Car maintenance

The car manual puts oil change intervals at 5000, with the “new” oils available. Can the oil filters handle the longer intervals? What is the proper interval for oil changes for proper maintenance? Thanks!

The proper change intervals are as described in your owner’s manual. If it does not address anything different for the filter, then I would change the filter along with the oil.

I don’t believe there is any problem with the longer oil change schedule and longer filter change. The filters should be able to handle it.

A typical oil filter can remain effective for twice as long as the oil maintenance cycle. Nobody keeps one this long, however. Filters are cheap and easy to install, so they are always replaced at every oil change.

Agree with SteveF. My Honda and Toyota call for the filter to be changed every other time the oil is changed. Since the filter is extremely difficult to reach on the Honda, I follow this schedule.

Always check the oil level every 2 weeks or every time you fill the gas tank. Top off as needed.

5k miles sounds like a pretty safe change interval, as long as the proper level is maintained during the interval. The filter should be changed with every oil change. It’s cheap insurance. Even “new” oils get dirty and need to be changed, as do the filters.

When your auto manufacturer establishes the oil change interval, it also establishes OEM specs for the oil filter. As long as your oil filter meets OEM specs, you’ve got nothing to worry about.

My vehicle’s manual says 5000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. Yours very likely does also. So you should also consider the time element.

If you look at what various “oil life monitoring” systems end up doing, you’ll see many cars going quite a bit farther than 5K on the same oil & filter. 5K miles these days is quite reasonable.

Oil filters cost $4 to $15. You probably spend more for the oil you buy than the filter. I’d change both at the same time.

The filter should be fine for 5K miles, but I’d suggest changing it when the oil is changed.

Change the filter every time oil is changed and 5k is the new 3k miles of yesteryear. Filters can more than handle this.

Just to put your mind at ease, the oil filters today just don’t have near the amount of work to do that they used to. Todays engines are sealed up better so outside contaminants don’t get into the engine. The manufacturing processes a far cleaner so the engine is cleaner when delivered. The oil does not breakdown as easily so it does not “coke” like it used to, certainly not in 5k miles. And the engines are much more efficient so you don’t get the gas “washdown”. The filter just doesn’t have much to filter out anymore.

That’s true Keith, at least until turbochargers finally become ubiquetous, but on the other hand the new filters are smaller than a baseball…far smaller than they used to be. Everytime they shrink I have to buy a new filter wrench. I’ve got quite a collection now.

I am perfectly comfortable, however, that with modern engines and moden oils filters are easily capable of doing their job for 5,000 miles. I get queezy when reading the 10,000 mile recommendations, but 5,000 I’m perfectly comfortable with.

I change oil twice a year and the filter once a year.
I put 5800 miles on the last filter.