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Important Oil Filter Trick for Longer Engine Life

Here is a misunderstood and important motor oil change tip that is another good reason why you should DIY your car’s oil and filter changes.
Service Centers Often Fail to Do This with Your Car's New Oil Filter

Beware Quickie Lube Chains

In previous articles we’ve learned that there are a lot of good reasons why you should really avoid going to a Quickie Lube type of joint for your vehicle’s motor oil and filter changes. Not only do you have to contend with the possibility of scams that can damage your vehicle and/or charge you more than you should pay for the service, but there’s also the concern that the way the oil change is physically done is not optimal for your engine.

Oil Change Technique Questioned

The genesis of this topic was a recent The Motor Oil Geek YouTube channel episode where the host addresses some complaints viewers had of his oil and filter change technique. The complaints focused on his practice of pre-filling the new oil filter with fresh motor oil before inserting the oil filter into the engine block.

Related article: Don't Make These Mistakes with Oil Filters Warns Toyota Mechanic

Their specific complaint rationale? The concern that the new oil may have contaminants that are not being filtered out through the oil filter before being pumped to the moving parts of the engine. In other words, adding oil to the filter bypasses the filter portion of the oil filter allowing possibly contaminated oil to get to the engine.

The Rationale is Mistaken

In answer to the complaints, the host performs tests showing that fresh oil from the container is about as clean as you will ever see oil get. Motor oil factories are meticulous when it comes to bottling their products and if contamination of any type does appear it is more likely due to the car owner than the manufacturer.

Related article: Why You Should Not Trust This Motor Oil for More Than 5,000 Miles

The Reason Why Prefilling is Recommended

However, the more useful part of the video is where the host explains and shows why and how your car engine benefits from prefilling an oil filter as opposed to inserting a new dry filter in your car’s engine during an oil change.

Follow along with the host as he shows just how long it takes for the oil pressure to build to the correct level to satisfactorily lubricate your engine every time you start it fresh in the morning before going to work and how this compares to the time it takes when it involves a new dry oil filter just installed.

Related article: High Mileage Motor Oil Put to the Test. Is Your Car’s Engine Ready for Winter?

Please Note: In case you do not understand what the co-host is doing, he is using a power drill with an attachment to engage the oil pump so that the oil pump can pump oil through the engine without having to start the engine.

Does Pre-Filling the Oil Filter Cause Engine Damage?

For engine oil related articles, here are three useful ones to consider:

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on  “Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair” website, the Zen Mechanic blog and on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites  and Facebook for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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Image source: Deposit Photos

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Comments

Rathernot Say (not verified)    February 20, 2024 - 8:13PM

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When a new filter is installed with oil already inside the filter, you are making sure the engine gets oil pressure as fast as possible to prevent damage. People who say this oil is not filtered do NOT understand that most of the oil going to the engine unfiltered anyways. Reason for this is that the oil filter bypass is set at around 10 psi. So while some oil is filtered, most does NOT go through the filter before the engine receives it.