How to inspect your engine oil filter

Summary

This video offers a guide on inspecting a used oil filter, a crucial task for high-mileage or older vehicles. The presenter advises checking the filter every other oil change to detect potential engine issues early, like metal shavings, which could signal impending engine failure. The video demonstrates how to safely open the filter with sheet metal cutters to avoid introducing external particles. It also shares a personal story of a Nissan Frontier with over 220,000 miles, where using Lucas Oil Stabilizer after finding metal particles extended the engine's life. The inspection process is detailed, emphasizing the importance of early detection and maintenance to prevent costly repairs.

Takeaways

• 🔧 Regularly inspecting your used oil filter is recommended, especially for high mileage or older cars.
• 🔍 Doing this inspection every other oil change can help detect issues early, such as metal shavings that indicate engine trouble.
• 🚗 The presence of metal particles in the oil is a sign that engine failure is imminent, and immediate action is required.
• 🛠 Using products like Lucas Oil Stabilizer can help extend the life of an engine with high mileage.
• 📈 The story of a 2007 Nissan Frontier with a high mileage engine that started knocking illustrates the importance of early detection and maintenance.
• ✂️ To inspect the oil filter, use sheet metal cutters or snips to avoid introducing external particles into the filter.
• 🚫 Avoid using power tools or grinders as they can introduce contaminants into the filter.
• 🔬 The video demonstrates how to cut open the filter and inspect the contents for signs of engine wear or issues.
• 🛑 If you find questionable particles, it could indicate a need for engine repairs or part replacements.
• 💡 Catch cans can help reduce the amount of ethanol that gets into the oil when using E85 fuel.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of inspecting a used oil filter?

The main purpose is to check for any metal shavings or particles that could indicate issues inside the engine, potentially catching problems before they lead to engine failure.

How often should one inspect their used oil filter, especially if they have a high mileage or older car?

It is recommended to inspect the used oil filter every other oil change for high mileage or older cars to monitor the condition of the engine.

What is the significance of finding metal particles in the oil filter?

Finding metal particles in the oil filter is a sign that there might be wear or damage inside the engine, which could lead to engine failure if not addressed.

How did the use of Lucas Oil Stabilizer help the 2007 Nissan Frontier with a high mileage?

The use of Lucas Oil Stabilizer helped the high mileage engine by reducing knocking sounds and extending the life of the engine for almost another year before it eventually failed.

What tool is recommended for opening the oil filter to avoid introducing new particles?

Sheet metal cutters or snips are recommended instead of power tools or grinders to prevent introducing new particles from the outside into the filter.

Why is it important to avoid using a power tool like a grinder when opening an oil filter?

Using a power tool like a grinder could introduce metal particles from the tool itself into the filter, which could then enter the engine oil and cause damage.

What does the speaker suggest doing after using E85 fuel in a vehicle?

The speaker suggests replacing the oil after each track day when using E85 fuel, as ethanol can get past the piston rings and into the oil.

What is the function of the holes in the oil filter as described in the script?

The holes in the oil filter allow the oil to flow into the filter, pass through the filtering media, and then exit through the middle to be returned to the engine.

What does the speaker mean when he refers to the 'thrust bearing' in the context of the oil filter inspection?

The speaker is referring to the part of the engine that allows for a small amount of play in the crankshaft to prevent excessive wear, and he speculates that a black substance found could be related to the thrust bearing.

What precaution does the speaker take while cutting open the oil filter?

The speaker uses a table to press the filter down while cutting to ensure stability and control during the process, and he also warns about the risk of cutting oneself, indicating the need for care during this operation.

Outlines

00:00

🔧 Inspection of Used Oil Filter for Engine Health

This paragraph discusses the importance of regularly inspecting used oil filters, especially for high-mileage or older cars. The speaker recommends inspecting the oil filter every other oil change to check for metal shavings or particles, which could indicate an issue with the engine. The narrative includes a case study of a 2007 Nissan Frontier with a high mileage that started knocking due to potential rod bearing issues. The speaker suggests using Lucas Oil Stabilizer to extend the engine's life. The process of opening the oil filter is described, emphasizing the use of sheet metal cutters to avoid introducing external particles into the filter. The speaker also mentions the challenges of dealing with ethanol-blended fuel (E85) and the use of catch cans to mitigate its effects on the oil.

05:02

🔎 Detailed Examination of Oil Filter Contents

The second paragraph delves into the process of examining the contents of an oil filter. The speaker cuts open the filter to visually inspect it, cautioning viewers to be careful to avoid injury. The examination reveals bubbles in the oil, which are common in new engines, and some shiny particles that are not a cause for concern. The speaker also finds black residue, possibly dirt, and a questionable piece that could be related to the thrust bearing. The thrust bearing's role in allowing a small amount of play in the crankshaft is explained. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of this inspection for early detection of engine issues, potentially reducing repair costs.

Keywords

💡Used Oil Filter

A used oil filter is a component of a vehicle's engine oil system that has been in service and is now being inspected. In the video, the host emphasizes the importance of regularly inspecting used oil filters, especially in high-mileage or older cars, to detect potential engine issues early. The script mentions inspecting the filter every other oil change to look for metal shavings or particles that could indicate engine wear.

💡Metal Shavings

Metal shavings refer to small, thin pieces of metal that can be found in the oil filter. Their presence might indicate that parts of the engine are wearing down or have failed. The video script warns that finding metal particles in the oil filter is a sign that the engine is in danger of imminent failure, and it's crucial to address the issue before the engine starts knocking.

💡Lucas Oil Stabilizer

Lucas Oil Stabilizer is a product mentioned in the script as a thick additive that can be mixed with engine oil. The video suggests that using this stabilizer can help extend the life of an engine, especially in high-mileage vehicles. It is highlighted as a solution that helped a 2007 Nissan Frontier with over 220,000 miles to run without knocking after the oil filter inspection revealed metal particles.

💡Rod Bearings

Rod bearings are components within the engine that reduce friction between the connecting rod and the crankshaft. The script discusses a scenario where a vehicle's engine was knocking, indicating potential rod bearing failure. The host mentions that replacing rod bearings can be labor-intensive and may not be worth it in some cases, especially when the engine has already started to show signs of failure.

💡Ethanol

Ethanol is an alcohol-based fuel additive, and the script mentions that when using E85 (a fuel that contains 85% ethanol), some ethanol can pass through the piston rings and into the oil. This can be detected by a distinct smell in the oil, which is not desirable as it can lead to oil contamination. The video suggests that catch cans can help mitigate this issue.

💡Catch Cans

Catch cans are devices used to collect oil and contaminants that might otherwise enter the intake system or be expelled through the PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) system. The script suggests that using catch cans can help manage the issue of ethanol getting into the oil when using E85 fuel, although it also mentions that it's a good practice to change the oil after each track day.

💡Sheet Metal Cutters

Sheet metal cutters, also known as snips, are tools used to cut through the metal of the oil filter for inspection. The video emphasizes the importance of using manual sheet metal cutters instead of power tools to avoid introducing external particles into the filter, which could contaminate the oil and provide false readings during inspection.

💡RTV Silicone

RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanizing) silicone is a type of sealant that can be found in various automotive applications, including oil filters. In the script, the host identifies some black substance as possibly being RTV silicone, which is used for sealing and should not be confused with engine contaminants during the inspection process.

💡Thrust Bearings

Thrust bearings are a type of bearing that allows for slight movement in the engine's crankshaft. The video script describes finding a questionable piece that could be part of the thrust bearing, indicating that these components can wear out over time. The host uses this as an example of what to look for during an oil filter inspection to assess the engine's health.

💡Engine Knocking

Engine knocking is a term used to describe a pinging or knocking sound that can come from an engine experiencing problems, often due to issues like worn rod bearings or lack of proper lubrication. The script uses engine knocking as a sign that significant engine damage has occurred, and it's mentioned as a symptom that led to the inspection of the oil filter in the discussed case.

💡Mileage

Mileage in the context of the video refers to the total distance a vehicle has traveled, which is a key factor in determining the health and maintenance needs of its engine. The script discusses the importance of inspecting oil filters in vehicles with high mileage, as they are more likely to have internal engine issues that can be detected through such inspections.

Highlights

Introduction to the importance of inspecting used oil filters, especially for high mileage or older cars.

Recommendation to inspect oil filters every other oil change to monitor engine health.

Discussion on the potential for metal shavings in the oil filter as an early warning sign of engine issues.

Case study of a 2007 Nissan Frontier with a high mileage engine experiencing knocking.

Mention of using Lucas Oil Stabilizer to extend the life of an engine with knocking issues.

Explanation of how to open the oil filter using sheet metal cutters to avoid introducing external particles.

Warning about the presence of ethanol in the oil when using E85 fuel and its impact on engine oil.

Visual inspection of the oil filter contents for signs of debris or contaminants.

Identification of shiny particles in the oil, which could indicate new engine wear.

Advice on the importance of catching engine issues early to minimize repair costs.

Demonstration of cutting the filter paper to get a better visual of the filter's interior.

Cautionary note about the potential for injury while cutting the oil filter.

Observation of black residue in the filter, possibly dirt or engine wear.

Analysis of a questionable piece found in the filter, possibly related to the engine's thrust bearing.

Conclusion on the process of inspecting a used oil filter and its significance for engine health.

Transcripts

hello boys and girls a quick video

on how to open up and inspect

your used oil filter now this is

something you can do

on a regular basis i

i would probably recommend especially if

you have a high mileage car

an older car you may want to do this

every every other oil change just to see

if there's anything going on

inside your engine let's say for example

if you see if you do find metal shavings

little tiny little spectacles metal

uh particles before the engine starts to

knock because you know if you do have

metal particles inside your engine it is

too late it's just a matter of time

how and when it's gonna fail but

you could probably make it last a little

longer

if you use something like lucas oil

stabilizer you know that

thick stuff that you put inside your

engine

with your engine oil i actually had a

guy with a

07 nissan frontier it's the 4.0

v6 engine good engines the

the trunk had 220 or 250 000 miles a lot

a lot of miles and it started to knock

and he wanted to replace the rod

bearings

as you may know or not it is a lot of

work

and it just wasn't worth it at the time

to replace the rod bearings the engine

was already knocking

at a certain rpm i believe it was around

3000

so from that point on i actually took

the oil filter apart

did an inspection like i'm gonna right

now and i did find

uh you know tiny little particles and

i told the guy listen man if i'm gonna

start digging

i'm going to find more and more stuff

that's

probably ready to replace with this kind

of

high mileage car you know it's not it's

not a semi-truck diesel engine

where it's a regular maintenance kind of

every seven hundred thousand five

hundred thousand sometimes

sometimes a million depends uh what

engine you have

since this engine was already knocking

i thought i told him to start using

lucas oil

and it actually did not knock anymore he

was taking it easy

and the engine lasted for almost another

year until it failed on the highway

last compression had to get towed

anyways let's get to the filter

alright so this is a mobile one

filter now the main tool you want to

use is these kind of sheet metal

cutters or snips as they call them and

what you do

if that's the only tool you have what

you do is you start cutting

right over here

this is the hard part

if you have any other cutters like these

this will make your day a bit easier

just to get it going so i'm using the

table to press it down

okay it's it's tough because there's

several layers of metal

on this edge around here

so once i um i get through that

back to the snips and now

once you get going it's actually very

easy here we go

now the reason why you want to use a

tool like this instead of a

a power tool a grinder for example

because you want to avoid bringing any

particles

from the outside inside the filter

should be obvious

so this filter has about

i'm gonna guess now maybe two 300 miles

on it

maybe a bit more but it has

half of those mild maybe more where on

e85

and as some of you may know

e85 if you're running e85 some of that

ethanol will get through the

piston rings and into the oil

i can actually smell the ethanol

and you don't want that i mean you know

there's no

way around it catch cans can help

get rid of that some of that stuff i am

running three catch cans

but you uh you probably want to replace

your oil

after each track day

anyways i'm gonna take a look inside

here i don't know if you can see the

see anything or not now don't be fooled

by these bubbles

i do have bubbles in this oil trying to

get rid of the bubbles

i do see

a little bit of shiny stuff remember

this is a

brand new engine so i'm not surprised

there's some stuff in there all right

let's get to the actual filter

as the oil comes in from the engine it

goes through

these holes which would be more or less

like that

goes in here comes out from the middle

back to your engine so in out so just

to make this more instead of just going

like this you know because

you know you can start checking but just

by doing this i'm going to cut this

paper out and i'm going to be able to

have a better visual

ouch ouch ouch don't cut yourself

all right there was blood i don't know

how youtube works but

they're going to show blood anyways back

to cutting

and here we go

now i'm looking at this black dot

yeah this is soft this is probably rtv

yeah it's yeah it's nothing ignore these

shiny little guys that's from cutting

the filter all right

more of this black stuff

some dirt or something doesn't feel like

metal

and it's black

it does look like metal kind of it does

have a shine to

it put this aside

and keep going

now this is part of the filter

yeah so this is a questionable this also

could be

part of the thrust bearing

you know the crankshaft likes to walk a

little bit there is

tiny amount of play back and forth on

the crankshaft

and that's what the uh thrust bearings

are for

so yeah it does look like well i don't

know at this point but it's one piece

and still this engine has

i believe about a thousand miles on it

right now

and that is it guys that's how you check

your used oil filter

like i said before this is mainly to to

catch early on

if there's something bad going on inside

your engine

and if you do catch something the bill

for the repairs will be less

if you want to fix your engine replace

rod bearings

other stuff alright thanks for watching

and i'll see you

soon