Oil filter lifespan

[OilUzer]

What is typical oil filter lifespan before the filter media becomes brittle or tears or goes bad, etc. taking about time and not the mileage.

How long can you go with a good quality filter if you don't exceed the oci millage wise ?
for example can you go 2 or 3 years if putting only 5K miles total on the engine? No short trips or harsh environment.

Also kind of curious if you soak a filter media in a bucket of oil, how long does it last before it disintegrates ?

btw, I've heard about "oil & filter should be changed once a year regardless ..."

 

[Fifty150]

Originally Posted by OilUzer
What is typical oil filter lifespan before the filter media becomes brittle or tears or goes bad, etc. taking about time and not the mileage.

Filter media being a synthetic product, man-made, as opposed to an organic product such as cotton, silk, or wool.......will be in the environment for a very long time. Think of it in a landfill for over 100 years. It will not disintegrate or decompose - while it's in the filter canister, attached to your car's engine block. Those filters can sit on a shelf for a decade, as the packaging fades, and the filter media on the inside will be just like new.

Just change your oil & filter once a year.

Originally Posted by OilUzer
How long can you go with a good quality filter if you don't exceed the oci millage wise ?
for example can you go 2 or 3 years if putting only 5K miles total on the engine? No short trips or harsh environment.

Any "over the counter" oil filter, including the least expensive "white can no brand" bulk filters used by lube shops, fleet service companies, & nationwide chain auto service, will work in just about every car on the market, for the duration of the recommended oil change interval. Oil Change Intervals include mileage & time. Not because it's a biodegradable oil filter which will compost itself in a year. It is because once the oil is out of the bottle and in your car, you shouldn't leave it for over a year. However, a lot of people will dispute that opinion. Their favorite synthetic oil is impervious to water vapor, and is fine for up to 10,000 miles - even if that takes 10 years!

Personal experience is that I had a car which I just wasn't driving. Over 2 years, I logged less than 1,000 miles. Literally less than 10 miles a week, 52 weeks a year, for over 2 years. Figured it should be fine with full synthetic oil. The oil wasn't going to break down. It was an expensive, boutique brand oil with overpriced filter. Checked the dipstick, the oil was clean. Out of curiosity, I looked under the oil cap. I found milky sludge. Condensation. I'm sure that the filter element inside of the fitler was fine. However, there's oil in that filter. Probably condensation and sludge also.

If you have a car which you just aren't driving much - just change the oil and filter once a year.

Originally Posted by OilUzer
btw, I've heard about "oil & filter should be changed once a year regardless ..."

Rumors. Lies. Supposition without any supporting facts in evidence. It's what the oil & filter industry tell you, to make you spend more money on oil & filters. They are in cahoots with the paper & ink industry, to distribute more coupons, since people don't buy newspapers anymore.

 

[Snagglefoot]

It's like asking a barber if he thinks you need a haircut.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Originally Posted by Fifty150
Originally Posted by OilUzer
What is typical oil filter lifespan before the filter media becomes brittle or tears or goes bad, etc. taking about time and not the mileage.

Just change your oil & filter once a year.


Originally Posted by OilUzer
btw, I've heard about "oil & filter should be changed once a year regardless ..."

Originally Posted by Fifty150
Rumors. Lies. Supposition without any supporting facts in evidence. It's what the oil & filter industry tell you


Umm.... W.T.H.J.H.H?

 

[carviewsonic]

A long as each run gets and keeps the oil to operating temp for 1/2 hour or so, the oil would be fine for a few years (assuming low mileage and good TBN. I can't see a synthetic media quality filter not easily lasting for that duration as well.

I like original unrestored old cars, and always perk up when I see a story about one. A lot of those have gone many many years between oil and filter changes, with no harm done.

 

[philipp10]

common sense should tell you if filter media is soaked in oil and closed up from light inside a canister that it could probably sit there like that for 100 years and still be a viable material. It's not going to become brittle and break up....it's just not.

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by OilUzer
How long can you go with a good quality filter if you don't exceed the oci millage wise ?
for example can you go 2 or 3 years if putting only 5K miles total on the engine?


I've gone a few years without a change but that's on cars driven just a couple hundred miles, not 5,000. The oil filter can't filter out dissolved acids so check the dipstick after a year. If it's fairly dark, change the oil only and leave the filter alone if you want to save a little money.

 

[Kestas]

I've used a couple 20 year old Spectrum oil filters some 10 years ago. I live dangerously.

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted by Kestas
I've used a couple 20 year old Spectrum oil filters some 10 years ago. I live dangerously.

Those belonged in the Sears Hall of Fame.

 

[dnewton3]

Chronology is one thing; cyclic duty is another.

Most all filters, even cellulose based ones, are far more capable than folks think. I've run normal filters (PC and MC) for 15k miles; totally normal when cut open. I've run long duration OFCIs; up to 3 years with no issues internally (external rust was more of an issue than internal compromises). Syn media filters are likely even longer lasting.

 

[OilUzer]

The reason I got curious was because I recently bought a different brand oil filter (cartridge type) for a different car and i see wire mesh inside it. The oem filter didn't have the wire mesh or I can't see it ... Made me wonder if the cartridge can break or something and that's why there is a wire mesh. For this particular car I change the oil twice a year and it's no issue. But have a much older car that I change the oil once every 2 years and got worried about oil filter breaking apart but I can't see the inside of that filter since its a regular filter and not a cartridge !

 

[dnewton3]

2 years for the FCI should be easily within a filter's ability.
When Jim Allen visited Fram labs, he asked about this very topic.
Officially, he was told "follow the OEM schedule".
Unofficially, he was told 3 years is a no-brainer; 5 years is "iffy", assuming the cyclic duty is not grossly exceeded.

 

[4WD]

Wire mesh gets used when the media type (Synthetic) does not have structural integrity …
Standard and blended media filters are stiff enough as is …

 

[DudeNiceRide]

All the internal parts submerged in oil should be fine. But the exterior may rust (weaken the pressure vessel's durability) and the outer sealing gasket may be exposed to UV, temperature cycling, etc and it can take on compression-set after time (gets hard and loses ability to seal). Most oil & filter brands are touting 10k mile for syn-blend and 15-20k with syn oil. Some Honda manuals call for oil filter change every other oil change.

 

[UncleDave]

Originally Posted by DudeNiceRide
All the internal parts submerged in oil should be fine. But the exterior may rust (weaken the pressure vessel's durability) and the outer sealing gasket may be exposed to UV, temperature cycling, etc and it can take on compression-set after time (gets hard and loses ability to seal). Most oil & filter brands are touting 10k mile for syn-blend and 15-20k with syn oil. Some Honda manuals call for oil filter change every other oil change.

Most hondas call for a filter change every other OCI.

They use an A/B + a code based system that outlines what should get done. An A means no filter change

Hondas oil life monitor can allow up to 10K per OCI so theoretically the OEM filter could be asked to stay in 20K miles.

Honda OEM filters (AO1,2,3) are pretty middle of the road construction wise and don't have wire backing on the media and have no problem with the 20K interval nor do you hear about problems with them.

Something like an Ultra/ napa platinum, high-end wix is a step up in about every way from the media to the backing and Im very comfy running them all the way out as intended.

Honda has no problem with 20K - you shouldn't either.


UD

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Originally Posted by UncleDave


Honda has no problem with 20K - you shouldn't either.



UD






Yes but you're trying to make a car last and Honda's working you into their car replacement program of planned obsolescence. Trust that little feeling of doubt in your mind.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Yes but you're trying to make a car last and Honda's working you into their car replacement program of planned obsolescence. Trust that little feeling of doubt in your mind.

No they are not. They are working to make the most reliable cars on the market. If they are recommending a two-OCI oil filter change then they have determined it makes no difference in the long term reliability.

I've been going two OCIs on my old Accord using Honda A01 filters for a long time. The leakdown test I did a few months back showed the engine to be in very good condition despite the miles.

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted by dnewton3
...Most all filters, even cellulose based ones, are far more capable than folks think. I've run normal filters (PC and MC) for 15k miles; totally normal when cut open. ... Syn media filters are likely even longer lasting.
All true, but we're battling popular superstition (and marketing), as can be seen by some posts in this thread.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted by Fifty150
Originally Posted by OilUzer
What is typical oil filter lifespan before the filter media becomes brittle or tears or goes bad, etc. taking about time and not the mileage.

Filter media being a synthetic product, man-made, as opposed to an organic product such as cotton, silk, or wool.......will be in the environment for a very long time. Think of it in a landfill for over 100 years. It will not disintegrate or decompose - while it's in the filter canister, attached to your car's engine block. Those filters can sit on a shelf for a decade, as the packaging fades, and the filter media on the inside will be just like new.

Just change your oil & filter once a year.

Originally Posted by OilUzer
How long can you go with a good quality filter if you don't exceed the oci millage wise ?
for example can you go 2 or 3 years if putting only 5K miles total on the engine? No short trips or harsh environment.

Any "over the counter" oil filter, including the least expensive "white can no brand" bulk filters used by lube shops, fleet service companies, & nationwide chain auto service, will work in just about every car on the market, for the duration of the recommended oil change interval. Oil Change Intervals include mileage & time. Not because it's a biodegradable oil filter which will compost itself in a year. It is because once the oil is out of the bottle and in your car, you shouldn't leave it for over a year. However, a lot of people will dispute that opinion. Their favorite synthetic oil is impervious to water vapor, and is fine for up to 10,000 miles - even if that takes 10 years!

Personal experience is that I had a car which I just wasn't driving. Over 2 years, I logged less than 1,000 miles. Literally less than 10 miles a week, 52 weeks a year, for over 2 years. Figured it should be fine with full synthetic oil. The oil wasn't going to break down. It was an expensive, boutique brand oil with overpriced filter. Checked the dipstick, the oil was clean. Out of curiosity, I looked under the oil cap. I found milky sludge. Condensation. I'm sure that the filter element inside of the fitler was fine. However, there's oil in that filter. Probably condensation and sludge also.

If you have a car which you just aren't driving much - just change the oil and filter once a year.

Originally Posted by OilUzer
btw, I've heard about "oil & filter should be changed once a year regardless ..."

Rumors. Lies. Supposition without any supporting facts in evidence. It's what the oil & filter industry tell you, to make you spend more money on oil & filters. They are in cahoots with the paper & ink industry, to distribute more coupons, since people don't buy newspapers anymore.


I prefer to "OVER MAINTAIN" , even if it costs a bit more!

 

[Fifty150]

Your Ford is suppose to be 5,000 miles, with synthetic blend 5W-20. If you changed oil every 2,500 miles, you would not hurt your car. If you used conventional oil for 10,000 miles, well; according to Kendall, NY taxis can run that for 100,000 miles.

Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
I prefer to "OVER MAINTAIN" , even if it costs a bit more!

We need real science. Real confirmed, validated data. Not theoretical mathematics based on used oil analysis of a random sample of the population. If someone, anyone, could start with every make and model available, run those cars in a controlled testing environment, replicate the results with consistency, then publish findings.......Somebody else's UOA on their Subaru, with whatever combination of oil & filter, couple with the UOA of a 15 year old Toyota using a different combination of oil & filter; has nothing to do with your Dodge K Car; which you are living out of. Okay, well, maybe it's me. I live out of a Dodge K car, but that's nobody else's business.


I want to see some science. I want to know, based on replicated testing with consistent results. I want to see how a full synthetic oil is better than generic conventional; where they handicap the outcome. In a Crown Victoria, used for severe duty fleet service, Ford recommends a synthetic blend, to be changed every 3,000 miles. How would the engines look if they followed OEM specifications?

We know that Kendall kept the engine fairly clean for 100,000 miles. Which is maybe not a big accomplishment considering that today's vehicles easily go over 100,000 miles, and that should be possible using any full synthetic oil.

Here is where I read between the lines. The conventional oil in the testing, was changed every 10,000 miles, and the engine ran 100,000 miles without catastrophic failure. Nobody here would drive 10,000 miles on conventional oil, but the testing showed that it can be done, and the car kept running.