Change filter or no? Spring oil change

[94gt]

Getting ready to do my spring oil change on my boosted GT. The oil I use is in stock (Lucas 5W50 Full Synthetic), but my filter of choice is not. I normally only change the oil 1 time per year, because of the low milage and its stored in the winter.

I've been using the Royal Purple extended life 20-500 the last 2 years. This past summer was busy and didn't get to enjoy the car much. It's got maybe 900 miles on it since the last oil change.

I am still going to do the oil change, because I understand it breaks down once exposed to particles in it, but is the filter necessary?
In order to get all of the old oil out, I would guess I need to take it off and drain the filter if being reused? I've never reused an oil filter before, so I am not sure if it can be put back on?

I am hoping they get them in stock before I do the change next week, but if not, was looking for alternatives.

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[geep81]

I'd say there's way too many what if's and I don't know's about this to not have peace of mind for the cost of a new filter.

 

[mepawn]

Getting ready to do my spring oil change on my boosted GT. The oil I use is in stock (Lucas 5W50 Full Synthetic), but my filter of choice is not. I normally only change the oil 1 time per year, because of the low milage and its stored in the winter.

I've been using the Royal Purple extended life 20-500 the last 2 years. This past summer was busy and didn't get to enjoy the car much. It's got maybe 900 miles on it since the last oil change.

I am still going to do the oil change, because I understand it breaks down once exposed to particles in it, but is the filter necessary?
In order to get all of the old oil out, I would guess I need to take it off and drain the filter if being reused? I've never reused an oil filter before, so I am not sure if it can be put back on?

I am hoping they get them in stock before I do the change next week, but if not, was looking for alternatives.

For any of my cars, any time i change the oil i will change the oil filter as well. Technically your filter having only 900 miles on it would be fine but also is cheap compared to the rest of the oil so changing it out is worth it.

I used ford motorcraft filters for my boosted built motor.

 

[robvas]

I wouldn't touch anything for only 900 miles. Unless you've been to the drag strip 3-4 times in those 900 miles.

 

[S550HPP]

Skipping filter is fine though I don't see the point of it.

 

[94gt]

The good news is I found my filter at a local parts store. It wasn't about the money, it was more about that I have always used the RP 20-500 (I dunno, I saw a review of it a few years ago, and it has done me well) and my line of thinking was is a $20 filter with 900 miles on it going to give me better protection than a $7 filter with no miles on it. The car has had 4 oil changes in its life, currently sitting at 3700 total miles. Its not tracked in anyway and gets the occasional hard pull during street driving.

 

[mepawn]

The good news is I found my filter at a local parts store. It wasn't about the money, it was more about that I have always used the RP 20-500 (I dunno, I saw a review of it a few years ago, and it has done me well) and my line of thinking was is a $20 filter with 900 miles on it going to give me better protection than a $7 filter with no miles on it. The car has had 4 oil changes in its life, currently sitting at 3700 total miles. Its not tracked in anyway and gets the occasional hard pull during street driving.

Yeah if there was no hard racing on that 900 miles that filter would have been perfectly fine.

 

[EFI]

For a measly $8 to not change the filter seems a bit excessive, even if it's only got 900 miles on it.

 

[94gt]

For a measly $8 to not change the filter seems a bit excessive, even if it's only got 900 miles on it.

Yeah, but to that point, my question was more around is my $20 filter with 900 miles better protection than an $8 filter with zero miles. It wasn't a question of the money, $20 in drop in the bucket for the money we all spend on our cars. I dropping $150 on oil, so the cost of another filter isn't a big investment, but my preferred brand was out of stock, but it has been located.

 

[EFI]

my question was more around is my $20 filter with 900 miles better protection than an $8 filter with zero miles.

The $8 FL820S filter is just about as good as it gets, so unless you have the FP $20 version in there then I would change it. Plus the filter and adapter hold a bit of oil that you would not be getting out, unless you're going to take the filter off and then put it back on which again seems like a waste not to change for $8.

 

[qwiknotch]

I use WIX 57502xp. 72k miles. 70k on E85.
Only filter I will use

 

[Sig556]

Don't cheap out on an oil filter. Change it when you change your oil. Your oil is the life blood of the engine.

 

[geep81]

Yeah, but to that point, my question was more around is my $20 filter with 900 miles better protection than an $8 filter with zero miles.

I would say no, because it's not about the quality of the filter itself but whatever the oil is doing inside of it.

Most testing these days on modern oils says they still hold up after time and don't break down like the old days. That reassures me but not enough to skip on maintenance.

I do an oil/filter change every 6 months even though I only drive about 7k miles a year. It's good peace of mind.

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