Abstract: A self-cleaning renewable fluid filter that flushes a permanent filter media while the used oil is pumped out by the engine oil pump through a drain in the housing. The fluid filter has an inlet and a drain, a center core with an outlet, a drain valve normally closing the drain, a permanent fluid filter media inbetween the inlet and outlet, a plug for closing the outlet, an actuator for opening the drain valve and an improved bypass valve which bypasses fluid and enables reversal of fluid flow through the filter media during draining for flushing the media. The preferred drain valve actuator is an electric solenoid coil inside of the filter and the improved bypass valve is an annular valve around the center core and inside of a cylinder formed in an inlet end cap of the filter media.