Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech another oil question

why isnt it possible to just change the filter without changing the oil?? what is it about oil that demands that we change it?? it seems to me that if we keep the oil clean with a new filter and the oil is synthetic and takes a lot longer to break down, why change it?? am i having another brainfart??

simple answer... even synthetic oil breaks down over time. Thats why we change the oil.

I will sometimes change the filter alone at about the midway point of a recommended oil change, then do both oil and filter at the regular interval. Don't know if it makes a difference, but it's easy to do and doesn't cost much.

Plus carboned up oil is great for the tempering of iron.

If you can afford the expense, changing out the filter at mid interval (3000 miles) couldn't hurt, but, yea, change it all out after 6000, oil is cheap compared to a prematurely worn out engine. I use Purolator "Pure One" (probably overkill) o. filters, as they have the lowest micron ratings, but it's my bike and I got my ways.

It don't matter much all oil filters have a spring loaded valve at the bottom that opens up and allows oil to flow unimpeded at higher flow rates

We have a saying here.....
'Oil is cheaper than bearings'
There's reasons for that

Al

Oh yes, by all means change you oil. The filter is the one with the fault, granted you want a new filter, clogged elements will cause the valve to open up more to get the flow need. so dont skimp on either. I was just refering to getting expensive oil filters.

Quite a few filters are eliminating the bypass valve. The additive package breaks down fastest, that is gone before the oil shears down enough to matter.

I have switched to Wix filters. I don't recall them being to expensive for the quality.

The oil absorbs whatever slips past the rings, like the minute dirt particles that get through the air cleaner and fuel.

A lot of info here as to filters

http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Filters.html#OilFilters

The Wal Mart Super Tech and NAPA gold are both Wix filters.

I use the Bosch 3300. Besides being respectable in all categories, it is a tad shorter than some, and therefore less likely to scrape. I used the Pure One filters at one time, when I could not find the Bosch, and after removing one changeing the oil, found the bottom scraped up from a couple of road humps (speed bumps) I had ridden over on the route home from the office...and I never knew any contact was being made.

I see that some of the filter's case thickness' are thicker (stronger) than others, too...

great article. with good info.

You could if two things were true. One if you used a true synthetic oil. Two you had a filter that could filter at 97.3% efficiency down to 0.1 Micro (anything small than 0.1 will remove the additives from the oil). Then the only thing you would have to worry about is the additives being depleted, which would be restored with the added oil installed after replacing the oil filter.

Currently Amsoil will warranty their oil for 100,000 miles if you use their oil in conjunction with their full flow filter and by-pass filter plus perform yearly oil analysis. This however isn't very practical on a motorcycle.