Do oil filters have a shelf life? I purchased about 8 of the ac ultraguard oil filters for my ls1 when the word came out they were being discontinued, how long will they last?
shelf life of oil filters
- Thread starter ramair8
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i doubt that any wear would be noticed if it is left on the shelf for a long time. as long as it is new and clean and dry then no problem. maybe if its super old the rubber dried up if it was in the sun. i should stock up on filters too
Patman
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I would try to use them up within 5 years or so, although the fully fibreglass nature of their media would possibly make their shelf life way longer.
I now place my filter stock in a plastic bag (grocery store type), and tie the top. This keeps them in an (almost) airtight environment, free of excess humidity and dust. I have used them 1-2 years later, and they still look like new.
I have also simply placed boxed filters on the garage shelf, and noticed that they tended to rust on the mounting base after a time.
Keep them in an airtight container and in a cool place, and they should be good for several years.
I have also simply placed boxed filters on the garage shelf, and noticed that they tended to rust on the mounting base after a time.
Keep them in an airtight container and in a cool place, and they should be good for several years.
Boy, I thought that I was the only one that did that
I have a degree in chemistry and have worked in the plastic and rubber industry. Elastomer including rubber and adhesives deteriorate over time. Things that need to last have expensive additives. A certain amount of additives must be added just to withstand the heat of processing. Not having seen tests of the rubber and glue used in oil filters, I can only guess how long they might hold up.
Even following The lone ranger and Joee12's precautions, I wouldn't exceed Patman's five years. I am not concerned about the years worth of ST3950s I bought this week.
Sorry Liquid ballbearings, but continued manufacture of the ST3950 etc.does not mean I can count on continuing to find them at my local Wally's. There were no 2808s, 3585s, or 3593s and the 3950s were left overs in the old box. The STPs were gone completely, and I don't think there were 20 ST and Motorcraft numbers put together. I think there are only 6 places in the whole town to buy oil filters, and 3 of them carry mostly Frams. . .
Even following The lone ranger and Joee12's precautions, I wouldn't exceed Patman's five years. I am not concerned about the years worth of ST3950s I bought this week.
Sorry Liquid ballbearings, but continued manufacture of the ST3950 etc.does not mean I can count on continuing to find them at my local Wally's. There were no 2808s, 3585s, or 3593s and the 3950s were left overs in the old box. The STPs were gone completely, and I don't think there were 20 ST and Motorcraft numbers put together. I think there are only 6 places in the whole town to buy oil filters, and 3 of them carry mostly Frams. . .
Given that the treated paper and/or synthetic media, the elastomerics, and the bonding adhesives are formulated to withstand the hellish temperatures and witch's brew of progressively chemically contaminated oil over a six or seven month change interval, I'm skeptical about worrying about the shelf life of oil filters stored under conditions conducive to the life support requirements of livin' critters. I'd say, once rust-through of the filter can has occurred, it's probably not a very good idea to put it into service...
I would say they would last a lot longer if you stored it inside your house compared to in a garage... I have some M1 filters that I am no longer going to use thanks to PATMAN scaring me about it, and they are in my closet where it is always room temperature and is never exposed to extreme humidity.
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