How to change oil filter on your own

Regular replacement of oil and oil filter is a guaranteed extension of the duration of the engine. It is recommended to do it every six months. How to replace an oil filter in a car?

First, drain the old oil. This should be done with an engine still warm, for example, after a trip. Otherwise, it needs to be warmed up (2-3 minutes idle will be enough). While the engine is warming up, prepare all the necessary tools and materials:

• new oil;

• new filter;

• container to drain old oil in;

• newspaper;

• flashlight;

• wrench.

When the engine warms up to the working condition, lift the bonnet and unscrew the oil cap in the upper part of the engine. Fill up the new oil; the air pressure will help the old oil to drain. Then find an oil tray located below the car closer to the engine and unscrew the bolt. Spread the newspapers and the oil collection container directly under the stub. The fluid will flow for a few minutes, then tighten the bolt again with the wrench.

Next step is to change the oil filter. First of all you have to find it, it can be located in the front, rear or side of the engine. Look for a 10-15-centimeter cylinder, which is usually colored in black, white or blue. It must be loosened slowly. Use a cloth or gloves (it is slippery). You can also wrap it with a plastic bag so that the filter did not spill a lot of oil after removing. Make sure that the rubber gasket is removed along with the filter. If it is attached to the machine, then the new filter will work malfunctioning. Install a new filter. Lubricate the seal of the new oil and tighten the filter to the place.

After that pour a new oil and twist the oil cap. Then run the engine and wait until the pressure in the filter stabilizes. Also check the car for leakage of oil, which will indicate that the filter has been installed incorrectly.

After performed work it is recommended  to dispose of the old filter and oil in specially allocated places.

It is necessary to change the filter together with the oil

Even the best engine oil does not eliminate its replacement (high quality means that the oil retains its properties throughout its lifetime). The oil filter, which detains all the pollution, produces its resource with the same speed as the oil itself. When the filter material becomes clogged, it loses its ability to let oil pass through, and either tear from the pressure or the bypass valve is triggered. The result is the same in both cases - the engine oil does not receive proper cleaning, and from the protective material it turns into an abrasive paste.

Manufacturers of cars and motor oils recommend to put new filter with new oil.

Review of the used filter

The used oil filter can tell a lot about the condition of the car. A moderately dirty filtering element is a normal oil condition (it is cleaned of impurities and does not spoil the engine parts).

A heavily contaminated, dust-soaked filter indicates that the oil has been circulating for some time without purification. In this case it is better to check the state of the engine (same plaque, carbon and varnish can be on pistons, valves and shafts).

The duration of the oil filter service depends on several factors:

- the quality of the filter itself

- quality of oil and fuel,

- age of the engine,

- car operation mode..

If there is a suspicion about the functionality of the filter (for example, the probe shows solid particles during inspection), it is better to change it. Even the most expensive filter is less than the most simple repair.

Conclusions

Only a good quality oil filter can ensure a proper oil cleaning, while maintaining the correct pressure in the system. The oil should not get into the engine without pre-cleaning through the filter. The valve must not interfere with the normal circulation of the flow.

In order to extend the life of the engine and maximize its safety against the fact that the filter itself becomes a source of pollution, it is worth paying attention to the manufacturers’ recommendations or to buy filters from well-known brands.

Based on online resources