how old is this filter?

[Jakegday]

hello all. ive been wondering this for a little while now and thought i would ask here... i bought this filter from rockauto.com a few months ago. i bought it with some car parts. they had the regular motorcrafts for $4.something then they had these for like $1.99, and they only had 3 left. so i bought all 3. they look different, and alot older, then the fl-1a's they have at wal mart now

they only number i could find on the filter is 910069811

and regardless of how old it is, it would still be ok to use, right??

 

[ctc]

as long as you don't see any rust...

 

[Gary Allan]

Read the stenciled number that you'll find somewhere on there. On the newer ones it's right below "Made in the USA and runs vertically. Maybe we can decipher the date code. Somewhere there should be an 02-09 in that number ..which you can typically use to back track the month. Most are down to the minute that it rolled off of the line.

My newer boxed FL1A (D9AZ-6731-A) is 910250711

The only mix that makes sense to me at the moment is (9)10-25-07(11). It could also be 9-10-(0)2 (line) 5 @ 07:11

I only have one to compare, so it's just a guess.

 

[c3po]

My Dad had a 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V, I think he may have an old oil filter laying around, will check to see if it is a Motorcraft Oil Filter.

 

[Jakegday]

hmmm Gary you may be on to something, my # is 910069811, so 10-06-98 maybe?

i just checked my other one, its 904069811

 

[brianl703]

Motorcraft was using that packaging design about 10 years ago.

 

[Gary Allan]

Well, the first "9" is common as is the "11" on the back end, so that may be a plant or a line. We can probably pull that out of the noodling.

It would work a (plant/line)xx-xx-xx(plant/line) Both are 9-xx-xx-xx-11

It's just speculation ..but the usual suspects are all there. Most have advanced to alpha numeric lot numbers that have plant/line/date/time ..to the minute.

My SuperTech is 092304EN1 07:53 ..that one is pretty easy. The "E" may be for the Ecore design. The N is probably the plant and the "1" is probably the line (I think that they only have one Ecore line). "Product of USA" is there too, so they may use the same notation in Mexico or wherever.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: brianl703
Motorcraft was using that packaging design about 10 years ago.


+1 thats really old packaging.

 

[SuperBusa]

Originally Posted By: Jakegday
... and regardless of how old it is, it would still be ok to use, right??


I'd question the flexability of the rubber parts in the filter. The ADBV may not work as well if it's getting stiff from age.

Hummm ... "Long Life" oil filter. Wonder what long life was back then?

 

[labman]

It is quite possible the paper media has deteriorated. What is a 10 year old newspaper like? I wouldn't risk it.

 

[SuperBusa]

Originally Posted By: labman
It is quite possible the paper media has deteriorated. What is a 10 year old newspaper like? I wouldn't risk it.


It sounds like a good candidate for a "how much does a 10 year old oil filter deteriorate" cut-it-open experiment.

 

[Jakegday]

well ive got one of the 3 of my fairmont right now. im definitely cutting it open at the end of its OCI. i still have the other 2, 1 of them has a good size dent on the bottom of it, i may cut that one open instead of using it

 

[SuperBusa]

Originally Posted By: Jakegday
well ive got one of the 3 of my fairmont right now. im definitely cutting it open at the end of its OCI. i still have the other 2, 1 of them has a good size dent on the bottom of it, i may cut that one open instead of using it


I'd cut the dented one open. You might find a reason to remove the one on the car ... maybe not, but you won't know until you cut one open. IMO, I'd rather spend $5 on a new filter than risk it not really knowing the condition of the guts on a 10 year old filter.

 

[daman]

That filter is just fine for use.

 

[labman]

OK cut the dented one open. If it is fine, 2 good filters for $6 is a good deal. If not, you may avoid a disaster.

 

[Jakegday]

not sure if this will cause disaster, also not sure if i should use the last one.... you can clearly see what age has done to the medias color

input guys???

 

[labman]

If it still seems flexible, they may be OK. Paper eventually gets brittle and cracks when flexed.

 

[Jakegday]

yep its flexible. not one part of it felt like it was ready to tear or break...

 

[Gary Allan]

If I had it, I'd employ an age old reconditioning technique. You immerse the media in a common motor oil. Refresh every once in a while.

Seriously, when I get to them, I'll have hydraulic filters that will over a decade old.

 

[Rand]

Those arent that old. the walmarts by me had those until about 1-2 years ago max.

some of the sizes changed to the new box faster than others.

Those were probably from 07