Types of Oil Filters: Cartridge, Spin-On and Canister
Spin-on, cartridge and canister oil filters explained, with how each type works, how to spot your type and what to check before a change.
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Types of oil filters come down to how the filter mounts and how the oil moves through it. Cars use a spin-on filter, a cartridge filter or a canister filter, and the type decides the tool, the mess and the steps of the change. A spin-on filter is a sealed metal can that screws on and off as a unit. A cartridge filter is a bare element inside a permanent housing. A canister filter is an element in a housing that comes off the engine as a unit. Magnetic and bypass filters work alongside a main filter.
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Types of oil filters: how oil moves through each type
| Type | How it mounts | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Spin-on filter | Sealed can screws onto a threaded mount on the engine | Change the whole can; the gasket comes with it |
| Cartridge filter | Bare element drops into a permanent housing on the engine | Change the element and seals; housing stays put |
| Canister filter | Element in a housing that unbolts from the engine as a unit | Change the element; housing comes off with it |
| Magnetic filter | Magnet sits in the oil path or on the filter | Catches metal particles; works alongside a full-flow filter |
| Bypass filter | Separate loop filters a small share of the oil flow | Fine filtration for a share of the oil |
The label and the manual decide which type a car uses, not the shelf or the wrench. A filter with the wrong thread, gasket or bypass setting can leak or starve the engine of oil, so match the part to the car first.
Spin-on filters
The spin-on filter is the can most home mechanics picture when they hear the words oil filter. The media lives inside a sealed metal can that screws onto a threaded mount on the engine block or on a remote mount. Most cans also hold a bypass valve and an anti-drainback valve. The change runs like this: spin the old can off, wipe the mount, oil the new gasket, spin the new can on and tighten it by hand as the filter instructions say. Keep the open end up where the mount allows as the can comes off, with the drain pan under it. A cap wrench, a strap wrench or a claw wrench will break a stuck can loose, and the old can goes to recycling.
Cartridge filters
A cartridge filter has no can of its own. The element is a pleated media pack with end caps that drops into a permanent housing on the engine, usually under a cap on top or on the side of the engine. The change means opening the housing, lifting the old element out, fitting the new element and the new seals, and closing the housing to the torque the manual lists. The housing stays on the engine, so there is no can to throw away, but the seals matter more: a pinched or reused seal leaks, and so does a seal in the wrong groove. The cap is often plastic, so a wrench that slips can crack it. Note where the old seals sit before pulling them.
Canister filters
A canister filter sits between the spin-on and the cartridge. The element lives in a housing that unbolts from the engine as a unit, so the change takes the housing off, swaps the element inside it, and bolts the housing back on with new seals. The housing is often metal, tougher than a plastic cartridge cap. Fit the seals in the right grooves and tighten the housing to the torque the manual lists. A canister housing holds oil when it comes off, so keep it level over the drain pan and let it drain before opening it on the bench.
Magnetic and bypass filters
Magnetic and bypass filters are add-ons, not replacements for a main filter. A magnetic filter puts a magnet in the oil path, usually in the drain plug or in a sleeve around the filter, to hold metal particles the media might pass. It does not catch soot or sludge, and it does not replace the media, so it works alongside a main filter. A bypass filter runs a separate loop that takes a small share of the oil flow through very fine media and sends it back to the sump. The main full-flow filter still handles the bulk of the oil; at cold start its bypass valve gives thick oil a clear path. A bypass setup adds hoses and fittings, so it adds leak points too, and it suits engines that run long hours.
How to spot the type your car uses
The manual lists the type and the part number. Under the hood, a spin-on filter looks like a metal can screwed to the engine or to a remote mount. A cartridge housing looks like a cap on top of the engine, often shaped for a socket. A canister housing looks like a metal cup bolted to the engine, with bolts around the rim. Before buying a filter, match the old filter to the new filter side by side on the bench: for a spin-on can, same thread, same gasket, same height and shape; for an element, same height, same shape and seals that match. A parts counter can match the filter from the car model.
Changing an oil filter without a mess
- Warm the engine, then let it cool a little. Warm oil drains well, but hot oil burns, so let the engine sit until the filter is warm to the touch.
- Raise the car right. Never get under a vehicle held up by a jack alone. Use rated stands on solid, level ground at the lift points the manual lists.
- Loosen the filter with the pan under it. Spin-on filters drain from the mount as they come off, so keep the pan under the mount and the open end up where the mount allows. Cartridge and canister housings drain when the cap or housing opens, so open them slowly.
- Check the mount. On a spin-on filter, make sure the old gasket came off with the old filter, and wipe the mount clean. A gasket stuck to the mount will sit under the new filter and leak.
- Oil the new gasket and fit the new seals. A thin film of fresh oil helps the gasket seat. Fit cartridge and canister seals in the grooves they came from, and never reuse a seal that came out with the old element.
- Tighten as the manual and the filter instructions say. A spin-on can goes on by hand, not with a wrench; a can that is too loose leaks. A housing cap goes to the torque the manual lists: a cap that is too tight can crack, and a cap that is too loose leaks.
- Fill the oil, start the engine and look for leaks. Check the level with the dipstick, start the engine, and look at the filter mount and the drain plug while it runs, then shut it off and check the level again.
- Recycle the old filter and the used oil. Drain the old filter into the pan, and take the filter and the used oil to a recycling point. Never pour used oil down a drain or onto the ground.
Hot oil burns, and a jack alone never holds a car. Let the engine cool until the filter is warm to the touch, and use rated stands.
Use rated jack stands on solid ground, wear eye protection with power and air tools, keep fuel-burning equipment out of a closed garage, and follow the manual for every tool. Read our Safety Disclaimer.
Oil filters and the oil you pour in
The filter and the oil work together, so pick the oil the manual lists for the car and change the filter with the oil. A fresh filter with old oil still circulates dirty oil, and fresh oil with a clogged filter still pushes oil through the bypass valve. Our guide to motor oil types lays out viscosity and grade, and our guide on how to change oil covers the full job.
FAQ: garage tools
How do I know which oil filter my car uses?
Check the manual, which lists the type and the part number. Match the old filter to the new filter on the bench: for a spin-on can, same thread, same gasket, same height and shape; for an element, same height, same shape and seals that match.
Can I use a spin-on filter where a cartridge filter belongs?
No. The type is set by the engine: a cartridge housing has no threaded mount for a spin-on can, and a spin-on mount has no housing for a cartridge element.
What happens if I fit the wrong oil filter?
A wrong filter can leak at the gasket, starve the engine of oil, or run the bypass valve open so unfiltered oil circulates. If a spin-on can does not thread on smoothly by hand, stop and check the part.
How often should an oil filter be changed?
Change the filter with the oil, at the interval the manual lists. A filter left in through a later oil change holds dirt and used oil.
Do magnetic oil filters replace a normal filter?
No. A magnet catches metal particles only, and it does not catch soot or sludge. It works alongside a full-flow filter, not instead of it.
Related: how to change oil, motor oil types, how to remove an oil filter, our engine and shop equipment hub and the manual oil extractor pump.
