What are the recommendations for changing filters?
It is best to follow the Severe Service maintenance schedules found
in most new car owner's manuals, with a few exceptions:
- Air filters need to be inspected regularly and replaced as often
as needed, regardless of mileage or time. Dirty air filters can
increase fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
- Fuel filters should be replaced yearly and/or at every tune-up,
especially on fuel injected cars. The fuel filter in a vehicle with
electronic fuel injection passes a much larger volume of fuel than
its counterpart in a carbureted application. If the tank is dirty or
rusty, constant fuel recirculation can pick up a lot of debris that
ends up in the filter. If the filter plugs, the engine is starved
for fuel or unfiltered fuel is allowed to bypass the filter. The
latter can damage injectors.
- Oil filters need to be replaced at every oil change (every six
months or 3,000 miles in most cases) despite the advice in many
owner's manuals to only change the filter at every other oil change.
A new filter is cheap insurance against major engine damage, so why
take unnecessary risks?
- Few owner's manuals have a suggested change interval for the
automatic transmission fluid (ATF) or fluid filter unless the
vehicle is used for towing. Most transmission specialists say the
best preventative maintenance for prolonging automatic transmission
life is to change fluid and filter every two years or 30,000 miles.
- Follow the manufacturer's recommendations on the specific type of
ATF to use. The type of ATF should match the specs required for the
application.
- All GMs, most late model Chryslers and many imports use Dexron II.
All 1988 and later Fords require Mercon ATF. Most universal ATF
fluids are acceptable for either of these. Older Fords or imports
require Type F fluid.
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