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I'm hoping all you wrench minded folks can give me a straight answer. I do my own oil changes, and until now I've been changing the filter every time. Some of my friends and my dad have said that I really only need to changed the filter every other time, but the mechanic told me today that it's a waste to change the oil without changing the filter. So what's the deal? Every time, or less frequently?

Never understood the idea behind changing the filter every second change....

I have spent many years pulling wrenches and part of that involves cutting open every single filter I have changed (and that's many thousands of filters), documenting and reporting what was found in each one for the customer.

90% of those filters could have been used for 2 or more oil changes (if they were not cut open).... unless they were made by FRAM..... but you can't tell from the outside. Changing the filter is cheap insurance that your new oil will be strained through a clean, free-flowing filter.

BTW.... FRAM filters have an unacceptably high rate of filter medium de-lamination, rips, defective by-pass valves and basic 'whatthefuckery' (screens not welded properly or missing, chunks of stuff that fell inside on the manufacturing floor, etc...) inside them. Avoid them if possible.

Hmm, I never really considered that. I guess the only way to know is to cut a few open and see patterns. At the same time though, cutting them every time could help you see shavings early and help avoid distaster striking. I've had a crank bearing go out 30 miles from home in rush hour traffic. Not fun. Idk, I guess I'll stick to swapping them every time, as you said it's cheap.