12/24/2022
Early oil filter designs
Early oil filter designs were based on a replaceable element fitted inside a metal housing. When changing the filter, one removed the housing, discarded the element, cleaned the housing, added a new filter and re-installed the assembly to the engine. By the mid-20th century, spin-on filters gained popularity. Here, the filter element and the cartridge are self-contained. You simply remove the works, discard it, and screw on a new filter during the oil-change process. Today, there's been a move back to the earlier oil filter design. In this system, oil is filtered through an element contained within a separate housing, because the replaceable filter element may be more environmentally conscious than a spin-on filter. Keep in mind that today's motor vehicles require far fewer oil changes than those of yesteryear.