replacing engine oil filter every change

[big bubba]

Do you put on clean socks when you wash your feet?

actually no need to do either, we're from Arkansas & go barefoot most of time...

humor aside, good point, i'll prob just continue what i'll always done & change both. apologize for the rhetorical thread, but curious what members would say about it, regards

 

[fustsgt]

Buick LeSabre had a "oil life Monitor". I changed the oil and the filter when it got to 10-15% (which was normally about 12-13 Kmiles). Sold it with 295000 miles, and still did not use any oil between oil changes. The Buick Century does not have a oil sensor, but is supposed to alert when an oil change is due. I have 26000 miles on it, but have never had the alert come on...I get nervous at 10000 so I just change both oil and filter. It does use a quart between oil changes, but it is 23 years old. I think it will rust in too before the engine has problems. I have always agreed that it makes no sense to leave a quart of dirty oil in the system.

 

[qualsite]

The paper filter element inside will deteriorate over time. We had a multi-million$ 8000HP nitrogen compressor that had a large industrial oil filter come apart... right after a normal preventative maintenance inspection. The plant was down for a couple weeks, and every bearing in that very large 8-stage compressor was pulled apart and cleaned of paper filter debris. The company changed it's worldwide policy to replacing the filters annually, even if the inspections came out OK, after that very expensive lesson.

 

[big bubba]

i notice on Napa Gold filters that there's an "extended life" more expensive filter for extended changes w/syn to help avoid what you describe above. but at 5k change intervals, i'll just stick w/OEM
my '92 4x4 Toyota 4 cyl has 333k miles on original engine, just seals replaced.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I don't go by manufactures time intervals though. Ex: 7500 mile OCI's or 12 months. I'm not dumping 6 quarts of good M1 with 1500 miles on it just because of a calendar change. I've emailed both super majors and neither could give me a satisfactory reason other than to stay in warranty. But I make sure the oil gets good and hot to dry it out regularly.

Magnetic plugs do seem to pick up a little sludge over time.

I have several vehicles that "must" have the oil changed every six months.

Well, some have had oil changes after two years, and their analysis showed that the oil was still plenty good. Now this is after low miles, and every time one is started it gets driven until the oil is up to temp. They are also not idled.

Magnetic level and/or drain plugs are used wherever possible.

 

[redmt]

Why would you dump a quart of dirty oil, into a reservoir of new, clean oil by not changing the filter? You would essentially contaminate the new oil instantly.

IMO, you should ALWAYS change the oil filter when doing the oil change.

I also think that waiting until 5k miles to do oil changes is far too long, unless the miles are all interstate miles. I do mine every 2500 miles. I've done that ever since I was 16 years old, and I've NEVER had an engine problem. (now in my 70's)

I'm in the same age group as you. Think back to your teenage years and I'll bet you used a non detergent oil.
As an answer to the OP, change your oil AND filter every time and let the conditions that the engine lives in be the guide for mileage, or hours.

 

[big bubba]

let the conditions that the engine lives in be the guide for mileage, or hours. redmt

unless you do oil analysis or have an oil monitor sensor equipped in the vehicle, deciding when to change is subjective according to the conditions the engine lives in.

overall, i agree with you & practice the same, just interested in overall responses. the consensus by far is to change both. but for the sake of argument, if one goes by 10k filter & oil change interval manu recommendation, why not change oil @ 5k & both @ 10k?
is that putting on dirty socks? regards

 

[Too many Kubotas]

...but for the sake of argument, if one goes by 10k filter & oil change interval manu recommendation, why not change the filter @ 5k & both @ 10k?

There, fixed it for you.

 

[DutchInNZ]

I got 2015 GMC Sierra 2500. Change oil and filter as it says in the manual: every 10k. Used regular oil till last year. Last year put synthetic by mistake...))

With the myriad of additives in engine oils, one starts to see a difference in shear strength between normal and synthetic oils under the same circumstances if you go to really big extremes, like 25k or more. In normal use the myth serves only to justify the extreme price=profit difference. There are enough test reports about that to be found on the net.

And I wonder why they always suggest you to change oil after X months if you don't use the engine. An engine is a closed vessel, so what can happen to the oil? I am sure they themselves don't follow up on their advice to throw away their drums of oil that are older than their advised time. And why is that throw-away advice valid for engines that are not used and e.g. not for gear boxes, transmissions and hydraulics that have been standing around?

 

[big bubba]

good point, don't understand why a shelf life (in proper storage conditions) is sometimes given for a dinosaur based product. additives break down? don't buy it.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Additives can fall out of suspension, and the oil itself can get condensation in it.

That's about all that can happen to stored oil as far as I know. Then again, I do remember seeing The Motor Oil Geek showing old oil that wasn't exactly good after a while.

 

[big bubba]

i do agree, storage is important

 

[Williy]

Usually oil is stored in a sealed container? When I have a
2.5 and only use half I squeeze the container to get the air
out and screw the cap on tight. I have never had any problem
with water in oil. City folks IMHO are more prone to have water
in their oil because of all the short trips being in town. I live 3
miles from the hwy way and the engine is at normal temp when
I enter the hwy way then 10 miles to the edge of town
For my truck only oil filters from Dodge/Orielly's has them

willy

 

[big bubba]

good way of looking at that. short runs, in vehicles or tractor w/o letting engine temp help burn off condensation is a reason for more frequent oil/filter changes.

going back to my original question, basically, what's the life of an OEM oil filter in comparison to the life of syn oil recommended interval changes for your vehicle?
(given the engine's in good shape w/little oil consumption)

again, apologize for rhetorical thread, wanted to see your responses

 

[DutchInNZ]

Additives can fall out of suspension, and the oil itself can get condensation in it.

That's about all that can happen to stored oil as far as I know. Then again, I do remember seeing The Motor Oil Geek showing old oil that wasn't exactly good after a while.

Condensation can only happen when the oil is in a completely open system where air can go in and out freely, which in a standing engine not is the case. And once more: those that tell you to change "old" oil, do not throw away their stock, even if it stands for years. When people buy oil, they don't have any idea whether that batch was made the day before or five years ago; however, from that moment on they start counting the recommended period. Only makes sense for driving up sales to the uncritical crowd.

In this strategic turn-over pushing context: in the 50s, 60s and even the 70s the owners of cars were told by the dealers that in a few weeks the one-year guarantee on their car was going to end, so they better should buy a new one right away, and a big majority took again a full bank credit to buy the latest model; that is the tactics where the US car industry got big with. I never heard of anyone ever coming with the only right response: "Are your cars that bad that after just one year they start falling apart?"

 

[Deanes]

Filters are more important than the oil. I once had a small Honda car, that a mechanic dared me to just change the filter and never the synthetic oil. I drove that car over 100,000 miles and only changed the filter, adding just enough oil to compensate for the changed filter. Never had a moments problem.

 

[Deanes]

Condensation can only happen when the oil is in a completely open system where air can go in and out freely, which in a standing engine not is the case. And once more: those that tell you to change "old" oil, do not throw away their stock, even if it stands for years. When people buy oil, they don't have any idea whether that batch was made the day before or five years ago; however, from that moment on they start counting the recommended period. Only makes sense for driving up sales to the uncritical crowd.

In this strategic turn-over pushing context: in the 50s, 60s and even the 70s the owners of cars were told by the dealers that in a few weeks the one-year guarantee on their car was going to end, so they better should buy a new one right away, and a big majority took again a full bank credit to buy the latest model; that is the tactics where the US car industry got big with. I never heard of anyone ever coming with the only right response: "Are your cars that bad that after just one year they start falling apart?"

Even condensation or water in the oil is not a problem in itself. Once had a Ford tractor with gasket leak where the water would leak into the oil every night. I refilled the radiator and used the tractor every day. Milky oil in the morning and clean-looking oil at a normal level every evening as the water boiled off with a little use. I used it hard every day. It probably would not have been good to let it set for a long time.

 

[vacman]

Years ago with one of my first cars, I was told to change every 2500 miles which I did for years. (Conventional oil with filter). When synthetic became more popular I was told it would go 10,000 miles so that is what I have been doing for 20+ years now. In that time I have had 4 different trucks that have gone 198k, 195k, 175k, and my last one was at 265k when I sold it. My new to me truck currently has 67k on it and (you guessed it) it gets its oil changed every 10,000 miles. And to answer the OP, yes I change the filter each time too..
Good luck.
John

 

[big bubba]

so i'm hearing filter changes are more important than engine oil changes with an engine in reasonably good condition? my vehicles are all pre engine oil analysis sensors, so i go on my own empirical experience.
all i'm trying to figure out is do i need to change the oil filter every time w/syn @ 5k interval change, then both @ 10k

 

[JimRB]

My car has well over 700,000 miles on it. Oil and filter change every 10,000 miles. Head and oil pan never removed. I might use a quart of oil between changes. Generally an hour or more of driving between shut offs.