Change oil filter every other oil change??

[Jim Allen]

Isn't the bottom line here: "One size doesn't fit all?"

In some cases, it would be perfectly fine (even factory approved) to do an "every other" filter change. In others it's not.

Off the top of my balding pate, some red flags that would require consideration would be:

a) the driving environment... a short hopper that generate lots of oxidative residue

b) a tired engine that's generating more than the usual amount of contaminants

c) an engine in a dirty environment

d) a diesel (soot)

e) general engine designs and parameters (like ZeeOSix's)

f) OCI... longer would likely dictate against

g) filter media area... an oversized filter (same efficiency as designed) can hold more contaminants

h) actual PSID test results on something close to your configuration

Wish I had time to do some PSID testing on my engines

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Isn't the bottom line here: "One size doesn't fit all?"

+1 on that Jim! Speaking only for myself, I find it difficult to follow some of the rationale behind not changing the filter with each OCI. From a non-technical point of view, I have seen filters grow smaller and smaller through the years and yes, of course, filter media has improved as have ADBVs and engine designs. But come on...for the average oil filter, we are not talking about $50, we are talking about $5 per OCI or $20 annually for the guys & gals that have a quarterly OCI or perhaps only $10 annually for the ones that extend.

Why would you keep it?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
Why would you keep it?


The only way I'd ever keep it on for 2 OCIs is if the manufacture recommended it for the driving schedule I had, AND more importantly, IF the filter was a royal pain to change. If it wasn't a royal pain to change, then I'd change it every time for sure.

 

[kcfx4]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix

The only way I'd ever keep it on for 2 OCIs is if the manufacture recommended it for the driving schedule I had, AND more importantly, IF the filter was a royal pain to change. If it wasn't a royal pain to change, then I'd change it every time for sure.
+1 kinda, im a book follower, but i would change it regardless of what the manual says and regardless of how hard it is to get to, to me not changing it is just plain silly

 

[poiuy223]

using money as a factor to consider changing oil filters..

if you spend the time to research the oil you want and spend >$20 on synthetic for your $20,000 car, what is another $5-6?

i would always change oil filter when changing out the oil.

 

[Shagger]

Originally Posted By: Malo83
NEVER!!! do you change your skivvies every other day???? New oil,New filter.

Pity you can't turn an oil filter inside out...

 

[mechanicx]

Some things to consider, you can't tell by just looking at a filter if it has become restrictive even if you cut the media apart. You might see whether some light passes through the media but the pores and the contaminates that would clog them are too small to see with the eye. Maybe if you used a microscope or better yet you would have to test the flow and psi drop.

If you go on the filter council's site they seem to suggest that typical oil filters don't have the hold capacity to barely make it one OCI of ~8k miles let alone two. Although the filter council seems to recommend changing oil filters frequently.

I would not run an average oil filter much over 8k miles, although some auto manufactures say you can run them 1 oci ~10k miles or up to 2 OCI and ~15k miles. I personally think this is pushing the envelope and maybe a little too far. And some manufactures have ran into pushing the oil filter change interval too long.

 

[edhackett]

You also need to look at the manufacturer's motivation for recommending the 2X interval. Using Honda as an example, they have historically had some of the hardest oil filters to change. They have also had problems with filters spilling/leaking on the exhaust manifold and causing fires.

Every other time cuts the complaints about the cost/difficulty of changing the filter and cuts the chances of one of their perfect cars from burning to the ground in half. It's a win win. Honda comes out on top and the owner is further deluded into thinking that they have a green, low maintenance vehicle.

Ed

 

[Sayjac]

So that's the real reason Honda recommends o/f change every other time, it's to reduce the chances of their cars burning to the ground? It's amazing what one can learn on the internet, I didn't know that. Perhaps Honda owners aren't the only ones deluded.

Reduced projected maintenance costs could be a consideration, though not at the expense of engine longevity.

 

[electrolover]

Originally Posted By: Shagger
Originally Posted By: Malo83
NEVER!!! do you change your skivvies every other day???? New oil,New filter.

Pity you can't turn an oil filter inside out...

 

[edhackett]

Sorry, that should have read a motivation. It is a fact that I could change the head gasket on my 1959 Alfa Romeo in less time than it took me to change the oil and filter on my sister's Prelude. It was all but impossible to reach the filter unless the car was on a lift at head height. It's also a fact that Honda had a problem with oil filter related fires:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/01/honda_fit_fires.html

Don't believe for a second that those issues were not considered when they set maintenance intervals.

Ed