Replace oil filter but not oil?

chrismc · **Posted:** Mon May 30, 2011 10:16 pm

A quick question: Can I replace the oil filter without draining my oil? In other words, if I remove the oil filter, will all the oil drain out or will it stay in the engine/oil pan and then I can top up the oil with what was lost in the filter change?

I was doing an oil change today, same routine as always: drain the oil, remove the old filter, replace the drain plug, put on the new filter... But when I got my new filter out of the box (Purolator Pure ONE), I noticed it was dented pretty good in the bottom. KJ's not drivable and I have no second set of wheels, plus its Memorial Day evening and nothing is open to get another filter even if I did have transportation. I have to get to work tomorrow, so I put the dented one on (old one was trashed from filter wrench) and filled the oil, but I'm worried that the big dent in the bottom of the filter will hurt oil flow and be "a bad thing". I'd like to swap to a new un-dented filter, but I really don't want to lose my $55 of brand new synthetic 5w40.

CRDphenox · **Posted:** Mon May 30, 2011 10:54 pm

Given the location of the filter id say you'll have enough hydro-static pressure to push out a good amount before you can swap them so have your drip pan ready and have an extra quart standing by... I wouldn't be as concerned with flow characteristics as possible puncture of the filter media letting crap by :2cents:

lurch519 · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 6:07 am

You will lose what you have in the filter and a small bit in the housing, but the filter is after the oil pump and so will not allow the crankcase to empty on ya.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 7:01 am

Don't know the answer but why guess. Just drain the oil into a suitable container being careful to keep crud out; replace the dented filter; pour the oil in the container back into the engine; add oil as needed. Same thing one does with good antifreeze if replacing a bad tstat.

chrismc · **Posted:** Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:23 am

Well it looks like lurch519 had the winning answer. When I pulled the filter off, only a little bit behind the filter was lost. The old dented filter actually had the dent popped back out from the oil pressure that ran through it. I'm really glad I got that thing out of there and got a good one in. When I told the clerk at the auto parts store about it, he said "yeah, it was probably dropped" like that happens all the time. I'll definitely be inspecting every oil filter I buy prior to leaving the store from now on.

Replace oil filter but not oil?

Who is online