Air Filter in use for 6yrs 11mo 24.6k mi w/Pictures

[italian68]

The air filter in my 2006 Ram 2500 was in use for 6 years, 11 months, and 24,600 miles. Thought I should have changed it sooner, around 5 years, but it slipped my mind. I have not opened the airbox to inspect it since I first put the filter in there. Didn't expect it to look this clean. Very little dirt deep in the pleats, the paper was not dry, and the gasket seemed fine and sealing well. Were 7 years too long or not long enough? Filter out is Mopar 68441763AA, and filter in is WIX 42725.

 

[dnewton3]

air filters can go way, way longer than most folks believe, as long as they are not intensely subjected to heavy particulate areas (such as farming dust during planting and harvesting).

 

[Lubener]

Time and mileage mean little with an air filter. It all depends on the environment which the engine has operated in.

 

[MSCH]

I'd re use it... age shouldn't hurt one of those filters... not unless you were talking like 30 years or more

 

[Hermann]

That truck surely was operated in the Garden of Eden.

 

[SaberOne]

I’m kind of in the same boat as I went six years on mine. I live in the desert, so the silicone is finer than flour.

 

[Kira]

If, "a dirty filter is a happy filter", then your clean filter is unhappy.....wha..??

 

[doitmyself]

I change my workplace low-hour farm tractor air filters at about 6 years. They are quite a bit more dirty than the OP's, but the restriction gauges are still o.k.. I get a bit nervous that maybe the seal or element might fail at some time point. It is worth it to be a bit cautious on a $40,000+ piece of equipment.

 

[demarpaint]

I go by condition, not time. If the filter looks good has no tears I'll continue to use it regardless of how long it has been in the vehicle. Where I live the seem to hold up pretty well. The one in my 2016 Rubicon is the original, I checked it last a few months ago when I changed the oil. I'll check it again next OCI which will be in about another year and another 3K miles to get to my 5K OCI.

 

[fantastic]

I changed mine in my F350 at 25k & it was still in usable shape but I still replaced it out of maintenance. Yours looks even better than mine did at the same mileage. One car I had I just vacuumed out the loose stuff & threw it back in. Air filters seem to stay a lot cleaner than what they used to.

 

[OLEJOE]

The only way to tell an air filter needs changing is with a restriction meter or filter minder. If you want to see if it is working properly, disconnect the ducting going from the air box to the engine and check the intake tube. If you open it up to check it you might as well change it so you don’t have to open it up again.

 

[Plawan]

The air filter in my 2006 Ram 2500 was in use for 6 years, 11 months, and 24,600 miles. Thought I should have changed it sooner, around 5 years, but it slipped my mind. I have not opened the airbox to inspect it since I first put the filter in there. Didn't expect it to look this clean. Very little dirt deep in the pleats, the paper was not dry, and the gasket seemed fine and sealing well. Were 7 years too long or not long enough? Filter out is Mopar 68441763AA, and filter in is WIX 42725.

View attachment 149541
View attachment 149546

It’s look new

 

[Malo83]

Change mine every 2 years when the dreaded smog test comes up.