QuestionOil Filter Vs. Synthetic Oil Longevity ?
With the ever longer lasting synthetic oils on the market, how long will the Oil Filter last? and is it recommended to change it before the recommended Oil change or at the same time as what the Synthetic oil recommends its oil to be changed?
Even though Synthetic Oil will not "breakdown"as fast as Non Synthetic oil, that doesn't mean that it doesn't get just as dirty as any other oil in an engine.
I realize that a lot of it will have to do with the environment %26 driving conditions, but Im just curious how long the average oil filter will last during "normal" driving conditions with a synthetic oil, or is there a recommended Oil Filter to use with a Synthetic oil?
Answer There's a lot of debate about this, mostly involving money. First, if the vehicle is under warranty, you must use oil that meets the manufacturer's standards and change it at the interval recommended by them. The oil filter should be changed at the the same time. Once the warranty interval is exceeded, the driver is entitled to modify his oil change practices. Superior synthetic oil will, most likely, meet the OEM standards. The driver can begin using it after the first oil change. When the warranty expires the interval can be extended. A common practice when synthetics first became commonly available was to double the change interval and continue to change the filter at the old interval. The theory was that the viscosity and friction properties of the synthetic oil would last much longer, but the soot and other debris in the oil needed to be removed at the same interval.
Well, it turns out that good-quality filters easily outlast even synthetic oil in their protection of the engine internals. This is especially true of modern engines built to tolerances so close that they were only dreamed of twenty years ago. Synthetic oils contain the same sort of viscosity improvers as mineral oils and these crucial molecules wear out just as fast as those in high-quality mineral-based oils.
If one is really interested in extending the life of the engine there is only one effective measure to be taken. Go to a truck or equipment parts store (sometimes marine parts vendors will also carry these) and obtain several oil-test kits. These are little jars with mailing labels that one fills with used lube oil and sends to a lab. They will return a detailed breakdown of what contamination is found in the oil and what it means. Silicon, for instance, will be dirt. Metals, especially those used in bearing surfaces, indicate wear of those components. At least three tests at regular intervals (say, 5000 miles) are needed to establish any trends. The lab will provide explanations of each result. After this testing they can also recommend change intervals. Using this info as a guide frequently enables heavy-equipment and truck operators to extend their service intervals and engine life by as much as three or four times the "recommended interval."
