Model 3 Oil Filter

[MP3Mike]

problem is that we can’t buy the replacement to change it

Why can't you? Tesla sells them:

And they aren't restricted.

 

[Frank99]

How many people ever change the oil filter on the differential of their ICE car? For those ICE vehicles without a differential oil filter (hint: about 99.95% of them), how many of them ever have the differential oil changed?
The differential of an ICE is the closest analog of the gearbox on a Tesla.

 

[Sorny]

I changed diff lube on my truck at about 120k miles on both axles (and transfer case). Prior vehicles were about the same. Never drove any non-atv in water over the axles, and put on a lot of highway miles, so my axles have had very easy lives.

My side by side gets them changed every year. But to be fair, the side by side regularly has water over the diffs, unlike my cars/trucks.

With my model 3… I’ll think about doing filters and gear lube sometime around 180k miles, which should be at about 6 more years.

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

• Piston engines need frequent oil changes because of contamination from fuel/combustion/water/dirt/etc.
• Clutched differentials need oil changes because they are stupid, self-contaminating, and change behavior with just the slightest contamination.
• Transmissions need rare oil changes because of contamination from clutches. Usually between 0 and 1 times during the life of the car.
• Clutchless differentials might need oil changes because of contamination from gear wear particles. Usually between 0 and never during the life of the car.
• Differentials with filters don't ever need oil changes. To do so is wasteful, risky, foolish, and environmentally destructive without reason.

And no, gear oil does not "break down" within the lifespan of a car.

 

[Motion122]

Having bought four Teslas now, two of which had over 100,000 miles on them, I never heard of an oil filter, never installed one, even. There is nothing to dirty the oil, and a filter would do the job for the life of the car.

However, that being said, there are enough people who cannot leave well enough alone and HAVE to replace an oil filter, needed or not. To them I say, Tesla appreciates you. I won't be replacing mine, thanks.

You actually trust these manufacturers when they say the lubricant is a lifetime fill? If their engineers designed a filter in that system I am change the fluid and filter at a set interval, period. I'll be sending a sample to Blackstone for analysis so at least I know how long I am able to use a particular fluid. In this case I am using Amsoil as my first fill.

 

[Frank99]

You actually trust these manufacturers when they say the lubricant is a lifetime fill? If their engineers designed a filter in that system I am change the fluid and filter at a set interval, period.

You do remember that Elon spoke of designing the Model 3 for a million-mile lifetime, right? I'll be happy changing my oil/filters halfway through that design lifetime.

 

[Motion122]

You do remember that Elon spoke of designing the Model 3 for a million-mile lifetime, right? I'll be happy changing my oil/filters halfway through that design lifetime.

Many manufacturers also claimed lifetime transmission, diff and coolant! Once I have the Blackstone analysis back I'll know more.

 

[Dolemite]

lol @ 'lifetime fluids'

lifetime = warranty period

 

[Motion122]

lol @ 'lifetime fluids'

lifetime = warranty period

Exactly. BMW and MB will not cover any failures outside the warranty period but they continue to these lifetime fill powertrain lubricants.

 

[mattack4000]

Why can't you? Tesla sells them:

View attachment 710355

And they aren't restricted.

The oil comes in drums

 

[Motion122]

The oil comes in drums

Got four of them the other day at $15 each. No bulk or shop discount! lol

 

[mattack4000]

Got four of them the other day at $15 each. No bulk or shop discount! lol

The filter or the oil?

 

[Motion122]

The filter or the oil?

The filter. Going to use a much higher quality oil than what came with the car. Likely what they can get the cheapest at the time so it will be good to see it go and tested.

 

[Bill Foster]

Funny anecdote: My boss' dad (85) who is well off (owns a home in St Barts and a plane w/pilot) and was in the land development business owning many trucks and heavy equipment and now has at least 4 cars, a truck and a couple of tractors.

He has NEVER had a single oil change on any vehicle he has owned and said he has never had single problem related to it. Says it is just a money grab and never once fell for it. Said he has had many cars go over 100K with original oil/filter.

And ive seen multiple engines damaged with sludge in oil passageways or sludge buildup on valves causing them to smack pistons. He's a liar or an idiot (or both)

 

[mattack4000]

The filter. Going to use a much higher quality oil than what came with the car. Likely what they can get the cheapest at the time so it will be good to see it go and tested.

I was talking about the oil. Tesla doesn’t sell it.

 

[Motion122]

I have the oil to black stone for analysis this week

Do you have your oil test results?

 

[Dolemite]

the filters come in drums

 

[Frank99]

lol @ 'lifetime fluids'

lifetime = warranty period

I fully agree with you on trans and coolants. The trans has multiple clutches that wear, contaminating the oil. The coolant has to deal with dissimilar metals at 210+F/100+C, and gets contaminated with various ICE fluids/gases. The diff, for the vast majority of drivers, can be sealed for life. I changed it in my Expedition, but that’s because it gets submerged regularly, making me not part of the “vast majority of drivers”.

Like I said before, the Tesla gear box is most similar to a car differential, and should be treated similarly.

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

Actually it's not similar to a differential at all.

It's like a differential with an oil pump that actively circulates and fully filters all of the oil all the time, while cooling it. And it's not driven by nasty bevel gears.
It's quite possibly the most maintenance-free gearbox design humankind has ever installed in an automobile.

 

[Trekker_]

I will say as a fully certified Ford tech, that also worked on anything under the sun including large diesels such as Cummins, International, CAT etc. I really don't see a need for service. The design would cause A LOT less contamination than say a manual transmission, transfer case, or differential. The fact that it has a filter is probably only for the break in wear so you have clean oil after it wears itself in. I have never seen bearing failures on gearsets that were from OLD oil. It's always from water intrusion or something of the like. I'm with y'all, i don't like "lifetime" stuff either, but if there was a lifetime item I would trust, it would be these. Hell, most companies recommend 100-120k miles between services on auto transmissions at this point because oils have gotten better, and auto transmissions have a TON of contamination due to clutches wearing over time. Diesels are nearly 12k miles between oil changes and they literally collect a crap-ton of soot in their oil. Just my .02