dnewton3
Staff member
On the topic of cellulose filter life, I can offer this ...
If you know anything about diesels, water and moisture are MUCH more prevelent in the fuel than the oil. Fuel tanks "breath" much more than a crankcase, so to speak. If there were a moisture issue, it's typically in the fuel in a diesel. And any moisture present results in bio-growth in the fuel system; it can be awful and very slimey, for a lack of a better term. It will glog the fuel filter closed in a heartbeat. If you understand how a n/a, IDI diesel works, they typically run about a 10:1 ratio of fuel circulated to fuel consumed. Much of it is pumped back to the tank; it's both a way to cool the pump, and to keep the fuel clean. The return ratio may vary from unit to unit, but it's a generalization. I mention this because if you consumed 100 gallons of fuel, then your filter element passed 1000 gallons of fuel.
I recently serviced my Kubota, and took the fuel filter off and replaced it. The filter is cellulose (this one was a Wix brand). At the 400 hour service mark (probably 5"ish" years? I lost track), the used filter media was firm, solid, and not degraded in the least. The pleats were intact, the fibers were tenacious, and it took real hard thumb pressure to finally "rip" a pleat apart, up near the end-cap. I started to wonder why I even bothered to change it; the hour meter told me it was time, but the filter itself was as good as the day I installed it (5 years ago). But at that point, once you're into the job, the prudent thing to do is FCI; the mess has already been made.
Now - part of my long success and solid filter condition is because I use good fuel, and even though I store it for a year at a time (I bulk buy), I treat my fuel with not only a multi-purpose cetane/lube/PP suppressent, but also use a specific bio-cide. I use PowerService products, but there are other good brands. These are just easy to get at my local farm supply stores.
But my point is that when the liquid is in good shape (the oil or fuel), then the celluose media can last a LONG time.
Most any engine (and certianly any made for on-road use) produced in the last two decades is actually sealed up really well. Ryan Stark of Blackstone is on record of mentioning this many times. There is relatively low moisture intrusion any longer. So engine oil filters really see very little "water", unless you have an open circuit breather, or a bad coolant leak, neither of which is the fault of the filter ...
Cellulose filters can last much longer than folks given them credit for. I think 5 years duration is pretty doable in most cases. As always, the answer depends upon a healthy mechanical condition. And the OCI duration as well. One must look at both the calendar and the odometer/hour-meter, and then make a reasoned decision.
Oil and filters have no idea how old they are; they only know if they've been used or abused, relative to the exposure.
If you know anything about diesels, water and moisture are MUCH more prevelent in the fuel than the oil. Fuel tanks "breath" much more than a crankcase, so to speak. If there were a moisture issue, it's typically in the fuel in a diesel. And any moisture present results in bio-growth in the fuel system; it can be awful and very slimey, for a lack of a better term. It will glog the fuel filter closed in a heartbeat. If you understand how a n/a, IDI diesel works, they typically run about a 10:1 ratio of fuel circulated to fuel consumed. Much of it is pumped back to the tank; it's both a way to cool the pump, and to keep the fuel clean. The return ratio may vary from unit to unit, but it's a generalization. I mention this because if you consumed 100 gallons of fuel, then your filter element passed 1000 gallons of fuel.
I recently serviced my Kubota, and took the fuel filter off and replaced it. The filter is cellulose (this one was a Wix brand). At the 400 hour service mark (probably 5"ish" years? I lost track), the used filter media was firm, solid, and not degraded in the least. The pleats were intact, the fibers were tenacious, and it took real hard thumb pressure to finally "rip" a pleat apart, up near the end-cap. I started to wonder why I even bothered to change it; the hour meter told me it was time, but the filter itself was as good as the day I installed it (5 years ago). But at that point, once you're into the job, the prudent thing to do is FCI; the mess has already been made.
Now - part of my long success and solid filter condition is because I use good fuel, and even though I store it for a year at a time (I bulk buy), I treat my fuel with not only a multi-purpose cetane/lube/PP suppressent, but also use a specific bio-cide. I use PowerService products, but there are other good brands. These are just easy to get at my local farm supply stores.
But my point is that when the liquid is in good shape (the oil or fuel), then the celluose media can last a LONG time.
Most any engine (and certianly any made for on-road use) produced in the last two decades is actually sealed up really well. Ryan Stark of Blackstone is on record of mentioning this many times. There is relatively low moisture intrusion any longer. So engine oil filters really see very little "water", unless you have an open circuit breather, or a bad coolant leak, neither of which is the fault of the filter ...
Cellulose filters can last much longer than folks given them credit for. I think 5 years duration is pretty doable in most cases. As always, the answer depends upon a healthy mechanical condition. And the OCI duration as well. One must look at both the calendar and the odometer/hour-meter, and then make a reasoned decision.
Oil and filters have no idea how old they are; they only know if they've been used or abused, relative to the exposure.
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