How to just change the oil filter, not the oil?

[GMT]

Please help with this silly question. Many of you have suggested that between oil changes, to change the oil filter often and just topping off the oil. I would like to start doing that. If I just loosen the filter and take it off, wouldn't the oil leak? When the engine is not operating will the oil filter be relatively empty since it is positioned high above the engine? I think I'm missing something here and would appreciate any advice you could give me.

Thank you.

[czar07]

just pull it off. there wont be any oil in it.

[xxscaxx]

Seems like a waste of filter and money. But like posted above, you just take off the filter. No oil will be in it.

[chulooz]

Lefty loosey.

[bluesubie]

Originally Posted by xxscaxx

Seems like a waste of filter and money.

It is and there is no data showing otherwise. The filter is perfectly fine up to 7,500 mile intervals.

-Dennis

[chulooz]

Originally Posted by bluesubie

It is and there is no data showing otherwise. The filter is perfectly fine up to 7,500 mile intervals.

-Dennis

Tell that to amsoil.

[CrazyWookiee]

Pulling it off right after driving and shutting off the engine I had quite a bit of oil coming out of it. I swapped filters another time after parking the entire night and not a single drop came out.

[GMT]

Originally Posted by CrazyWookiee

Pulling it off right after driving and shutting off the engine I had quite a bit of oil coming out of it. I swapped filters another time after parking the entire night and not a single drop came out.

This is the knowledge I need. I didn't want to make a mess. I'm at 1000 mi and wanted to swap out the oil filter filter to get rid of any metal from the breaking in period. San Francisco Toyota won't perform the oil change until 7500 mi. It'll take me close to a year to get there so I was thinking about an oil filter change.

[gmookher]

POINTLESS IMHO

[bluesubie]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Tell that to amsoil.

I'm not sure what that has to do with anything, but if an OEM Honeywell/Fram is fine in my Stage I Forester turbo for 7,500 miles a Tokyo Roki in a FR-S/BRZ is fine for 7,500 miles.

People really get hung up on old wives tales, myths, and oil information from the 80's, instead of taking the time to do a used oil analysis and find out for themselves.

-Dennis

[chulooz]

Their oil lasts to the double digits; you just need to replace the filter midway through.

[benster]

I wouldn't worry about changing the filter between oil changes. Just get an oil change done earlier as the filter won't pick up all the metal particles and any trapped there stays there.

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by gmookher

POINTLESS IMHO

Possibly, but it costs $6 for a filter, takes 30 seconds to do it and it makes the driver the happy. The ontological argument says, "if he believes it to be real it is, to him." Let him believe, man... Let him believe.


However, call me a believer too but for other reasons, based in science and illustrated by Joe Gibbs (and also Amsoil but I don't have that bookmarked). I know he's talking about racing, sure, but it illustrates the point proven benefits of changing the filter often.

http://www.drivenracingoil.com/dro/filters

Over 70% of all machine wear is realted to contamination, and dirt is the number 1 source of contamination. Reducing the dirt level in your engine reduces the wear in your engine, so what is the best way to keep the dirt level low? Frequent oil filter changes and high quality air filters (not high flow air filters) can remove dirt and prevent dirt from entering the oil system.
These used oil drain analysis results highlight the difference in engine wear attributable to dirt contamination.

Chart A highlights the difference in dirt contamination of the oil from changing the oil filter after every race compared to only changing the filter when you change the oil. It clearly shows that changing the oil filter regularly removes more dirt (silicon on the oil analysis) from the engine. When you remove the dirt, you remove the particles that cause abrasive wear in the engine. Chart B shows the results of the wear metal analyis from these used oil drain samples. The oil analysis shows that less dirt (abrasive particles) equals less wear metals (less engine wear). All of this leads to longer engine life, and longer oil life. You spend less money on oil and your engine lasts longer. All you have to do is follow our oil change program.
After every race, change your oil filter and just top off the oil level. You don't need to change the oil, just change the filter. Keep changing the filter and adding oil after each race until you've reached 500 laps of racing. After 500 laps, you can change the oil. If you are running Methanol, change the oil after 5 races (just change the filter after each race).
Following this program yields clean oil, that lasts longer and reduces engine wear.

However, don't think, according to this, that you can go 15k without changing your oil. DI engines tend to pollute/dilute your oil with gasoline and the additive package also breaks down over time. So 5k-7.5k oil changes are still needed but yeah... There's plenty of data out there that proves without a shadow of a doubt that frequent filter changes are beneficial.

[benster]

this is also for a nascar based engine that spins between 6000 and 9500 rpms for 2 hours straight, not a daily driver. I do understand the reason for this in a race when the engine is always in the upper rpm range and being pushed hard for a long time, just not in a street engine, but hey, if it floats your boat to do it, go ahead.

I'd probably be doing that if I had a 4-500hp engine, but then again I'd probably just change the oil at the same time due to blow-by getting in the oil and deteriorating it.

my opinion, take it or leave it.