Changing just the oil, not the filter
 

I am sure this was asked already, but couldn't find a thread... I don't drive my Jeep a lot, so I change oil every 6 months and not every 5K miles (I barely reach 3K miles in half year). I use Mobil 1 synthetic oil and K&N filter. Is it required to change the filter with every oil change or can I change the filter once for two oil changes, provided that I use good filter like K&N ?
Thanks!

I would make sure you change the filter too. It's not that much more money and that way you aren't contaminating the fresh oil. If you do it yourself Autozone and Oreily usually have a special price where the filter is free. I use Mobil 1 with a Mobil 1 filter. I think I pay around a $4 upcharge for a Mobil 1 filter. I change my oil around 5000k.

that would be like brushing your teeth with water you just used for shaving . dont do it

Dont be cheap. Do it right and change your filter as well.

thanks guys, that's what I was also thinking! I heard this recommendation from a sales associate at O'reily and was quite surprised.

Oil and filter is the cheapest insurance you can buy for your engine.

Stay away from Fram BTW. If you do a Google search, there is a Web site with detailed analysis and dissection of various oil filters from major brands, and their generic equivalents. The results are surprising.

When you say you don't drive a lot, do you mean you only drive short trips (like a 2 mile commute every day) or you only drive infrequently (like a 200 mile trip every other weekend)?

Since you live in a moderate climate (San Diego), and use a quality synthetic, as long as you drive enough to get the oil good and hot (sustained full operating temp) you could go a year on the same oil, no problem. A blackstone lab used oil analysis would likely prove it. But for warranty purposes you may want to stick with the 6-month interval.

If you do the 2-mile commute scenario, forget it. Six months is long enough, that oil is getting beat up from the condensation that isn't getting burned off.

Either way, might as well change the filter with the oil (cheap insurance). If cost is a concern, switch to conventional oil (although maybe not if you do the 2-mile commute scenario).

I'm curious, has your OCI warning ever lit up?

Agree with everyone else. Change the filter too. Stick with Mopar if possible.

I'm as thrifty as all get out, so I'd be tempted to skimp on a filter change if it's not needed - especially with a more expensive filter like a K&N. I see the logic behind it. The filter has only seen half the mileage it should have. Is a pint of old oil really going to matter in the mix of 5.5 quarts - which will be swapped in under 3000 miles? Not sure.

There's a lot of personal preference with oils and filters and what to do with them... lab analysis is a great way to really get hard results.

I like to save money too. I use the Royal Purple oil and filter, change every 6,000 miles. I use the Royal Purple fluids for the transmission, transaxle, and diffs. The Royal Purple products are higher, better quality but are better for your Jeep and last longer, thus are cheaper in the long run.