What Happens If I Change Oil But Not Filter?

Author: E. Silva (aka Mr. Awesome Expert)

This is a good question, and you may or may not be surprised when you learn that HUNDREDS of people have typed in this query on the web … not kidding at all. Everyone from an old nanny, to an experienced, middle – aged family man, to a new teen who is learning car parts for the first time, has asked this question on Bing, Google, MSN, and more. In fact, it’s a trending question and a trending topic all at once, so that is why I wish to address it with some gusto …. friends, please read ahead for some interesting facts ….

Now first of all, let me start off by just telling you that changing the oil without changing the filter is something you can do …. just not EVERY SINGLE TIME. The filter can last on your car for quite a bit, so that’s okay ( but at some point, you will need to change it, too, though, as the filter is vital to filtering out countless pollutants that try to get in ) . Now with that all being said, I would just like to point out the true fact that, if you must leave the filter in, be sure to at least change the oil more frequently than you would then, in any case …. this should help to reduce the risk of pollutants getting in the oil and affecting its quality ( and ultimately, the health of your very car itself … no joke ) .

If the filter’s in a hard – to – reach type of spot, and this can vary from car to car, of course … then what you might just think about doing is the following : Change that filter only about every 25,000 kilometers or so. Change the oil itself, every time, though … about every 13,000 kilometers.

But keep in mind that if you are someone who changes the filter more frequently and cringe at the thought of a filthy filter ( and nothing wrong with that either ) , then you will also need to change the oil itself more often. Just a cause – and – effect principle here …. nothing much more to it than that. The filter and the oil are correlated, as well, in a sense … and what you do to one, will eventually effect the other ; just something to bear in mind here … you might have transmission ( and other kinds of ) problems within months if you never change the filter.

Also, keep in mind the plain fact that the oil change interval and schedule recommended by your auto dealer can vary from car to car and from model to model. Inquire with your auto user’s manual for more on that. If you don’t happen to have the manual, you can always consult the ( KBB ) , aka the Kelly Blue Book.