Oil filter key component to auto's lubrication system

It's important to never take your oil filter for granted.

True, it's but a small, inexpensive part of your vehicle's lubrication system, but it plays a vital role in protecting your vehicle's engine from premature wear.

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Each moving part in the engine and the cylinder walls requires clean oil for proper lubrication and lasting life. The oil filter cleans the oil as it passes through the filter element or filtering media. This prevents abrasive contaminants in the engine lubrication system from damaging engine parts.

When your engine is running, oil enters the oil pump through a screened intake. The screened intake -- or oil pick-up -- is located in the crankcase near the bottom surface of the oil pan. The oil is drawn through the screen intake and forced by the oil pump through the oil filter.

Oil from the main gallery is also fed through vertical passages to the crankshaft main bearings and through the crankshaft to the rod bearings. Oil thrown from the crankshaft, or sprayed from the connecting rods, lubricates the pistons and cylinder walls.

In a typical full-flow type oil filter, the oil flows into an inlet passage and then through the filtering element. After flowing through the filter element, the filtered or "clean" oil passes directly to the main oil gallery.

Oil from the main gallery lubricates the camshaft and the camshaft bearings. On non-overhead cam engines, oil is metered through the valve lifter to a hollow push rod that carries oil for the lubrication of the push rod pivot point, rocker arm pivots and valve guide.

Visit www.wixfilters.com to find the best WIX Oil Filter to meet your vehicle's needs.

Parts of an oil filter:

• Gasket: Provides exterior seal between the filter and engine at the engine mounting surface.

• Mounting plate: Prevents deflection (movement) at the gasket sealing surface.

• Inner element support: Provides inner element stabilization and a positive seal between the inner element and mounting plate to prevent the bypass of unfiltered oil.

• Upper end cap: Retains element end sealant and filter media; provides an outlet for clean oil and structural rigidity to the pleated media.

• Lower end cap: Retains element end sealant and filter media.

• Arch-pleated, prescription-blended filter media: Provides a more than adequate filter area.

• Spiral-wound center tube: Provides internal element support.

• Coiled spring: Ensures a constant load on the inner element to maintain the seal between the upper element end cap, the inner element support, and mounting plate even during pressure surge situations.

• Filter canister: Encloses the assembly with a mechanically locked double seam; provides "flutes" at the closed end for ease of removal.

• Silicone anti-drainback valve: Stays flexible in extreme temperatures, improves oil flow and keeps oil in filter to prevent engine-destroying dry starts.