How to Change Oil Filter of Your Car?

The car requires a caring attitude, timely change of process fluids and consumables, including oil and oil filter. In this article you will learn how to change oil filter of your car, what are the nuances of this procedure and how often to change oil filter as well.

Why do you need to change the oil filter?

First, let’s figure out how the oil filter works. Like any other filter in a closed or open system, it is necessary to clean the substance in this system.

The oil filter delays the smallest particles resulting from engine operation. Due to the action of high temperatures and micro-particles, the oil becomes dirty. To extend its service life, you need a filter that holds micro-particles while cleaning the oil.

The main task of the oil filter is to eliminate the ingress of wear debris, solid micro-particles that appear as a result of the combustion of the fuel mixture, decomposition of oil. What happens if filter won’t be changed in time? There are several scenarios. Consider them, starting with the most harmless for the engine-

Nothing bad will happen. Even if oil filter has not been changed, it will last two cycles. If the mileage and the oil viscosity are low, the filter can even work for three cycles.
The filter capacity will decrease, the pressure in the system will drop. Most likely this will happen in the cold season, because in the cold the oil thickens. The microparticles will clog the filter, and its throughput will decrease, becoming critically low. You will see an oil pressure indicator on the dashboard. Driving with low pressure in the oil system is not recommended.
Filter integrity could be broken. As a result, contaminated oil will enter the system. The smallest abrasives that get into the system will help the friction surfaces to wear out quickly. Inserts will become unusable, since their working surface is made of soft metal. If the liners are damaged, you will have to repair the engine.

From the foregoing, we conclude: saving on replacing the engine oil filter is risky. After all, this can lead to a malfunction of the oil system, because the oil will be contaminated, the pressure in the system will drop. The repair price will be higher than the small cost of an oil filter.Therefore, you need to buy an oil filter only from trusted manufacturers, and change at least as manufacturer’s recommendation, that is, every 10-15 thousand kilometers.

Types of oil filters

Automakers place the oil filter in different engines in different places. However, there is only one principle: the filter should be installed near the crankcase protection (at the bottom of the engine).

If you look under the hood, the engine oil filter will be below the left headlight (when the car is front-wheel drive).

Buying original parts or not is your choice. The engine oil filter is considered original if it is certified by the manufacturer. Experts advise buying original spare parts, because the quality of the oil affects how the engine will work and how long it will last.

Two types of engine oil filters are installed in the autos:

In the case: A common option is the whole spare part, which consists of a filter element located in a metal housing. There is a thread on one side of the filter, it allows you to screw the part to the motor. Oil receivers, taps that are needed to supply oil to the filter, to clean it from impurities and to remove purified oil from the filter are also located there.

A part of this type is discarded during replacement. Instead, install a new filter housing. The main drawback is that the owner of the machine will not be able to find out if there are problems with the filter.

As soon as you notice a breakdown, the probable cause of which may be a malfunction of the filter element, you still have to change the filter completely. Even if it turns out that it worked properly and the reason is not in it.

Caseless: A modern type of engine oil filter. The part is a filter element and plastic inserts, with which it is mounted inside the motor. The main advantages are that there is no bulky metal case, so the production of a part will be less expensive.

Accordingly, the price of such an engine oil filter will be less than that of a case. The car owner can always see what condition the filter is in. Just remove it from the case in which it is installed.The filtering component (it doesn’t matter what type of filter) consists of paper pressed using special technology in several layers, which does not pass micro-particles, but oil passes through it. If the part is of poor quality, the paper tears, as a result, contaminated oil enters the motor.

How to Change Oil Filter

Everyone can replace the engine oil filter; this does not require much experience. In a couple of minutes, you will install a new filter, protecting the motor of your car from penetration of microparticles.

To make a replacement, buy a new engine oil filter that is similar in performance to your car. Take a multi-faceted or a tape wrench, a screwdriver, an emery cloth, a little oil for the engine. Be patient and careful.

How to remove oil filter

Replacing the oil filter begins with the removal of the old part. You’ll take a tape key (or multi-faceted). Then you should weaken the filter. In order not to get dirty, you should put on gloves. Unscrew the part to the end. If you don’t have the right tool, you can use a screwdriver to break through the part body in different places, then turn it out. If you regularly change the oil, and therefore the filter, then this procedure can easily be done even without a special tool.

As soon as you remove the oil filter, you will need to clean the base where it was located. Make sure that there will be no rubber left on the base from the dismantled part. Otherwise, you will not be able to tighten the new filter tightly.

So, you have prepared a place for a new part. You could proceed to its preliminary processing. You’ll pick up a new oil filter and lubricate the rubber gasket with oil. You will put the part on the foundation that you prepared. Then screw in the filter until the part will come into contact with the gasket. After that, tighten the filter with a wrench.

Filling out the new oil

Then you’ll proceed to the next step – Fill in the engine oil, which is recommended to be used for your car. Let the engine run for a couple of minutes.

As soon as you finish replacing the engine oil, check to see if the oil will be leaking where the filter is located (in the drain plug area).

After a couple of minutes, turn off the auto, check the oil level: take out the dipstick and look at the mark. Have you noticed that the oil level is insufficient? Top it up.

There is nothing difficult in changing the oil filter. Only in this way will the car serve for a long time and without breakdowns. So, you will avoid unforeseen expenses for vehicle repair. Only a caring attitude to the machine will keep it in perfect condition.

Can you just change an oil filter?

Do you need to change the oil filter every time?

you need to buy an oil filter only from trusted manufacturers, and change at least as manufacturer’s recommendation, that is, every 10-15 thousand kilometers.

What happens if oil filter is not changed?

The filter capacity will decrease, the pressure in the system will drop. Most likely this will happen in the cold season, because in the cold the oil thickens. The microparticles will clog the filter, and its throughput will decrease, becoming critically low. You will see an oil pressure indicator on the dashboard. Driving with low pressure in the oil system is not recommended.