How important is it to change the oil filter for oil breakdown reasons?

[G35_TX]

I was having a little arguement with someone I know that was saying the Oil filter is the main reason why the oil doesn't break down. I basically told him the oil filter is very little of the reason. I said conditions the car is driven in, the type of oil used, the condition of the car, all play a huge factor in it over a oil filter.

What do you guys think of this? I tried doing a search to no avail.

 

[Quest]

Oil filter's main purpose is to filter out insoluables in the form of particles, and has nothing to do with the well-being of the oil itself.

Breaking down of motor oil is due to chemical process, and there's nothing you can do with a mechanical process such as oil filter to help things out at all.

Wonder if this fella has passed his high school chemistry class? (just curious)

 

[bythabay]

If your oil filter can filter out fuel, carbon, and/or moisture.. then the filter would play a vital role in oil longevity. However, the only filters (to my knowledge) that do this are bypass filters. Standard gasoline engine oil filters only filter out particlulates in the 40 - 14 (depending on filter efficiency & quality) range.

 

[mdocod]

any chance this guy worked for iffy loob? lol

 

[Chimay]

 

[G35_TX]

Thank you for the info guys. But now he is saying you guys have no clue what your talking about. He still says the oil filter is the prime part for oil life. And now he is making up a excuse saying. Would you run your engine without a oil filter for 10k of miles?

This guy has no history of how things worth with oil. I been part of this forum for a long time, but rarely post. I actually forgot my old login. haha. Anyways. Any more posts would help to proving him wrong as usual.

 

[Kestas]

I wonder if this guy also wears a particulate filter mask when working with muriatic acid or other such noxious solvent fumes? (I've met such a person!)

 

[G35_TX]

http://g35driver.com/forums/showthread.php?p=908451&posted=1#post908451

His name is Vegasg35sedan. Not sure if it requires you to register to view the post. But that was the link.

 

[SaturnIonVue]

It takes all kinds to fill up the freeways!

 

[heynow]

There is only one wise man on this earth, he is the one who keeps his opinion to himself, because only he knows that its not worth the argument

 

[Bror Jace]

"But now he is saying you guys have no clue what your talking about."

Yep, that's us at BITOG ... just a bunch of inbred dunderheads spreading misinformation.

"He still says the oil filter is the prime part for oil life."

The oil filter makes the oil last longer only because it filters out particles that would slowly build up and turn the oil into an abrasive slurry. Filtering is a physical process ... not a chemical one.

"And now he is making up excuses saying: 'Would you run your engine without an oil filter for 10K miles?' "

Engines use to run without filters ... but that's beside the point. Filters filter out particles and do not alter or extend the oil's chemistry.

Some guys don't know when to quit arguing ... even when they are clearly shown to be wrong. File this episode away the next time this guy tries to give you some advice on any subject.

--- Bror Jace

 

[ddown77]

Ok, I was three years into a Ph.D. in organic chemistry before I switched careers and do still have a M.S. in chemistry.

You guys are all correct! As stated previously the oil filter performs physical filtration and unless it has some magical hidden catalytic properties will do nothing chemically to prolong oil life.

 

[mikemc]

He is probably not going to believe anything you tell him. Does he do ONLY filter changes? If so, why not offer to split the cost of a Dyson used oil analysis of his oil? It would cost you a few bucks, but would shut his mouth if he is abusing his oil.

 

[peterr]

How important is an oil filter for oil brekdown reasons?

Not at all, as others have posted. But is this really an argument about terminology?

Oil filters remove particulate matter. They do not prevent "breakdown" in the sense that the term would be applied to encompass viscosity breakdown due to shearing or fuel dilution. Filters won't do much to remove acids or preserve TBN - unless the acids are solids i guess.

However filters may be significant in maintaining overall oil quality and extending the useful life of oil, due to the mechanical filtering of carbon and other particles.

 

[jmacmaster]

G35_TX:

A lot of people give an opinion based on nothing but what they, often with little or no knowledge of the subject, personally think or based on what they've been told by other people with little or no knowledge of the subject other than what THEY personally think. Ask him what he's basing his opinion on and to back up his opinion with statements, studies, tests, etc., by experts such as chemists and oil analysis personnel who know what they are talking about.

 

[kloppilt]

Oil life and oil breakdown can mean completely different things.

The oil can still have its molecules intact and still be unusable if it's contaminated with insoluble particles.

So, if that is the case, the oil filter may filter out these particles and make the oil usable again.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

quote:

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Thank you for the info guys. But now he is saying you guys have no clue what your talking about.

---

Chemists, engineers, lubricant specialists of every stripe at BITOG. Sure, what would any of you know about it?

Said it before, I'll say it again. 99.999% of you doods have forgotten more about this stuff than this humble retch will ever know.

I defer to wisdom of the masses.

 

[Ugly3]

quote:

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Would you run your engine without a oil filter for 10k of miles?

---

Well, Bob (as in BITOG) ran 5000 miles without an oil flter and had a UOA done. The analysis looked the same as three or four other UOAs from the same engine with oil filters in place.

May tell you something about the relative importance of an oil filter in the overall scheme of things.