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Just learned how many cars a single oil filter can hold

Found out a standard spin-on filter can trap over a gallon of dirt before it clogs. I read it in an old trade magazine from 1998 my boss had in the back. Anyone know if that number is still about right for modern filters?
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2 Comments
margaret_gonzalez25
margaret_gonzalez253d agoMost Upvoted
That 1998 number is probably for a big filter on a diesel truck. Most regular car filters hold a lot less. The real limit is the bypass valve. It opens when the filter gets about half full to keep oil flowing, even if it's dirty. So your filter never actually gets to hold a full gallon of gunk. It starts letting dirty oil through long before that.
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charlie_ellis
Exactly... saw that happen on my old pickup.
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