Your vehicle thrives on clean oil like you do on water - without it, everything grinds to a halt. And just like you’d get sick if you drank dirty water, so too does your car start breaking down if it uses dirty engine oil. That’s where oil filters come in - they make sure the oil in your vehicle is free from contaminants. However, there are multiple types of oil filters, all with different purposes and ways of removing contaminants.
Therefore, if you want to make sure your vehicle continues operating at peak performance for years to come, you should understand these distinctions and how to choose the best filter for your car. That’s what this article is meant to do - discuss the different types of oil filters so you know which filter is needed to keep your vehicle running smoothly.
What Is the Purpose of An Oil Filter?
An oil filter might seem like just another part under your bonnet, just another simple car filter, but it’s much, much more than that. Think of it as the guardian that keeps all the nasty stuff out of your engine's oil. This little device ensures only clean and healthy oil circulates through those vital engine components by filtering out dirt, metal particles, debris, and other contaminants from your oil.
A clean oil filter ensures the efficient removal of contaminants from engine oil, thus preserving its lubricating properties and protecting engine components from premature wear. When an oil filter is clogged, it restricts oil flow, leading to decreased lubrication, increased friction, and potential engine damage due to insufficient lubrication, including overheating and accelerated wear of critical components.
A More Technical Explanation of How an Oil Filter Works
Most modern cars have two oil filters - primary and secondary filters. The basics of how these oil filters operate is straightforward and clear-cut. Oil initially flows into the device via small perforations along the outer base flange, proceeding through the filter for purification. Once cleansed, the oil circulates back to the engine via a central hole.
In contemporary designs, most oil filters integrate an anti-drain-back mechanism - usually a rubber membrane placed near the peripheral perforations in the base flange. This membrane opens upon oil entering the filter under pressure and seals the perforations during engine downtime. This keeps oil within the filter, preventing instances of engine dry starts - where the engine starts up without adequate lubrication.
Additionally, modern internal combustion engines incorporate a secondary oil filtration system, commonly referred to as a bypass filter, for additional protection. The bypass filter permits oil to circumvent the primary filter under specific conditions, such as if extremely low temperatures cause oil thickening or if the primary filter is blocked.
Utilizing both primary and secondary filters ensures proper lubrication even in demanding conditions. That being said, the most important takeaway is that oil filters have the purpose of keeping engine oil clean. However, there are multiple types of oil filters, so let’s discuss them all.
Delving into the Different Types of Oil Filters
We said that there are primary and secondary filters; these are the two basic types of oil filters based on the role they have in a vehicle. However, there are also different types of primary and secondary oil filters, based on how they filter contaminants. You should first understand these differences if you want to learn how to change your oil filter.
Primary Oil Filters: Cartridge and Spin-On Filters
The primary oil filter (it’s also called a full-flow filter) is your engine’s first line of defence. It catches most contaminants, over 90% in fact, before they can do harm. There are two types of primary oil filters:
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Cartridge Oil Filter: A cartridge oil filter operates by trapping contaminants within a replaceable cartridge element. Oil flows through the cartridge, where impurities are captured, allowing only clean oil to exit. When the filter is clogged or due for replacement, the entire cartridge is swapped out for a new one. One of the main benefits of a cartridge oil filter is that it is mounted upright, so you can check if it’s clogged without removing the oil.
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Spin-On Oil Filter: A spin-on oil filter functions by utilising a disposable canister containing a filter medium - typically a steel canister with a paper element inside. As oil passes through the canister, contaminants are trapped, permitting only purified oil to continue circulating. When maintenance is required, the entire filter assembly is unscrewed and replaced with a new unit.
Secondary Oil Filters: Spinner and Magnetic Oil Filters
The secondary oil filter (also called a by-pass filter) is the backup to the main oil filter if it can’t function properly for any reason. However, besides playing backup, it can trap smaller particles than the primary filter. If both types of oil filters are functioning properly, the secondary filter will typically catch less than 10% of contaminants.
There are two common types of secondary oil filters:
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Spinner Oil Filter: A spinner oil filter employs a centrifugal mechanism to separate contaminants from engine oil. As oil enters the filter housing, it is spun rapidly, causing heavier particles to be flung to the outer edges, where they accumulate in a reservoir, ensuring only clean oil returns to the engine.
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Magnetic Oil Filter: A magnetic oil filter utilises magnets to attract and capture ferrous metal particles present in engine oil. As oil flows through the filter, the magnets attract metal contaminants, preventing them from circulating through the engine. One of the benefits of magnetic filters is that you typically don’t need to replace them, just clean them regularly and they will do the work.
Selecting the Right Oil Filter for Your Vehicle
Your engine’s make and model call the shots when it comes to selecting an oil filter. Different engines need different filters with varying sizes, thread pitches, and filtration efficiency levels. So before you buy one:
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Check your vehicle’s manual.
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Ponder over how long you want that filter to last between changes - are you going short or long haul?
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Mull over whether a high-performance oil filter might be worth splashing out on if you're pushing your ride hard.
And always make sure that the type of oil filter you are getting is compatible with the type of oil you use for your car. Most filters are compatible with both conventional and synthetic oil, however, some are designed to be used for just one kind.
Then, after you've decided on what you need, the only thing left is to find where to buy an affordable oil filter. And that’s where we can help - at Superspares, we have every type of oil filter you could ever need. Check out our collection of top-quality oil filters for 4x4s, sports, and passenger cars and order the one you need online, we’ll ship it ASAP!
