First of all, I'm new here and this is my first thread and first post in any thread. So if ya'll have any advice on anything, feel free to give it. I've lurked here a couple of times and think I'm going to like this site, as its got some forums I'm interested in.
Now to my question. As background to the question, I drive an 03 Ford Ranger and my wife drives an 03 Subaru Forester. Last winter, at 24,000 mi., I switched the Forester to Mobil 1 synthetic, and last year at 9,000 mi. I switched the Ranger to Mobil 1. A couple weeks ago, at 19,000 mi., I changed the Mobil 1 in the Ranger. I plan to run Mobil 1 in each vehicle for 10,000 mi. between oil changes.
I've been wondering (and have started to do some internet research on) how long I can use the oil filter before it will stop doing its job. I assume that if I change the oil filter halfway through the 10,000 oil change cycle (and of course when I change the oil), I'll be fine, as I'll be changing the filter every 5,000 mi. However, on the Ranger, I decided to let the filter go the whole 10,000 mi. on the first installment of Mobil 1. When I changed the Ranger oil and filter a couple weeks ago after 10,000 mi. of Mobil 1, I set the filter aside for a week or so and let the excess oil drain out. Then I cut the filter in half to inspect the insides (its a Purolator Premium Plus) and to try to determine if it was too clogged to do its job. I'm not an expert at the matter, but everything looks ok. No tears, holes, etc., in the filtering media. The media's black with oil of course, but no heavy or large particles of anything on it; in fact no small particles that I can see. I don't know if this is a good test of its filtering ability after 10,000 miles of use (what to you guys think?) but I put the filter media to my lips and was able to blow through it even though I blew very gently, no harder than you'd breath when out of breath, and the air went right through easily.
So, any comments? Was the filter still adequately filtering? Did I go too long on the filter? Any other comments? I plan, as of this moment anyway, to run the filter in the Forester during the whole 10,000 mi. oil change cycle and then cut it open and check it. I always figured that 10,000 mi. was too long to leave a filter in, but I figured that with the synthetic oil I could go longer. And my check of my cut open filter seems to support that. Yesterday, I searched this site for "cut open oil filter" and read most of the threads. In one thread some people said filters lasted 10 and even 15 thousand miles.
Now to my question. As background to the question, I drive an 03 Ford Ranger and my wife drives an 03 Subaru Forester. Last winter, at 24,000 mi., I switched the Forester to Mobil 1 synthetic, and last year at 9,000 mi. I switched the Ranger to Mobil 1. A couple weeks ago, at 19,000 mi., I changed the Mobil 1 in the Ranger. I plan to run Mobil 1 in each vehicle for 10,000 mi. between oil changes.
I've been wondering (and have started to do some internet research on) how long I can use the oil filter before it will stop doing its job. I assume that if I change the oil filter halfway through the 10,000 oil change cycle (and of course when I change the oil), I'll be fine, as I'll be changing the filter every 5,000 mi. However, on the Ranger, I decided to let the filter go the whole 10,000 mi. on the first installment of Mobil 1. When I changed the Ranger oil and filter a couple weeks ago after 10,000 mi. of Mobil 1, I set the filter aside for a week or so and let the excess oil drain out. Then I cut the filter in half to inspect the insides (its a Purolator Premium Plus) and to try to determine if it was too clogged to do its job. I'm not an expert at the matter, but everything looks ok. No tears, holes, etc., in the filtering media. The media's black with oil of course, but no heavy or large particles of anything on it; in fact no small particles that I can see. I don't know if this is a good test of its filtering ability after 10,000 miles of use (what to you guys think?) but I put the filter media to my lips and was able to blow through it even though I blew very gently, no harder than you'd breath when out of breath, and the air went right through easily.
So, any comments? Was the filter still adequately filtering? Did I go too long on the filter? Any other comments? I plan, as of this moment anyway, to run the filter in the Forester during the whole 10,000 mi. oil change cycle and then cut it open and check it. I always figured that 10,000 mi. was too long to leave a filter in, but I figured that with the synthetic oil I could go longer. And my check of my cut open filter seems to support that. Yesterday, I searched this site for "cut open oil filter" and read most of the threads. In one thread some people said filters lasted 10 and even 15 thousand miles.
