Can You Use A Regular Oil Filter With Synthetic

Tin I Use The Aforementioned Oil Filter Twice? (And Other Oil Filter Questions Answered)

How long exercise oil filters last? What's within a cannister filter? Should I pre-make full my filter with oil? Here, nosotros...

In theory, your oil filter has a unproblematic job: capture vesture-causing contaminants and hold them in the filter media and then they don't run amok inside your engine.

Merely lots of factors can throw a wrench into this plan, which can raise filtration questions.

Hither's what we'll embrace:

Can I utilise the same filter twice?

How long do filters last?

I forgot to modify my filter when I changed oil. Is it too tardily?

Should I pre-make full the filter before installing?

Should I employ a conventional or synthetic filter?

What's within an oil filter?

Can I employ synthetic oil with a conventional filter? Or vice versa?

Can I use the same filter twice?

The filter is designed to capture contaminants and hold them within the filter media. Over time, the media fills with dirt particles, agglomerated soot, metal particles and other junk. If the filter plugs, the pressure differential will open the bypass valve, which allows oil to featherbed the filter, preventing oil starvation. Sure, dirty oil is preferable to no oil, but it's not a long-term plan you lot can trust.

A new filter is far less expensive than a new engine. Don't inexpensive-out – replace the filter with every oil modify.

How long do filters last?

It depends on filter quality and your driving conditions.

A low-quality, cheap conventional filter doesn't offer the chapters of a filter using synthetic media, pregnant information technology fills with contaminants faster and requires more than frequent changes.

Plus, if y'all drive in dusty, muddy atmospheric condition, your engine is exposed to increased levels of airborne dirt particles that can enter the engine, specially if y'all haven't changed the air filter in awhile or there's a leak in the intake system.

Some mod direct-fuel-injection vehicles experience elevated fuel dilution, which also takes a toll on the filtration system. In diesel engines, soot particles can agglomerate into larger contaminants and gild in the filter. This all adds upward to more than contaminants and more stress on the filter.

Follow the filter manufacturer's service guidelines. If none are given, go with what's recommended in your vehicle owner'south manual.

I forgot to change my filter when I changed oil. Is it as well tardily?

No. Just change the filter as normal.

After the new filter is installed, run the engine for a couple minutes, and so close it off and allow several minutes for the oil to settle in the sump. Check the oil level and peak-off every bit needed to make-upwardly for the oil removed with the former filter.

Should I pre-fill up the filter before installing?

The Internet is total of pre-fillers and anti-pre-fillers, all of whom seem able to reference a high-mileage conversion van or pickup they've serviced for decades either pre-filling or never pre-filling the filter.

Some filter manufacturers say pre-filling the filter isn't necessary. Simply remember – they make filters, not engines. At that place'due south a reason engine manufacturers recommend 0W-Xx or 5W-20 motor oils, and it'due south and so the oil flows readily at startup when it'south common cold and the engine doesn't go without vital lubrication while it builds oil pressure.

To help ensure the engine doesn't outset dry out, we recommend you pre-fill the filter if you can.

Horizontally oriented filters can pose a problem, but even they can be pre-filled with some oil.

I typically cascade a little oil into the filter and tip it sideways and check the oil inside. If in that location's room for more before it begins to spill out of the opening in the filter, I add a niggling more than oil earlier installing the filter.

Should I use a conventional or constructed filter?

Use a filter made with synthetic media for best protection. Synthetic oil filters offer the following benefits:

Increased efficiency – Efficiency describes the filter'southward ability to capture contaminants. You tin usually find a filter'due south efficiency rating on the package or the manufacturer's website. It's reported as a percentage followed by a micron rating (due east.g. "99 percent at 20 microns," which is the efficiency of AMSOIL Oil Filters). Information technology refers to the percentage of contaminants 20 microns and larger the filter traps in industry-standard (ASTM D4548-12) testing. The higher the percentage, the better.

Increased chapters – Capacity refers to the amount of contaminants a filter can hold while nevertheless remaining effective. While there'south no manufacture-standard chapters rating, similar to the efficiency rating noted above, total synthetic media offers greater capacity than conventional media. The smaller fibers in synthetic media permit more room for contaminants to lodge without restricting oil menses.

Improved immovability – Hot oil slowly degrades the resins that hold some filter media together. Extreme temperatures also degrade the anti-bleed valve and baseplate gasket. Utilize a filter with reinforcement on the media, such equally a wire backing, to withstand increased heat and longer drain intervals. Look for an anti-drain valve made of silicone for maximum immovability. This ensures the oil stays in the filter afterwards the engine is shut off, preventing dry out starts the side by side mean solar day.

What's inside an oil filter?

Near spin-on filters contain the following:

Filter media – the center and soul of the filter. It's where contaminants go to die. Once they guild within the filter media, they tin't circulate throughout your engine and cause wear.

Anti-bleed valve – prevents oil from draining out of the filter when yous shut-off the engine, ensuring immediate oil pressure at startup.

Gasket – technically information technology'southward on the outside of the filter, only the gasket that creates a seal against the engine block is critical to preventing oil leaks.

Tin I utilize synthetic oil with a conventional filter? Or vice versa?

Yep, information technology's perfectly rubber to use either blazon of filter with either blazon of oil.

If yous practice extended drain intervals using synthetic oil, yet, a conventional oil filter may not offer the required service life, meaning you'll have to change it in the middle of the oil drain interval, which is inconvenient.

That's why AMSOIL Oil Filters are constructed to last up to 25,000 miles between changes, coinciding with the 25,000-mile drain interval of Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil. AMSOIL Oil Filters designated with product code EA15K offering 15,000-mile change intervals.

Updated: Originally published Oct. 16, 2017