Do air filters have a shelf life?

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I bought a couple fleetguard air filters back in 2012. One I installed and the other one I still have. So that makes it 3 years old now. It looks ok to me. Although I do remember the other one having a light coat of oil on it and this one is dry. Does the glue go bad eventually or does it take a long time to do that?
 
Typically, FG filters have a plastic outer wrapping. I buy them on sale and store for years.
 
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I wouldn't think so. Possibly if you buy one of the oiled ones (tough guard) I don't really know if they use true oil or a aersol based oil that might evaporate.
 
I've used air filters that were over 10 years old with zero issues, low silicon uoas. I wouldn't hesitate to use an older air filter again, personally. As long as its stored properly and it looks good, it should be fine.
 
The current 11 years old air filter in my 50k miles 2004 Honda S2000 is original, it's cone type and the filter media still looks good and I will not change it for another 4-5 years. I used wife's discarded panty hose as pre-filter and replace it once a year.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The current 11 years old air filter in my 50k miles 2004 Honda S2000 is original, it's cone type and the filter media still looks good and I will not change it for another 4-5 years. I used wife's discarded panty hose as pre-filter and replace it once a year.
I hope you're joking, aoout the panty hoes that is.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The current 11 years old air filter in my 50k miles 2004 Honda S2000 is original, it's cone type and the filter media still looks good and I will not change it for another 4-5 years. I used wife's discarded panty hose as pre-filter and replace it once a year.

HTSS
Thanks' for the tip about the panty hose, I have a little over 90k miles on my S2000 filter and my restriction gauge is starting to go up so when I change the filter out I'll have to go raid my wifes panty hose. Knee high should do.

ROD
 
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The current 11 years old air filter in my 50k miles 2004 Honda S2000 is original, it's cone type and the filter media still looks good and I will not change it for another 4-5 years. I used wife's discarded panty hose as pre-filter and replace it once a year.
I hope you're joking, about the panty hoes that is.

Pantyhose(used of course) is great at catching larger objects such as leaves, bugs, sands so the air filter will have easier time to catch fine dust particles.

Every year when I changed or cleaned the pantyhose I was surprise to find some unusual things such as bees, flies ...
 
I just had an idea to know the shelf life of air filters.

I worked at numerous auto repair shops that stocked air filters. Almost nobody had an old-fashioned carb'd V8 engine, so the big round filters sat in the corner for ages.

If someone is currently working at a repair shop, maybe they can go to the supply room, pick up a filter for a carb'd V8 engine and take a photo of it.
 
I think I still have a traditional round air filter for the 1993 Ram 5.2L (318 for us geezers) laying around. I forgot to put it in the truck when I gave it to my sister in 2003 and the box has moved around with us since then. I think I also have a Western Auto PH8A equivalent oil filter in that same box. I'd use both of them if I had an application for them I'll see if I can get some pics next week after my in-laws leave.

I bought 4 of the Fram Tough Guard air filters for my Ram 5.7L when I discovered I could buy them at Walmart.com for only a couple dollars more than the Extra Guard air filters (it's about $5 less purchasing at Walmart.com vs. going to Walmart and picking it up off the shelf - yes, it's significantly less cost to have someone at Walmart pull it off the shelf and hold for me for in-store pickup). So I have air filters that will be on a shelf in my garage in their retail packaging until I use them, years, with no concerns on my part.

I have no idea how long these air filters have sat in their retail packaging before I purchased them either, which may well have been years.
 
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