Ultimate Oil Filters Buying Guide

An oil filter change is one of those common advisories that always seems to appear on your service every year or two. It's a component of your car that's constantly in use, and it isn't built to last like parts such as your brake pads are.

Regular oil filter changes are essential to ensure your car functions as it should, and they're relatively inexpensive if you buy oil filters with an original equipment level standard from the Parts Avenue catalog.

To help our customers understand oil filters, we've created a comprehensive explanation of how they function and the types of oil filters available online.

We'll cover:

• What are oil filters?
• How do oil filters work?
• Why do they matter?
• How to tell if your oil filters need changing
• Common oil filter materials
• The types of oil filters available online
• The best oil filter brands and options
• How to choose the right oil filter
• Frequently asked questions about oil filter parts

What Are Oil Filters?

Oil filters are designed to filter contaminants from your car's engine oil system, keeping your vehicle running smoothly. Common contaminants include:

• Carbon
• Dirt
• Dust
• Sand
• Metal particles

The exterior of the oil filter is made using a strong metal with a sealing gasket that keeps it tightly positioned against the mating surface of the engine. There's a base plate that keeps the gasket in place, which has perforated holes situated just inside the gasket. There's also a central hole threaded to keep the oil filter assembly on the main engine block.

If you look inside the filter, you'll find the filter material that's most commonly made from synthetic fiber, called the filter media.

Some premium or high-performance oil filters have two filter media: the primary and secondary media. The primary media can remove particles up to 25-30 microns, and the secondary media traps smaller particles between 5-10 microns.

How do oil filters work?

The actual oil filter works as the oil pump within the engine forces oil through the filter through the holes located on the base plate. That pressure pushes the dirty oil through the filter media and back through the central hole so the clean, filtered oil can return to the engine.

A lot of oil filters have a bypass valve. That valve allows oil to flow around the filter media temporarily if it becomes clogged, preventing oil starvation.

The exact position of the oil filter varies from car to car, but it's often only accessible from underneath the engine unit. Although you can top up your engine oil from above the engine block, you can rarely access the actual engine oil filter and change it easily.

Why Do They Matter?

As you can imagine, contaminants running through the engine have the potential to cause damage far more costly than an oil filter replacement. Removing the contaminants we mentioned above reduces wear and tear, prevents engine damage, and improves the performance and efficiency of the engine.

We always recommend investing slightly more in high-quality parts like the oil filters online at Parts Avenue. The improved filtration you get with premium materials traps the smaller particles and keeps the oil cleaner. They're also often made with stronger materials that can withstand the high temperatures of the engine, meaning you don't need to replace the oil filter as frequently.

How to Tell if Your Oil Filters Need Changing

It's recommended that you change your oil filter with every oil change. Most modern cars need an oil change every 10,000 km if they run on petrol or every 15,000 km for a diesel. For the average daily commuter, that's every 5-6 months or more.

Most people actually realize they need a new oil filter when taking their car for a service. Other than tracking the kilometers, common signs your oil filter needs changing include:

• Dashboard warning light that commonly looks similar to a watering can (oil pressure or check engine light).
• Unusual engine noises
• Metallic sounds
• A dirty exhaust
• Decreased engine performance
• Engine overheating
• Dirty oil color

The Types of Oil Filters Available Online

Mechanical oil filter

Mechanical oil filters use a net-like material, typically made of paper or fibers, to trap dirt. There's a downside to mechanical oil filters. By design, they're only really good at trapping bigger bits of material. Finer particles typically slip through the fibers. It's also common for these particles to build up and cause pressure issues, or they allow the dirty oil to bypass the filter and return to the engine.

For that reason, you will need to change mechanical oil filters more frequently than some of the other types of oil filters, but they are relatively inexpensive compared to the other options.

Sedimentation oil filter

Also known as the gravity bed oil filter, the design relies on gravity rather than the more common method of a filtration media. Essentially, particles heavier than the oil settle at the bottom of the filter, and the clean oil remains at the top.

The issue with this design is that, sometimes, the velocity and pressure of the engine don't allow enough time for the oil to filter efficiently. With that, gravity doesn't always work, and the supposedly clean oil at the top of the filter that re-enters the engine is sometimes polluted with particles.

Magnetic oil filter

As the name suggests, this type of oil filter uses a magnet that either fits around or under the filter on the engine. Essentially, it creates a magnetic field around the filter, using either magnetic or electromagnetic material, to filter the polluted oil. As the oil passes through, the magnets attract the debris and deposit it on the magnetic surface. The idea is that only clean oil then flows back through to the engine.

The main issue with this design is that the pollutants build up on the magnet over time, and, unless changed as required (more frequently than other designs), it eventually blocks the oil flow. Cleaning doesn't mean an entire oil filter change. Cleaning only the magnetic surface is enough to keep the oil filter functioning.

Centrifugal oil filter

This oil filter gets its name because of the centrifugal force working to filter the engine oil.

Centrifugal force is an outward force that an object experiences when moving in a circular direction. It's not necessarily physics, but it comes from the objects'—in this case, the filters'—natural tendency to move in a straight line when inside a rotating frame. It's a push away from the center of rotation.

With that knowledge, it's easy to understand how a centrifugal oil filter works. Within the filter is a rotating drum with oil exiting at the bottom. Because the debris is heavier than the oil, it is forced to the walls and gets trapped there.

Again, regular cleaning of the drum is required, or it will stop rotating, and dirty oil will filter back into the engine.

Common Oil Filter Materials

Cellulose

Cellulose is a cheap material for the basic oil filtration needs of everyday light vehicles. These filters are typically disposable, meaning they can't be cleaned and then reused. The issue is that they can only trap pollutants up to around 8-10 microns, equating to only 40% of the engine oil. Debris builds up easily and clogs the surface, so it's recommended to replace the filter every 5000-6000 km.

Synthetic

Synthetic fiber media are more for high-end filters. They have a smaller passage area that traps the micro-particles more efficiently, but it also has more passages to filter through larger volumes of engine oil more efficiently. Common synthetic fiber materials include:

• Nylon
• Glass
• Polyester

Synthetic filters are far better in performance than cellulose filters and last longer. The general recommendation is to change synthetic material filters every 8,000 to 10,000 km.

Microglass

Microglass material filters are the most premium option. They're made using a fine metal media or microglass, as the name suggests. They're almost 10x finer than cellulose material filters. The result is a highly efficient oil filter that can filter the finest of particles.

These are more expensive, but they're worth it. It's not uncommon for these filters to last as long as 15,000 km.

The Best Oil Filter Brands and Options

There are some excellent original equipment level oil filters online. Here are some of the best oil filter brands we recommend to customers:

MotoMaster

MotoMaster oil filters are an excellent and affordable option. They combine a cellulose and glass-blended media material that exceeds the requirements for the original equipment recommended oil change intervals. That means they last longer, work harder, and keep your engine functioning as it should.

They're suitable for conventional and synthetic motor oils and boast a 94% filtration efficiency.

FRAM®

FRAM® is a leader in oil filter technology. They sell either synthetic, cellulose, or blended filter media options. Their Ultra Synthetic filters use a dual-layer synthetic media that claims to filter at 99%+ efficiency for particles under 20 microns. That same model can last up to 32,000 km, whereas the standard cellulose or synthetic models need replacing every 15,000 km.

They're also popular for their high-temperature-resistant gaskets that remain highly flexible and functional under extreme engine heat.

Fildex®

Fildex® oil filters are possibly one of the best on the market, exceeding original equipment-level specifications. They use premium quality raw materials like resin to enhance performance and filtration capabilities.

The material and quality assurance at each level of the design provide 3 times the engine protection compared to other filters and an extended service life.

The low flow resistance also blocks over 99% of contaminants and redundant particles.

How to Choose the Right Oil Filter

With many options of oil filters online, here's how to select the best one for your car.

Check the car manual.

With specific makes and models of cars, the manual can sometimes recommend the best type of oil filter to support the engine's function. If not, it will at least advise you on the size of the oil filter you need to buy. Following the manual advice will ensure optimal performance and that you don't damage the engine.

Check compatibility between oil type and filter.

Not all oil types are compatible with all oil filters. That said, the majority of engine oil filters are compatible with conventional and synthetic oils. Mismatched filters and oils can result in poor sealing, leaks, and insufficient oil flow.

Oils and filters should clearly state what they're not compatible with.

Consider your driving style.

You don't need a high-performance microglass oil filter if you're only making small daily journeys. A standard oil filter regularly changed when required is suitable.

If you drive long distances or drive a performance car, we would recommend investing in a premium oil filter such as the microglass option.

Frequently Asked Questions About Oil Filter Parts

How often should I replace my oil filter if I use synthetic motor oil?

It's generally recommended to replace your oil filter at the same time as you replace the synthetic motor oil. Or, if a warning light appears, it's essential to check whether the oil filter needs changing.

What’s the difference between cellulose, synthetic, and microglass oil filters?

The difference is the material and how efficiently it filters. Cellulose is the least efficient option but suitable for daily commuters, and microglass oil filters are the premium option with the best filtration capabilities.

How do I know which oil filter type or size is compatible with my car?

You can check your car's manual to see the recommended oil filter type and the size required. Always follow the size required, but you might be able to fit a more premium oil filter if you wish to and can find the correct size.

You can find plenty of high-quality, original-equipment level oil filters online. Protect your engine performance and always ensure you're finding the most suitable option for your car and your budget.

Start your search today with Parts Avenue, the most-trusted car parts provider in Canada.