Best filter for seldom-used vehicle

[SilverC6]

Originally Posted By: Phishin
If it was mine, I'd buy a Napa Platinum. It's synthetic, wire backed, it holds lots of dirt, won't fall apart, and it enables a high rate of oil flow when you start this occasional beast up.


+1

Catch it on sale....

 

[dnewton3]

Unlike most people here who have never gone more than 6 months or 5k miles without an O/FCI ...

I've actually done many, many multi-year O/FCIs on all kinds of equipment including my diesel Dmax truck and Kubota, as well as gas powered Scag ZTR and classic 1966 Mustang. Three years on "normal" filters such as Wix and TGs. The cellulose/glass blend filters hold up extremely well. Every filter autopsy I've done shows no ill effect whatsoever. The Dmax had 9k miles on the O/FCI and both the lube and filter could have gone much further.

Generally, oil and filters don't really know how "old" they are. Certain conditions can shorten their lifespan; that is true. But considering that I've run dino oil and normal filters out to three years, with actual data that shows they could have still been continued safely, I'd say most folks here WAY UNDERESTIMATE the REAL lifespan of most products. Frequent O/FCIs in this scenario are wasteful and there is no data to show that frequent O/FCIs would add any benefit whatsoever. To the contrary, I've proven that longer O/FCIs are safe and effective


Regarding the OPs vehicle and stated intent: put a EG or TG or Wix on it, use it (and the lube) for three years and never look back. .

 

[Lubener]

I have a vehicle driven similiar to yours. I change oil and filter every 3-4 years.The filter element is not going to fall apart during that time. A myth.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I'd first look for a filter that has a silicone ADBV and go from there. I'd pass on the Purolator PureONE until they get the tearing issues under control, but their Synthetic line would work fine for what you describe. I'd feel more comfortable using a wire-backed media for service like yours, personally, like a Fram Ultra, Purolator Synthetic, Wix XP, etc.

 

[snakyjake]

I'm curious why everyone is suggesting oil can go longer than one year? From my understanding the oil additives aren't as effective after one year. Even the oil container tells me the oil shouldn't go longer than a year.

 

[Nate1979]

Originally Posted By: snakyjake
I'm curious why everyone is suggesting oil can go longer than one year? From my understanding the oil additives aren't as effective after one year. Even the oil container tells me the oil shouldn't go longer than a year.


Oil can't tell time unless you drop your watch inside the fill hole when changing the oil....

In all seriousness it's how the oil is used that determines the OCI, not time. It's not much difference whether the oil is sitting in the sump or sitting on the shelf in a jug. Short tripping and not getting the oil up to temperature can kill the oil. If the oil gets hot every once in a while it can last much longer.

 

[cookiemonster]

I'd put on a NAPA Silver or O'Reilly Microguard.

 

[CT8]

It doesn't matter.

 

[crazyoildude]

what kind of van and what engine ?

 

[dnewton3]

Originally Posted By: snakyjake
I'm curious why everyone is suggesting oil can go longer than one year? From my understanding the oil additives aren't as effective after one year. Even the oil container tells me the oil shouldn't go longer than a year.



Two driving forces tell you to change oil frequently:
1) marketing makes for sales volume and profit
2) legal issues make for reduced warranty claim concerns

There is no appreciable degradation of additives after a year. There is a Blackstone link where Ryan tested OLD oils and found the additives still reasonably intact. Go to their site and check it out. I would agree that super long term storage may have some persuasion on the fluid and additive, but I'm not at all worried about it out to 5 years. Probably could do more, but I've never had fluid sit around past that so I don't concern myself with what does not happen.

The fact is that oil and filters have no idea of time as long as it's a REASONABLE duration. But the industry definition and mine are VERY different.

Jim Allen once mentioned that when he toured the Fram engineering facility and spoke with techs, three years for filters was ceratinly doable. Four years was "iffy" and five started the tooth-sucking "meh ... maybe, maybe not". That is their unofficial position on cellulose/syn blend filters. One could expect that full syn media could go longer.


We've seen a few UOAs where folks (including me) run OFCIs WAY past one year, and there is NOTHING to indicate anything is wrong. As I said previously, I've done 3 years on lube/filter on many pieces of my equipment and nothing has gone wrong and the UOA data and physical inspections of filters show nothing out of the ordinary. DATA and FACTS show reasonable extensions are not a concern.


There is nothing wrong whatsoever with changing lube based on a calendar, as long as you don't mind huge monetary waste. It will certainly protect your investment, but not to any appreciable degree past a three-year alternative. It will, however, well protect the sales and liability of the providers!

 

[raytseng]

Heresey, but I'd vote to whatever they throw on at the quick lube place
where I'm also getting a free carwash with my oil change.

If it's a beater infrequently used car,

I'm saving time, and breaking even on money by just having someone else do the oil change with bulk oil.

Everything else is going to rot off the car before the oil/oil filter is going to come into play.

 

[jmb3675]

I have 2 AC Delco E-core filters that I cut open a month ago and have been sitting on my bench in the garage and have dried out. They have become weak and mushy after sitting on the bench without oil. I have a Fram Extra Guard that the pleats broke from the ends as well from sitting out of oil. The Fram sat in a bucket in the garage for 6 months before I cut it open and they were not weak when I cut it open. I know it's different for a filter to sit on a bench than in its can on a vehicle full of oil, but it makes me think those filters, are not as good to leave on a vehicle that is not driven often.
The Motorcrafts, Wix, Fram Tough guard, Napa Silver and Napa Pro Selects did not get weak pleats and some of them have been there for twice as long. Even the Motorcraft with torn pleats and the one with the hole, did not get any weaker after sitting.

 

[spavel6]

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
what kind of van and what engine ?


1986 Dodge Ram B250 with the 5.2l V8