One of the things you’ll find out shortly after purchasing your first car is that maintaining a car can be expensive. There’s always something that needs to be checked or replaced, or you’re paying and renewing insurance premiums and all of that costs money.
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Changing vehicle engine oil is one of the ways to maintain a vehicle regularly. Most people recommend that while changing engine oil, it’s important to change the oil filter equally. But do you really need to do that?
What’s The Purpose of a Vehicle’s Oil Filter
The oil filter looks like a simple can, but it plays an important role in making sure your car never strands you on the side of the road. The actual filter is tucked away within that can. As you drive, your car’s engine pushes oil through the filter, which purifies the oil before it makes a return trip through the engine.
Most drivers know that oil keeps the engine’s moving parts properly lubricated, drastically increasing the engine’s life. What some drivers don’t realize is that it’s imperative that the oil be clean, which is where the oil filter comes into play.
The filter removes dirt and tiny flecks of metal from the oil, so only clean oil comes into contact with the moving engine parts. Not only does the lack of dirt and metal flecks prevent the system from clogging, but it also means the tiny particles aren’t scraping, denting, or scratching the engine components.
What Kind of Oil Filter Should You Use
The mechanic who changes your vehicle’s oil will also replace the oil filter. While this is standard practice, it’s in your best interest to ask a few questions about the quality of the oil filter.
In the long run, spending a good amount on a good oil filter will spare you from some major auto repairs down the road. Ensure the filter your mechanic is putting in your vehicle uses filter paper instead of a filter made out of cheap cotton waste. The filter also needs to have a check valve that prevents the oil from draining into the filter’s housing.
Does the Oil Filter Need to be Replaced Each Time you Change your Vehicle’s Oil?
Replacing the oil filter each time you change the oil will increase the yearly cost of your auto maintenance, so questioning whether the oil filter has to be changed with each oil change is a natural question. Getting a straight answer is more complicated.
When you read through your vehicle’s owner’s manual, the manufacturer suggests changing the filter with every other oil change or every 6,000-10,000 miles.
The mechanic who handles your oil change will likely recommend changing your filter each time you have the oil changed, so every 3,000-5,000 miles.
The amount and driving you do influence how frequently the filter needs to be changed. Most drivers will be fine if they change the filter every 7,500 miles, but in extreme driving conditions, it should be changed at 3,000 miles. Extreme driving conditions include:
- A great deal of stop-and-go traffic
- If your vehicle frequently operates in extreme temperatures
- If most of your driving takes place on dirt roads or dusty conditions
- Frequently towing heavy loads
Conclusion
One thing everyone agrees on is that when it comes to changing your oil filter it’s better to spend a higher amount to get a good oil filter than the ones that are not good enough.
