An Oil Filter Replacement Guide for Ford Owners
Is it time to replace the oil filter in your Ford engine? Probably. This guide has all the information you need about changing the oil filter in your car.
How Often Should You Change the Oil Filter?
It’s recommended to change the oil filter every time you have the oil changed. Oil change intervals today are more than twice as long as they were twenty or thirty years ago. But oil filters are basically the same size. It used to be reasonable to think that a filter would last through two oil changes, or about 6,000 miles. But, many vehicles today have a recommended oil change interval of 7,500 miles or more. If a filter were changed every other oil change, that would mean that it would have to last 15,000 miles or more.
What Happens When You Don’t Change the Oil Filter
There’s a good reason your engine has an oil filter. As long as you have your engine running, the oil constantly cycles through the engine. It picks up combustion byproducts and metal particles while cycling through the engine and the oil pan. The oil filter traps the contaminants before the oil returns to the engine.
Simply having an oil filter in your engine isn’t enough. You need to have your oil filter replaced regularly because once an oil filter gets clogged enough, it simply stops working. The oil bypasses the filter, and returns to the engine without any contaminants being removed. It’s designed to work this way because the engine needs to get oil, dirty or not.
The oil needs to be as clean as possible to lubricate the engine properly. The more the oil runs through the engine without being filtered, the thicker and stickier it gets. Sludgy oil is extremely bad for the engine, as it will not provide proper lubrication. As a result, the components inside the engine that are meant to be lubricated get worn out faster.
So if you want your Ford engine to remain in optimal health, change the oil filter with every oil change. Luckily, changing the oil filter is an easy job you can do right at home.
Instructions on Changing the Oil Filter in Your Ford
You can either change the oil filter while changing the oil in your car, or just change it between oil changes for any reason. This set of instructions is based off the 2015-2017 Ford Edge, but you should still be able to follow it with another Ford model.
- Order an OEM replacement oil filter.
- Make sure the engine is off and cool to the touch.
- Lift your car.
- Scoot underneath your car and then locate the oil filter. On 2015-2017 Edges, the filter is at the back of the engine.
- Put an oil pan underneath the oil filter. Oil will dribble out when you remove the filter, so this step is important.
- Twist out the oil filter and then remove it.
- Empty the filter into the oil pan.
- With a rag, wipe the area of the engine where you removed the filter.
- Pour a little bit of fresh oil into the new filter.
- Lubricate the o-ring on the new filter by wiping oil on it with your finger.
- Twist the new filter into the engine.
Got any questions about replacing your oil filter? You’re welcome to contact us!