Why You Should Always Replace Your Oil Filter During an Oil Change
You know how important changing the oil is in your vehicle. What about the filter? It’s easy to overlook, especially when you aren’t keeping up a regular schedule of oil changes. At BRAKEmax Tire & Service Centers, our oil change service includes a new oil filter, so your car or truck gets the protection it needs.
An Oil Change Isn’t Enough if the Filter is Dirty
Running clean oil through a dirty oil filter is pointless and a waste of money. The filter is designed to remove grit and dirt from the oil circulating through the engine. If the filter is blocked, the clean oil can’t do its job. Soon your engine is running sludge through the system. The engine parts won’t be lubricated and over time will grind against each other and overheat.
The solution is to change the oil filter every time the oil is changed. It’s important, however, to choose an auto shop that provides full-service oil changes for your vehicle. If you search for “cheap oil change Tucson,” you’ll see a list of all types of oil change service providers, but that list may not include a shop with ASE-certified mechanics who ensure the job will be done right.
At BRAKEmax, we offer oil change coupons and oil change specials to help you save money on this essential vehicle maintenance service.
Change the Filter Every Time the Oil Is Changed
Conflicting advice often only leads to confusion: Drivers hear recommendations that range from getting the filter changed every other time to changing it more often if you drive in harsh conditions. Rather than get caught in the confusion, make it a practice to change the filter every time you change the oil.
This will give you peace of mind about protecting the investment you have in your vehicle. Any major repair—or replacement—of an engine damaged by sludge will cost thousands of dollars.
Yes, There Are Different Kinds of Oil Filters
The right oil filter for your vehicle will depend on the kind of engine in your car or truck and what the vehicle’s manufacturer recommends. Here are some common types of oil filters and why they differ.
Full-flow Oil Filter
Many manufacturers use this filter, sometimes called a primary oil filter. Its name tells us what its purpose is: to clean impurities from all the oil flowing through the engine of a car.
It is especially useful in harsh winter temperatures, which cause oil in a car to thicken. The construction of the full-flow filter doesn’t prevent any of this thickened oil from flowing through the engine. So, even if the oil is thicker due to colder weather, it will move through the system efficiently.
The Cartridge Oil Filter is another type of full-flow filter. It is inserted upright, making it easy to see without draining the oil.
Secondary Oil Filter
It’s a backup filter, designed to catch the last contaminants missed by the full-flow filter. The result, too, is that the oil will last longer.
Other types of secondary oil filters are:
- Spinner Oil Filter: It removes even the smallest bits of contaminants from the oil flowing through the engine by using centrifugal force–often 2000 times greater than gravity–to make that happen.
- Magnetic Oil Filter: It uses magnetic attraction, cleaning metal contaminants from the oil, but not dust or grime. It can be used more than once since it can be cleaned.
An oil change and a new oil filter every 3,000 to 5,000 miles will protect your engine and extend the life of your vehicle. Call BRAKEmax or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment now!
