Your engine’s health and longevity depend heavily on motor oil. It is in charge of preserving the engine’s cleanliness and lubricating its moving components. Tiny particles in soiled oil have the ability to seriously harm the engine’s surfaces by wearing down its surfaces. Because of this, oil filters are included in automobiles.

There are two basic purposes for oil filters. They maintain the oil where it needs to be at the right moment and are in charge of eliminating pollutants from the engine oil that might accumulate over time.

Waste Filter

Oil is frequently referred to as the vehicle’s lifeblood by mechanics. The oil filter might be compared to the kidneys. Our kidneys keep us healthy by filtering waste from our blood and balancing our salt and water levels. If they do not work properly, waste and water can accumulate in our bodies and cause problems that could be fatal.

Your oil filter eliminates dangerous waste, just like the kidneys do. It keeps your engine running smoothly by capturing hazardous dirt, debris, and metal pieces in the oil. These particles can harm sensitive engine components if the filter is not there. When the debris is removed, the oil stays cleaner for a longer period of time, improving engine performance.

Maintaining Oil at the Proper Place at the Proper Time

In addition to keeping the oil clean, the filter’s components cooperate to get the oil to the right location at the right time.

Filter components include:

• Tapping plate- Through the tapping plate, motor oil enters and leaves the filter. The tapping plate has smaller holes encircling a larger central hole. The oil enters via the smaller holes, passes through the filter material, and finally emerges through the main centre hole into your engine.
• Oil filter material- A variety of synthetic fibres make up the substance that collects the waste in the oil. Pleats are made out of it to increase the surface area.
• Anti-drain back valve -When the engine is turned off, this valve closes to prevent oil from the engine from entering the oil filter again.
• Relief valve- When its chilly outdoors, oil thickens and finds it challenging to pass through the filter material. The relief valve will compensate for this by releasing a little amount of unfiltered oil to lubricate the engine as it heats up.
• End discs-These discs, which are either composed of fibre or metal, are located at the ends of either side of the filter. They prevent unfiltered oil from getting into the engine.

Although you do not have to keep track of every component, knowing how they interact can help you realise how crucial it is to maintain routine oil and oil filter changes.

Regularly replace the filter

The filter in your car gets dirtier as you use it and stops working as well. This implies that the filter will eventually need to be changed. The best place to find out how frequently you should change your car’s oil filters is in the owner’s handbook. The typical interval for most current automobiles is every 5,000–6,000 miles. You are less likely to encounter any harmful effects if you change your filter at the recommended intervals, but if you wait too long, you can experience the following symptoms:

• Oil pressure is low
• Colour shift in the exhaust
• Problems with acceleration
• Unusual engine sounds of a metallic nature

Smart Mechanics at your fingertips!

Every oil change service at Bishops Stortford’s Smart Mechanics includes changing the oil filter. Our highly qualified specialists will perform your oil change service by draining the old oil, changing the oil filter, and then adding clean, factory-recommended oil to your car. We will also check all fluid levels, air filters, and wiper blades, and if necessary, adjust your tyre pressure. Make an appointment over the phone or online.