The Oil Filter in your engine is one of the most important component in engine lubrication, apart from the oil that runs through it and the oil pump that pumps the oil through the channels. If not for the Oil filter, engine oil contaminants and debris that are grinded off the engine internals would result in a slow but catastrophic end to an engine’s life.
These contaminants would easily block out oil channels causing oil starvation to the moving parts. What’s equally worse are the abrasive nature of these contaminants that will eventually cause premature engine wear to the cylinder walls and the valvetrain where oil quality is key in an engine’s operation.
There are various forms of oil filters that comes in different shapes and sizes. One of the most used are the “Spin-on” version that simply screws on the to the thread of the oil filter mount. It is the most convenient and accessible design that allows owners or mechanics to replace at oil changes with ease.
Oil will be sucked from the oil sump pan at the bottom of the engine by the oil pump and then pressurized through the oil filter before making way its way back into the engine again in the continuous lubrication cycle, keeping the oil clean for consumption.
The Oil Filter is typically constructed of a metal casing with a first level filtration through a wire mesh and then passing through paper element further increasing the filtration ability of an oil filter. A safety feature in the oil filter allows oil to flow through a bypass valve if the oil filter ever gets clogged due to irregular replacement.
The life of an Oil filter is determined by it’s physical size. A larger oil filter generally contains larger filtration material. A typical oil filter lasts for about 5000km before a replacement is needed. Larger luxury cars may come with a larger than standard oil filter that should see optimum oil filtration for extended driving distance.
