Reusing Filters

[WillBrinkhoff]

Any reason why you can't clean an old filter with diesel and reuse it?

 

[Nessism1]

Some manufacturers, honda for example, advocate changing the oil filter every other change. While I normally don't follow this advice, I did recently since the filter only had 3300 miles on it. I didn't bother to rinse it, just remove and dump out the old oil. It's messy, and generally not worth the hassle, but I didn't anyway.

 

[kschachn]

Any reason why you can't clean an old filter with diesel and reuse it?

Do you mean a cartridge filter?

 

[skyactiv]

Unless it’s the filter/strainer on an old air cold VW, NO.

 

[Urshurak776]

Any reason why you can't clean an old filter with diesel and reuse it?

Diesel fuel would cost more than the filter....so...no.

Oil filters are cheap overall. Why bother?

 

[NormanBuntz]

To save between $4 and $10 and get unknown results?

 

[jetman]

It would need to be back flushed under a little pressure with good flow rate and the anti-siphon valve held open.
Doable, somewhat complicated, for what?

 

[berniedd]

Nope. You won't flush away the dirt already embedded in the filter elements.

 

[kschachn]

Nope. You won't flush away the dirt already embedded in the filter elements.

Exactly. And if you do remove it then it leaves damage.

 

[Passport1]

Kinda, sorta like reusing head bolts.

 

[CharBaby]

Oil filters are the most under used filter on our vehicles. I use’m 2X.
With our vehicles that’s about 12-14k miles.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

Honda says I can reuse my filters for 2 oil changes. Honda’s maintenance minder also says I should run my oil out to almost 10,000 miles. I cut their recommendations in half to change both at 5k, an $8 filter is not worth cleaning or reusing IMO.

 

[cptbarkey]

Any reason why you can't clean an old filter with diesel and reuse it?

You would have no idea how much soot and material went away after a diesel cleansing. The media would also probably be somewhat compromised by the attempt. It might be a fun thing to try if you are a farmer penny pinching but otherwise your expensive diesel equipment deserves to be maintained properly.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Bad idea. Maybe if no new oil filters were in existence to buy.

 

[Kira]

1) As stated above, the dirt is embedded throughout the media.
2) In cases where a filter is "used twice", it's left in place. I wouldn't want to break the seal of an oil filter which has been subject to heat and time.

 

[Nessism1]

2) In cases where a filter is "used twice", it's left in place. I wouldn't want to break the seal of an oil filter which has been subject to heat and time.

why? The "seal" is a donut of rubber.

 

[Kira]

I've heard rubber and its cousins can dry. Ha, the o ring or square ring might be the one thing in our world they can't cheapen.
I'm not saying removal and reuse can't be done.
Perhaps leaving any good, economical seal undisturbed until change-out is a smarter thing to do.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Honda says I can reuse my filters for 2 oil changes. Honda’s maintenance minder also says I should run my oil out to almost 10,000 miles. I cut their recommendations in half to change both at 5k, an $8 filter is not worth cleaning or reusing IMO.

There is no way I would follow the Honda OLM in our 2018 car. It brings it up showing 15% life left at about 9500mi. No way I am going that far on an oci no matter what oil I use.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

There is no way I would follow the Honda OLM in our 2018 car. It brings it up showing 15% life left at about 9500mi. No way I am going that far on an oci no matter what oil I use.

Yeah my wifes 23 CRV was down to 20% at 4400mi and 9 months. My 22 civic is at 50% when I change every 5k but I’m doing 1200-1500 per month. I’m going to do both every 5000/6mo

 

[Kira]

I’m going to do both every 5000/6mo

At your 7,200 - 8,000 mi. per year, the Oil Police will advise yearly changes after you answer the 'short trips' question correctly.
What's your latitude?