Oil Change Without Changing Filter
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 7,138
Likes: 26
From: Southern Oregon
So I'm in a dilemma. I just changed my oil a little over 300 miles ago and when I did I just used some non-synthetic HD 20W-50 stuff. Well I've came across some AMSOIL 20W-50 and I want to throw it in. Me being a cheap a$$ I was wondering what would be the harm in just changing the oil and not changing the filter? I mean it is barely even used?
I know what's $15 bucks or so for a filter, I was just curious on everyone's opinion...
I know what's $15 bucks or so for a filter, I was just curious on everyone's opinion...
Novice
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Cocoa FL
Before you haphazardly bash Fram oil filters maybe you should take some of your own advice and do a little research. Most people complain about the fiber end caps on Fram whereas others have metal. There is a good reason for that. And the more expensive Fram filters do use metal end caps and there is a reason for that, it all makes sense, but I'm not doing research here, you can find it on your own.
I've used Fram most of my life in my cage, but not in my HD, mostly because of ease of purchase I use HD or Mobile 1. I never ever had one engine problem related to the lousy oil filter I was using regardless of brand name. That's over 40 years of oil changes. I'm not say it's the best nor am I saying it's the worst. I am saying for me I have never ever had an oil filter related problem. Most of you guys have no problem buying into the Amsoil myth, seems that's okay and it's what I see being pushed on here the most, I think there's a guy working the system. Advertising in and of itself is "hype" that's the whole purpose of it, to make their product look better than the other guys product, usually by tearing down the other product, not by them making a better product.
Unless you want to buy something like the billet oil filter from "Legend" at around a hundred bucks, I'd say most low level oil filters are not much different from each other.
I've used Fram most of my life in my cage, but not in my HD, mostly because of ease of purchase I use HD or Mobile 1. I never ever had one engine problem related to the lousy oil filter I was using regardless of brand name. That's over 40 years of oil changes. I'm not say it's the best nor am I saying it's the worst. I am saying for me I have never ever had an oil filter related problem. Most of you guys have no problem buying into the Amsoil myth, seems that's okay and it's what I see being pushed on here the most, I think there's a guy working the system. Advertising in and of itself is "hype" that's the whole purpose of it, to make their product look better than the other guys product, usually by tearing down the other product, not by them making a better product.
Unless you want to buy something like the billet oil filter from "Legend" at around a hundred bucks, I'd say most low level oil filters are not much different from each other.
Devil's Advocate
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 36
From: Alberta, Canada
You want to re-use a break-in filter? Finish off your break-in and change both oil and filter. Being cheap to re-use a filter, but dump perfectly good oil.
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Road Master
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 867
Likes: 15
From: South Central Pennylvania
Sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you....
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 375
Likes: 0
Well I didn't want this to be another oil thread, but here is my two cents. First off and I can say with assurance that not all oil is the same and yes there is a benefit in using dino vs. synthetic. The reason I can say this is because in my old diesel I used 5 different oils and had all five test and all three came back saying something different and yes AMSOIL was the winner! Am I sold on using Amsoil yes, but you decide, I'm not the oil fariy. If you want to know what all your oil is doing and want to know for sure which one holds up best in your bike then send your www.blackstone-labs.com. The cost is $25 and they'll send you a nice little kit to take your oil sample, then in about a week they'll email and mail you your results.
Now getting back to my situation. I have about 900 miles on my bike and it is broke in and I say this because at 500 miles it was on the dyno for 70 miles and if it's not broke in now then it'll never be broke in. Take away all the costs and my decision to waste money and be a cheap a$$. The question was could it hurt something and will mixing dino and synthetic hurt anything. I appreciate the feedback from everyone. I pulled the plug and drained out all that perfectly good oil and re-used it to kill about 10 fire ant beds around my property and yes my kids thank me for that. I will here in 3k miles be doing an oil anaylsis myself here on my next oil change, so stand by for the results...
Now getting back to my situation. I have about 900 miles on my bike and it is broke in and I say this because at 500 miles it was on the dyno for 70 miles and if it's not broke in now then it'll never be broke in. Take away all the costs and my decision to waste money and be a cheap a$$. The question was could it hurt something and will mixing dino and synthetic hurt anything. I appreciate the feedback from everyone. I pulled the plug and drained out all that perfectly good oil and re-used it to kill about 10 fire ant beds around my property and yes my kids thank me for that. I will here in 3k miles be doing an oil anaylsis myself here on my next oil change, so stand by for the results...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 1,524
From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
Ok, so I have a question. If I don't get to ride very much say, only 2000-2500 miles this summer. Do I still change the oil this fall before I put it up for winter? Or can I just throw in some fuel stabilizer, put it on the tender and call it good? I use syn by the way mobile 1. Thanks
Or you could just put knobbly tyres on and ride it all winter ;-)
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 867
Likes: 15
From: South Central Pennylvania
Well I didn't want this to be another oil thread, but here is my two cents. First off and I can say with assurance that not all oil is the same and yes there is a benefit in using dino vs. synthetic. The reason I can say this is because in my old diesel I used 5 different oils and had all five test and all three came back saying something different and yes AMSOIL was the winner! Am I sold on using Amsoil yes, but you decide, I'm not the oil fariy. If you want to know what all your oil is doing and want to know for sure which one holds up best in your bike then send your www.blackstone-labs.com. The cost is $25 and they'll send you a nice little kit to take your oil sample, then in about a week they'll email and mail you your results.
Now getting back to my situation. I have about 900 miles on my bike and it is broke in and I say this because at 500 miles it was on the dyno for 70 miles and if it's not broke in now then it'll never be broke in. Take away all the costs and my decision to waste money and be a cheap a$$. The question was could it hurt something and will mixing dino and synthetic hurt anything. I appreciate the feedback from everyone. I pulled the plug and drained out all that perfectly good oil and re-used it to kill about 10 fire ant beds around my property and yes my kids thank me for that. I will here in 3k miles be doing an oil anaylsis myself here on my next oil change, so stand by for the results...
Now getting back to my situation. I have about 900 miles on my bike and it is broke in and I say this because at 500 miles it was on the dyno for 70 miles and if it's not broke in now then it'll never be broke in. Take away all the costs and my decision to waste money and be a cheap a$$. The question was could it hurt something and will mixing dino and synthetic hurt anything. I appreciate the feedback from everyone. I pulled the plug and drained out all that perfectly good oil and re-used it to kill about 10 fire ant beds around my property and yes my kids thank me for that. I will here in 3k miles be doing an oil anaylsis myself here on my next oil change, so stand by for the results...
I work in a recording studio and a lot of this talk about labs and such is similar in the break down. There are guys who will look at an oscilloscope and be able to see the smallest change in what was there before by switching to a different kind of wire or connection. Yes, on the scope you can see a little tiny microscopic change but in the real world it is meaningless, no one can detect these tiny changes with their ear. But a lot of advertising hype is put forth from this kind of mumbo jumbo just to sell you something you think you need. I say the same is true for slight differences in motor oil. It all works, it all keeps our engines from self-destruction 99% of the time. If it satisfies some innate need you have to chase after some one percent that your engine will never know it was missing then I wish you the best my friend.
Hmmm, pouring oil on the ground, I'm sure there are a few environmental whack jobs who would not look kindly upon you for doing that.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 353
Likes: 0
From: Land of the black buggy
I guess no one here remembers when these things had a mesh screen "filter" (ha) that only stopped the big chunks.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 1,524
From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 375
Likes: 0
While you're masturbating I'll be doing something useful, like not giving a chit about your oil test. Meaningless drivel. If you are happy being so incredibly **** about your oil then I must say I'm happy for you. I've got better things to do with $25 then give it to some lab.
I work in a recording studio and a lot of this talk about labs and such is similar in the break down. There are guys who will look at an oscilloscope and be able to see the smallest change in what was there before by switching to a different kind of wire or connection. Yes, on the scope you can see a little tiny microscopic change but in the real world it is meaningless, no one can detect these tiny changes with their ear. But a lot of advertising hype is put forth from this kind of mumbo jumbo just to sell you something you think you need. I say the same is true for slight differences in motor oil. It all works, it all keeps our engines from self-destruction 99% of the time. If it satisfies some innate need you have to chase after some one percent that your engine will never know it was missing then I wish you the best my friend.
Hmmm, pouring oil on the ground, I'm sure there are a few environmental whack jobs who would not look kindly upon you for doing that.
I work in a recording studio and a lot of this talk about labs and such is similar in the break down. There are guys who will look at an oscilloscope and be able to see the smallest change in what was there before by switching to a different kind of wire or connection. Yes, on the scope you can see a little tiny microscopic change but in the real world it is meaningless, no one can detect these tiny changes with their ear. But a lot of advertising hype is put forth from this kind of mumbo jumbo just to sell you something you think you need. I say the same is true for slight differences in motor oil. It all works, it all keeps our engines from self-destruction 99% of the time. If it satisfies some innate need you have to chase after some one percent that your engine will never know it was missing then I wish you the best my friend.
Hmmm, pouring oil on the ground, I'm sure there are a few environmental whack jobs who would not look kindly upon you for doing that.
Prime example of someone on here who has zero clue what they are talking about. I'm glad you have better things to do than spend your hard earned money (and I say this loosely considering what your profession is) on items better than an oil analysis. Many companies, to include A LOT of over the road trucking companies utilize oil testing to determine the state of their oil. The testing does more than just "microscopic changes" as you so call stated, it lets you know the shearing of your oil and if you even need to change it at the mileage your at. I didn't say do it every oil change, but once over a couple oil changes can't hurt anything.
As for the environmental piece, it's my land I can do what I want, but that's another topic I'm sure someone will chime in on...