Change filter on it's own interval?

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MoreCowbellAz

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I know there's always a debate about changing the oil filter every OCI vs every other OCI,but what about doing the oil and filter on their own specific change interval? I do 10k OCI's and so my 15k filters (FU and the like) don't coincide with OCI's. So it occurred to me doesn't it makes sense to just change the filter on it's own 15k schedule regardless of when the oil gets changed. Anyone do this? That seems to get the most out of everything and I won't be throwing away a FU with 1/3 of its life left. I expect a lot of folks might say they won't remember 2 different intervals, or that if they're under the car anyway they want to do both and get it out of the way, but aside from the doest it makes more sense mechanically speaking? FYI me the filters in my RAV4, Prius, and Soul easy to get to and take just a minute to replace so it's not a big deal to do it whenever.

I have to admit it feels weird to not use a new filter every OCI mainly because I think of that extra old oil I'm leaving in, but that's probably more my OCD than any engineering reality.
 
I think that it's more a matter of filter durability in service than anything else.
Something like an Ultra or M1 should last through the recommended FCI for any car sold in this country, even if that comes to 2X OCIs.
There is ample evidence that filtering efficiency actually improves with use and holding capacity shouldn't be an issue for any engine not in its death throws.
Me, I just swap the filter at each OCI and call it good.
I think I have around four bucks a filter in my Ultra stash, so I'm not all that worried about trying to extend the service life of these or any other oil filter.
 
I run oversized filters on most of my stuff. There are technical papers that report keeping some used oil in the system has advantages. And that happens with offset filter changes, so that's good. I've come around to changing the filter on it's own.

Depending on how well seasoned your motor is, it might not be making much in the way of by-products or tossing any metals, so why change filters... They do clog as they filter, but unless you have dual pressure gauges, one before and one after the filter, you have no real idea how clogged it is...

My Saab is especially sensitive to filter conditions and will make more valve clatter at start-up with a dirty filter, so I can tell it's time to change - and that's usually about 2 1/2 oil changes. It's very easy to do as a quick job by itself. But the rest of my stuff just gets a filter changed on the second go round for convenience
smile.gif
 
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Originally Posted By: 69GTX
I'm almost tempted to leave the Fram Ultra on there for a 2nd year.


I say go for it... In Sept my annual oil change will be due for the Silverado and it will complete a 24 month OCI for the Fram Ultra on it.
 
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This. I would really not worry about using a $10 filter for 10k miles and throwing it away, not worrying about squeezing an extra 5k miles out of it. If I'm under the car anyways, I'm just going to take care of everything while I'm there. But that's just me.
 
For the small price of a filter, why reuse and leave some dirty oil in the crankcase?
 
I don't have an OCD about having to squeeze out every last mile out of my oil or filter. I'll just change my Fram Ultra at 7,500 miles on this next oil change in 1,500 miles. I've even tossed Fram Ultras with 5,000 miles on my car, and 3,000 miles on my grandfather's Jeep.
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Although their Trailblazer is on it's 2nd year with a Fram Ultra, only 4-5k miles a year.

Oh the blasphemy!

It's only $9 for a new one...
 
Originally Posted By: Lubener
For the small price of a filter, why reuse and leave some dirty oil in the crankcase?


There is a growing body of papers that correlate retaining some used oil as a good anti-wear strategy. This comes from better and unique tribofilms being made by that engine and that oil during normal operations that can't be duplicated by new oil with un-reacted fresh additives. It takes a while for the chemistry to get going ...

That's why I am now changing filters at odd intervals and doing the major changes at regular intervals. Let the filter work through at least the second change plus a few weeks and then change it.

This is if the filter is easy to get to. On my wife's Jag the filter is a real PIA to change, so the longer it can stay, the better. This is especially true if running oversized filters
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You're over thinking it.

Change your filter with your oil.

If you think you are throwing away money, buy a cheaper filter.

That's why there are $3 filters, $7 filters, and $12 filters.

If you're a 5,000 mile OCI guy, the cheapest filter will do.

If you're a 10,000+ mile OCI guy, only the best will do.
 
I wonder if folks that spend this much time developing a theory for OCI and FCI spend nearly as much time thinking about whether they should have the cheeseburger, since it might shorten their life an average of a minute?

Was that sentence too long? I may have to shorten the "Period" interval.
 
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I wonder if folks that spend this much time developing a theory for OCI and FCI spend nearly as much time thinking about whether they should have the cheeseburger, since it might shorten their life an average of a minute?

Probably not--humans have a tendency to focus on the wrong dangers. In car terms, look at all the people on here obsessing (me included) about what oil filter to use in the first place, when we have no empirical evidence that filter choice impacts engine longevity one way or the other, assuming it doesn't leak.
 
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Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Originally Posted By: Lubener
For the small price of a filter, why reuse and leave some dirty oil in the crankcase?


There is a growing body of papers that correlate retaining some used oil as a good anti-wear strategy. This comes from better and unique tribofilms being made by that engine and that oil during normal operations that can't be duplicated by new oil with un-reacted fresh additives.


See, JiffyLube has your back man!
 
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
I wonder if folks that spend this much time developing a theory for OCI and FCI spend nearly as much time thinking about whether they should have the cheeseburger, since it might shorten their life an average of a minute?

Was that sentence too long? I may have to shorten the "Period" interval.


Most people (esp. men) that "think" about having a cheeseburger eat them fairly often, probably weekly, if not several times per week. Over a lifetime that's a lot of burgers....and years off your life.
 
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