online to ensure you have what you need.
Put a bucket or pan right under the drain plug, unscrew the drain plug bolt from the oil pan, and collect all the used oil in the pan. After all the oil has been drained, put the drain plug back in. Take the filter or filter casing (depending on your car) out of its housing and replace it with the new one.
Lift the hood of your car and add fresh oil until the oil level on the dipstick is between the high and low marks. If the oil is not sticking to the dipstick, check out this article.
Check out this explanatory video to get more knowledge on how to change the oil filter :
Conclusion
Your engine needs a huge amount of clean oil to work well. If you don’t change the oil filter regularly, it can get very clogged, which means less oil can get through the filter and into your engine. The engine could be severely damaged without this oil.
