The best oil filter for your vehicle

When your automotive technician changes your oil, they usually change the filter too. But how do you know you’re getting a good-quality filter? What if your technician calls you and offers you a choice, but the higher quality one is more expensive? And what does “quality” mean anyway when it comes to oil filters? We’ll answer those questions in this blog post. 

Do you need an oil filter? 

The oil filter in your gas-powered or hybrid vehicle removes debris like dust, sludge, bits of carbon, and metal dust from the oil, keeping it clean as it enters the engine block and lubricates all the moving parts. 

Think of the water in your sink when you wash dishes. When you start washing dishes, the water is clear and soapy. But as you work your way through the dirtier dishes, you’ll see crumbs, burned-on bits, and globules of oil in your dishwater, despite the presence of soap. When your water gets too dirty, it no longer cleans your dishes, so you change it. 

Your engine oil filter needs to keep the oil in your engine as clean as fresh dishwater. That’s why you need one. Without it, the debris that the filter holds back from your engine will flow through, causing expensive damage. In the absolute worst-case scenario, you might even be looking at a new engine. 

What’s in an oil filter? 

An oil filter, at its most basic, is a cylindrical housing with a filter inside. Some car models can reuse that housing while replacing the filter. They’re called either canister oil filters or cartridge oil filters. By comparison, “spin-on” filters have the housing and filter as one unit, so both get discarded during a filter change. 

Your oil filter also has gaskets, sealants, seals, and other parts to help it do its job. 

Filter materials 

The filter itself is usually pleated treated paper. Think of a small Roman blind wrapped around half a paper towel roll. 

However, some filters are made with synthetic fibres and look more like pillow foam wrapped around that paper towel roll. 

The role of rubber 

Rubber is a component of several of the parts in a filter. “Rubber,” however, no longer refers only to the sticky sap harvested from plants (mainly a specific tree in South America). That’s because natural rubber dries out and cracks easily, which makes it an unsuitable substance for something that operates at extremely high temperatures. 

When it comes to cars, “rubber” means a small amount of that sap plus other additives so the rubber can handle its job. 

What does “quality” mean? 

A high-quality filter is one that is not only manufactured for your vehicle, but also for your oil. For example, some filters are designed specifically for synthetic oils, while others are meant for conventional ones. Moreover, some manufacturers may use a special filter design. 

So, in that context, a low-quality filter is one that doesn’t work with your vehicle to begin with. 

In addition, a high-quality filter will be manufactured with proper materials. For example, high-quality rubber is stiff enough to contain oil within the filter housing but soft enough to create an airtight seal. It can also withstand the heat generated by an engine. Cheaper rubber is more likely to dry out and crack, leaving you with a messy problem. 

One detail to know is that an engine oil filter with excellent filtering properties may get clogged faster. That isn’t a bad thing: it just means that the filter is protecting your engine. The good news is that, for most drivers, it’s sufficient to change the filter when you change your oil. 

If you have any questions about choosing or replacing your oil filter, visit your local NAPA AUTOPRO shop, and one of our automotive technicians will be happy to help you. 

Photo: iStock-1357805545