Oil filters - all about them

The oil filter is the most important device, the absence or clogging of which threatens premature failure of the internal combustion engine. Without this spare part, no modern car can do. Let's look at what it consists of and what function it performs.

Engine Oil Cleaning Process

Every car enthusiast knows that engine oil is a lubricant that ensures trouble-free operation of the piston group. Also, this liquid cools all engine parts, cleaning them from small dust and dust, which can cause considerable damage to the engine, up to the point that major repairs are required . Therefore, in order to ensure that all engine components work together, special oil filters are used.

Function

Their main purpose is to effectively clean engine oil from foreign objects such as soot, dust and so on. Modern oil filters perform a similar function, but differ somewhat in their design and degree of purification. These characteristics are often displayed in price - sometimes the difference is several times. And before you buy, for example, the oil filter VAZ, you should know its design and operation principle. It is not out of place to ask what qualities he should have.

What are the oil filters composed of?

This spare part consists of a system of valves, the filter element itself and, of course, the housing in which all these parts are located. Its design resembles a glass in which there is a large hole. Through it, and the path of cleaning the oil.

Principle of operation

Despite its simple design, oil filters have a rather complex operating principle, consisting of several stages:

1. The engine oil passes through the filter element and then returns to the lubrication system.
2. The bypass valve starts the fluid bypassing the filter element in the event that the filter is excessively contaminated. The machine starts to move badly, and this is a reminder of the need to replace the filter.
3. A non- return valve prevents engine oil from escaping from the tank when the engine is off. This is a very important point, since if this mechanism fails, there is a risk of oil leakage from the piston group. In this case, the effect of dry friction of the pistons. After 3-4 seconds of this engine work, it simply stops, as almost all its components are damaged. This is a very serious breakdown, sometimes even major repairs can not resume the engine.

To date, all world manufacturers produce oil filters of the following types:

1. An indivisible type. When it breaks, you need to purchase the whole structure.
2. Changeable version. In this case, you do not need to buy a new filter - just buy a replacement cartridge (oil filter puller).

About the replacement resource

At the moment, many companies use modern production technologies using the latest materials. Qualitative filters withstand service life of about 35-50 thousand kilometers. Defective or forged goods serve no more than 5-10 thousand km.