MOTO MAINTENANCE: AN OIL FILTER IS YOUR MOTORCYCLE’S KIDNEY!

If engine oil is the blood of your motorcycle, then the oil filter is like the kidney, the oil filter acts to keep your oil clean. It traps dirt, debris, metallic particles, and sludge inside the crankcase. Changing the oil filter regularly will increase the life of your engine oil. It all depends on how much you love your bike.

Any machinery that uses hydraulics must have an oil filter to sieve and get rid of contaminants (dirt mostly) that could be harmful to your engine.

All engines have a combustion chamber to burn fuel which enables motion or action.

Now think of the engine oil in the engine as blood in the human body. What would happen if your body didn’t have kidneys to perform the blood-filtration process? You could die or end up needing a dialysis machine to function.

The same thing happens to hydraulic machinery. There must be oil filters for them to function properly and not break down or even “die”!

The first oil filter was not complicated. It had a screen positioned at the oil pump. It was named the Purolator and oil had to pass through it before entering the engine.

Types of Oil Filter:

Mechanical oil filters: The worst kind of filters because they required regular changing due to a blockage of the filter paper by contaminants. The more the pile of dirt on the filter paper, the less oil passes through so you are left with no choice but to change the filter.

Magnetic oil filters: The powerful electromagnet in magnetic oil filters attracts and traps any material that is ferromagnetic found in the oil before it goes into the engine through the large centre opening.

Sedimentation oil filter: Gravity plays a huge role in making particles heavier or denser than the oil so they settle down the bottom. The problem was lighter contaminants could still get inside the engine.

Spin-on Oil Filter: They work like a milk centrifuge, but with a seal and special type of bearing. The filter rotates at high speed so large particles settle.

So, all oil filters are not made the same or have the same quality or cost.

Difference between paper and plastic oil filters

The main reason people prefer a plastic oil filter is that the material used to make the filter is synthetic, making it durable. It also holds more oil and is more efficient than paper-based oil filters.

Reasons to change oil filters and oil

Regular oil filter and oil changes will lengthen engine life.

Your engine needs regular servicing and on these occasions, you should also change your engine oil.

However, the filter media is prone to clogging due to contaminants. When this happens, the lubrication pressure system will strain your engine due to a lack of oil.

So you may need to change the oil and filter more frequently than regular service intervals.

Conclusion

Not all oil filters are made the same or are of the same quality. You should give them a regular check and ensure your oil is clean. Never use a non-original filter or fake filters. Saving a few bucks may leave you with an expensive overhaul bill in the future. Engine oil filters are not that expensive when you consider the expensive damage that could be done to your oil by a clogged filter.

When an oil filter operates well, your engine is better protected from contaminants.

If you notice white smoke coming out of the exhaust or your vehicle is starting to lose power, it may be time for a change.

The answer to how often to change the motorcycle oil will depend on a variety of factors. If you’re a hardcore rider and you use mineral-based oil, you should change the oil after 3,500 to 5,000 kilometres.

Synthetic motor oils will last longer than mineral-based oils, and they only need replacing every 8,000 to 10,000 kilometres. If you use your bike as a daily driver, it is best to use synthetic motor oils since they are more economical in the long run.

Make sure to always check the oil level of your bike. Having clean motor oil is good, but maintain the correct amount of oil inside the crankcase is always the best.