How To Change Your Oil Filter without Draining Oil

Have you ever found yourself staring at the engine bay, wrench in hand, pondering how to change your oil filter without draining your oil? For those who love to tinker with cars and handle repairs themselves, changing an oil filter without losing oil couldn’t be easier. Nevertheless, for a good number of folks, this task still feels wrapped in a veil of mystery. So let's lift it.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to change your oil filter that includes the tools you’ll need, an overview of the types of oil filters so you know which one to get, and the practical steps of replacing an old oil filter with a new one - all the while not draining your engine oil. However, let’s resolve a common query first.

Is It Standard Practice to Change an Oil Filter without Changing the Car Oil?

No, most of the time people don’t change an oil filter without changing the oil itself. However, this is done for practical reasons and not because it’s harmful or damaging. Typically, oil filters are changed during normal oil changes because they should be able to last as long as the oil itself, so it’s practical to do both at the same time too.

This article explores how to change your oil filter without draining your oil as you might want to upgrade them, which doesn’t necessitate an oil change, or the filters may have clogged prematurely but the oil is still clean. On the other hand, if you wish to learn how to do both steps at once, make sure to check out our article on how to change car oil.

With that out of the way, let’s talk about the type of oil filter you may have in your car.

Get Acquainted with the Types of Oil Filters

There are two types of oil filters in your car: primary or full-flow filters and secondary or by-pass filters. Primary oil filters filter most of the engine oil that passes through your car, about 90%. Secondary filters are there to remove contaminants if the primary oil filter is not functioning properly and to catch the smallest particles that the primary filter can’t.

If the primary oil filter is working properly, the secondary filter should catch less than 10% of the contaminants that are in your oil. Usually, when you want to service your own car, you are thinking of changing your primary oil filter and that’s what we’re discussing today. Now, there are also two types of primary oil filters: cartridge filters and spin-on filters.

Preparations for Changing Your Filter

Before you start changing your oil filter, you should do some prep work. If you have a cartridge filter, you may need a ratchet and socket to loosen it before you can remove it by hand. For a spin-on filter, you may need an oil filter wrench. Have your manual on hand and a dish that can catch the oil that may drain from the filter.

We should note here that only a small amount of oil will drain from the filter - you are not changing your car oil by doing this. To change your car oil, you first need to drain it completely and the plug that lets you drain the oil when you remove it is a completely different element to an oil filter.

It’s also recommended you wear gloves while you change your filter. Finally, if you’ve been running your car, leave it to cool down for about 30 minutes so you don’t get burned. Now you can start changing your oil filter.

How To Change Your Oil Filter in 4 Steps

Changing an oil filter is not usually a complex operation once you’ve done it a few times. You need to:

1. Find and Access the Filter

   Step 1 is to locate your oil filter and get access to it. And believe it or not, this is the hardest part. First, read the manual to see where the filter is located. If the filter is located in the undercarriage, you’ll likely need to jack up your car or drive somewhere that has a grease pit if you need to service it from underneath. If it’s under the bonnet, you may need to remove the engine cover to access the oil filter.

2. Remove the Filter

   Step 2 is to remove the filter. As we mentioned above, you may require a ratchet and socket to loosen a cartridge filter and an oil filter wrench for a spin-on filter. Once you’ve loosened the filter enough to be able to remove it by hand, grab the dish where you can drain the oil that’s in the filter.

   Then, remove the filter, drain the oil from the filter if needed, clean the filter mounting surface, and double-check whether the used filter’s gasket isn’t stuck to the mounting surface - if it is, remove it.

3. Change the Filter (or Filter Element)

   For cartridge filters, you will replace the cartridge element of the filter - it will pop right into place. For a spin-on filter, you will remove and replace the entire filter. Before you put the new filter in, refer back to your manual and see whether you need to fill the new filter with clean oil.

   Once this is done, it’s also recommended that you replace the O-ring/gasket on your filter to prevent potential leaks. Whether you replace the gasket or not, you should apply a thin film of clean oil on the gasket with your finger - this will create a good seal against the engine.

4. Replace the Filter

   Step 4 is to put the oil filter back in and this part is simple but critical. You need to screw the filter back in without overtightening it. If you tighten the filter too much it can fully compress the gasket and cause a major leak when the engine is started. Screw it back in by hand.

   Check the instructions that came with the filter to see how much you need to tighten it. In general, you should apply gentle pressure until the filter stops turning easily - after that, you likely need only a ¼ to ¾ of a turn more to fully tighten it.

That’s it - you now know how to change an oil filter without changing the oil. In short, the 4 steps are:

1. Find and access the filter

2. Remove the filter

3. Change the filter

4. Carefully replace the filter

Things to Do After You’ve Changed Your Oil Filter

Once you are done changing the filter, there are just a few things left to do. For one, if the filter you changed contained some oil and you didn’t fill the new one up, top up your engine oil to the recommended level. Check the dipstick to see if you've got the amount of oil you want. Turn on the engine and visually check for any leaks to make sure you fit the filter accurately. If everything checks out, you are done.

When Should You Change Your Oil Filter?

Now you know how to change your oil filter without changing your oil, but when should you do it? Usually, an oil filter has the same shelf life as engine oil - roughly, it needs changing about every 10,000km for petrol cars and 15,000km for diesel cars. Reading your owner's manual is the best way to know what’s recommended.

However, your filter may get clogged prematurely. Here are some signs that your oil filter may need changing:

• Oil Pressure Warning Light On: A clogged filter can trigger the warning light on your dashboard because it reduces the oil pressure.

• Engine Louder than Normal: If your engine is louder than usual, it may be time for an oil filter change. A clogged filter can increase the friction between engine components, making your car louder.

• Dirty Oil: A clogged filter doesn’t trap particles effectively, so if your oil is dirty (particularly if you’ve recently had an oil change), it could mean you need to change your filter.

The Importance of Using Quality Oil Filters

Good oil filters are part of the reason why some cars purr while others cough and splutter. Yes, this small component plays a huge role in keeping your engine running smoothly. Quality oil filters trap contaminants and ensure only clean engine oil flows through. And you can get everything you need to change your oil filter at Superspares.

Check out our collection of high-quality oil filters and get the one you need. We also offer car service tools if you need them. You can order everything online and we will deliver it straight to your address. In case you have any questions, be it advice about the best oil filter for your car, how our shipping process works, or anything else, feel free to contact us and we’ll help you out.