Quote:
Originally Posted by Daox
You can most likely increase oil change intervals, but you still need to change filters every few thousand miles to ensure it stays filtered.
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I have never seen any evidence, anywhere, printed or from personal experience to indicate there is enough impurities and gook floating around in an engine to warrant filter changes more frequent than factory recommended for "normal" duty, with the exception of off-road or agricultural equipment.
The crankcase should be basically sealed from the exterior elements, so what the filter has to deal with is primarily blowby (which could contain some particulates if one is in the habit of running no air filter) and some wear particles from internal bearing surfaces.
I'd be more concerned about oil additive packages wearing out, and accumilation of acids and possibly moisture, than particulates. It follows then, that changing the filter and not the oil doesn't do much good.
I've seen a vehicle with "no oil changes" before; it didn't seem to be affecting it in any bad way at all. That said, I'm a creature of habit too and while I'm comfortable with
far longer change intervals than many others, I can't bring myself to stop oil changing altogether. My experience is that extended oil changes have resulted in no harm as I've not had
any lubrication-related problems at all since I've abandoned the frequent/recommended change schedules.