Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee
I haven't either and I've been messing with this stuff for decades. So it's "cheap insurance".. against what? It's an imaginary issue, like flag burning.
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Maybe I wasn't clear, sorry. I have seen oil go south due to other issues, but not a filter. Cutting a filter open can give you a heads up on something that is about to fail (under extreme use, as in racing. I have seen pieces of valve spring in a filter. At that point, you shouldn't make another pass down the track.) But under normal use, it's a waste of effort. As for the cheap insurance, if synthetic oil is $6 a liter, and I need 4.5 of them, and the filter is $4, and I only need one of them, then for $4 I will just change the filter every 3000 miles. It may not be needed, but if I know the synthetic oil has the ability to last me a long time, and that the best way to keep it working for me is to keep it clean, then in my opinion I will do my best to keep it clean. If something goes wrong internally in the engine and it lets coolant into the oil or whatever, then either way you are screwed, that oil is a waste. You can pay $4 for a filter, or $15. It's up to you. But if you buy a quality synthetic oil , then to me I will protect that investment on the pricey oil with a cheap filter change. I'm sure you could go to then end of the synthetic oil's "recommended" life span on a single filter. But for $4 I will change it once in a while. Heck, I saw a Chrysler Town & Country van that had 41k KMs (25k miles) on it, that had the original filter from the factory, and original oil from the factory in it. I only remember it because I was the guy that had to put a new engine in it! Seized solid, it got towed in. So I have no doubt that oil can go a lot further than it should. But for $4 I will change the filter once in a while.