Age Limit on Oil Filters
- Thread starter Surfdog4
- Start date
It's not an apples-apples comparison but I used a 19 y.o. Fram Ultra on my Odyssey last year. Dissection revealed that it was still in perfect condition after a 5k-ish OCI.
Okay, I won't use any old oil filters on my 65 VW beetle that has no oil filter but a screen wire on the oil pickup.
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- Jul 15, 2023
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I think it depends on how they are stored. Garage? No. In a sealed plastic bag in a relatively cool, dry place? Might not be that bad.
I'm probably in those threads that kschachn provided with this same story, but here's my 2¢...
some time back between 2010-2014 I was doing the oil service for my Buddy's Vibe. I wanted to get some cheap WIX made filters, and found a deal on Rock auto, a private label closeout thing. they had I think 6, at around $1 each. ordered them all....
when they came, the Date codes Didn't match up to the (at the time) "Current" wix format, so I posted about them, and emailed Wix.
These were labeled for "Big A Auto" a chain i found out had Folded in the late 90's... somewhere around '97 iirc...once I had fully explained the situation to wix Customer service, they recommended NOT using them, as they only give Filters a 5 year shelf life.
some time back between 2010-2014 I was doing the oil service for my Buddy's Vibe. I wanted to get some cheap WIX made filters, and found a deal on Rock auto, a private label closeout thing. they had I think 6, at around $1 each. ordered them all....
when they came, the Date codes Didn't match up to the (at the time) "Current" wix format, so I posted about them, and emailed Wix.
These were labeled for "Big A Auto" a chain i found out had Folded in the late 90's... somewhere around '97 iirc...once I had fully explained the situation to wix Customer service, they recommended NOT using them, as they only give Filters a 5 year shelf life.
I can Guarantee the ones I got sat on a shelf, in a cardboard box, in an un-climate controlled southern warehouse for the better part of 20 years....
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I just purchased and installed a 5 year old Wix WL10332 I purchased 2 days ago from O’Reillys. The box was faded and covered with dust.
No choice since it was the only one left and the only one eligible for the Valvoline Restore and Protect oil change deal of the month.
No choice since it was the only one left and the only one eligible for the Valvoline Restore and Protect oil change deal of the month.
They give a shelf life of 5 years because they don't know how they may be stored, could be a worst case storing scenario, plus it's in their business interest to sell new filters.
