Is 2 yrs OK for a filter that's not used much??

[davefr]

I have a tractor, a truck, and a collectors car that doesn't get used much. (we're talking less then 1000 miles year and maybe 10-20 hrs on the tractor).

I change oil annually. Am I safe to do the filter every other year? Does filtration media break down from just sitting?

 

[Gary Allan]

Hmm ..I dunno

I would say that heat/use does the most to degrade the internals of a filter...but I've not known anyone to keep one on that long. I mean I'm sure that others have ..but none that have examined them afterward to report on how well they did. In your use ...a cheap filter is probably all you need ..so I would probably just put a new one on. Time will attack your gems before anything that maintenance can prevent in wear.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Put a new one on if you're crawling under the car anyway.

 

[y_p_w]

Depends on the type of filter materials. The glue and cellulose could break down due to just sitting in a bath of oil over two years. Wouldn't possible water contamination (not fully heating up) make it worse?

Mann is producing a 100% plastic cartridge filter for Mercedes-Benz for their 1 yr/25K mile oil change intervals. If they had this material in a canister, I'd imagine it would be ideal for your use. These cartridge kits do go for about $15-20 each though. I'd think it would be more practical to just change every year with a cheapie oil filter (like an aftermarket Champ). $2 isn't too much to pay for a little piece of mind.

 

[Bamaro]

I have a collector car too that gets less than 1000 miles/yr and I usually go 2 years between changes

, although anytime it is driven, it goes at least 15-20 miles and therefor reaches full operating temp.