Filters

[Smitty77]

This is a caution to others that are ordering, and a recommendation to Filter Barn to change their business practices.

I ordered four filters, 2 each of FS1015 and FS1022, Fleetguard’s. These both have three year shelf lives.

Good price, and prompt well packaged shipment and delivery. However:

-FS1022 – Had year codes of 2013, with high Julian Dates (later in the year). So this was good.

-FS1015 – Had year codes 2004, with lower Julian Dates. So these were just under 6 years expired, per Fleetguard’s Three Year Shelf Life. This was bad.
(Note: Shelf lives vary between different kinds of filters, and filtration materials. 3 years on this product.)
I called Filter Barn, asked about the age of the filters. The gent was polite, and said they would ship two replacement filters, and to go ahead and salvage the first two.
Two new filters arrived with a 2011 Julian Date 127 - so these are not expired, but have a remaining shelf life of about four months.

I'll keep these for our spares, though I frankly am not pleased with filters that have less than four months of shelf life, and will cycle these out this year.

To Filter Barn:

I recommend that if you sell filters that are expired, per the manufacturer’s guidelines, that you should identify them as 'New/Expired Stock' - and discount price them accordingly. (While I’d personally not purchase Expired Stock, others may wish to do so.)

I recommend that if you are providing filters with less than 1 year shelf life, that you should identify them as 'New/Limited Life Stock' - and price these accordingly.

This posting is done in a positive nature as a caution to those that are shopping for filters, and as a recommendation to Filter Barn on being more forthright on the stock that they are selling. I wish them only the best, and this is not done to be vindictive – but I feel it is wrong to sell Expired Stock without identifying it up front as being so.

I sure understand that many will not have a problem with using older/expired filters. I do, and the manufacturers have ‘Shelf Life’ for a reason. So I’ve shared my opinion, and it is OK if others feel differently.

Be safe, have fun, best to all,
Smitty

[al2ride]

A lot of people are unaware of shelf-life. I would have sent them all back especially the ones that only have months left in them.

[wb7auk]

They are not the only one's I purchased a filter that was 8 years old however the company had the filter company send a new one to replace it.

One has to check the dates as there is a lot of old stock being sold.

[Arch Hoagland]

Thanks for the thread. I never knew some oil filters have a shelf life.

Many years ago I put a Fram oil filter on a 77 Toyota. The filter split open when I started the truck.

Took it back to the auto parts store and they gave me a new one. The second one made it half way around the block before it split open.

I went to the Toyota dealer and got a filter. Problem solved.

From that day forth I have always gone to the dealer to buy my oil filters.

I had also read an article back in those days that the market was being flooded with counterfeit filters so I figured a dealer filter might have a better chance at being legitimate.

[fastcat]

Well, I hate to admit being this uninformed at my age by I'd never heard of filter shelf life either. Guess I need to check the ones I just bought off eBay for my Cummins.

[al2ride]

I don't think all oil filters have a shelf-life. I think it's due to the materials used (glue, rubber, etc.). If a manufacturer stamps a Julian date on it, then it's either because some materials break down with time, or they want to make more money.

[Smitty77]

These were fuel filters. But Spike45, heavy on the Cummins section, pointed out that almost all filters have an expiration date. Material, including adhesives and resins, all factor into just how long a shelf life they will have.

Go by what the manufacturer of the filter says, not the place selling it.

Date codes formats vary between manufacturers, and locations of the fabrication.

These Fleetguards have two formats that I have seen:

1) yyddd "08164" is the year 2008, and the 165th day of that year.

2) yyddd bbbbbbbbbb "08164 ba123457" is the same date, and then the batch number used for internal tracking.

This is the date of manufacturing's Final Inspection. You would add 3 years to this date, to know when these fuel filters were expired Shelf Life wise.

Other filters and manufactureres can have different lengths/Shelf Lives.

Smitty

[spritz]

Wow I never new this either I will start checking them as needed.
Thanks,tb

[whitetop]

Thanks for the post. I thought I was a pretty savy and rounded person on most maitence issues.Well sure learned a good one today.That's exactly why I value this forum so much. Thank you a bunch for the enlighiment.Happy Trails

[fastcat]

The only number I found on my Fleetguard LF9009 is inkjet printed on the bottom: 121181827 followed by 00:48. Does that mean anything?

[becks]

Smitty, thanks much for the great info.

[greatlakes]

News to me as well. Thanks for the schooling.

[Smitty77]

Originally Posted by fastcat

The only number I found on my Fleetguard LF9009 is inkjet printed on the bottom: 121181827 followed by 00:48. Does that mean anything?

I read that as 2012, 118th day, batch 1827 (But, I admit it is a guess on my part that it is batch 1827.) Pretty sure the 00:48 is 48 mins after Midnight.

I noted on my filters made in Mexico, that they also added a the Mex into the identification. Assume this is for 'total component content' count of non USA companies. So different factories seem to have different formats.

(My background was in Aerospace manufacturing, so these date identification formats are not completely new to me.)

Best,
Smitty

[HeapBigEngin]

This, IMO, has been one of the most informative, helpful discussions here in a long time. Have turned wrenches on many things over many years, but, like others, I just never thought of oil filters having shelf life. I was wrong....

I have a supply of several types of filters I purchased from Filterbarn earlier this year, so yesteday I checked the dates and called Cummins (Fleetguard). I discovered that 2 of the 4 oil filters were considerably over their recommended 5-year shelf life.....including the one I just installed on the coach in November before annual storage. I will change that one out in Spring....threw the other "old" one away. The others are all OK. Since FBarn charged me for 2 oil filters but sent me 4 in error, I guess I broke even.....short of the "thrill" of changing the old one I just put on!! (I called them after receiving the filters, but they "absorbed" the cost of the extra 2. Now I think I know why!!)

Originally Posted by Smitty77

I read that as 2012, 118th day, batch 1827 (But, I admit it is a guess on my part that it is batch 1827.) Pretty sure the 00:48 is 48 mins after Midnight.

I noted on my filters made in Mexico, that they also added a the Mex into the identification. Assume this is for 'total component content' count of non USA companies. So different factories seem to have different formats.

(My background was in Aerospace manufacturing, so these date identification formats are not completely new to me.)

Best,
Smitty

The Cummins rep told me yesterday that the codes such as 1827, 1824, etc. are their manufacturing plant identification code. Smitty....you are right re the 00:00 info....that is the time of the day that the filters were manufactured.

I dunno'. This whole thing reinforces the concern of "buyer beware". No way I am going to take chances on an "older" $30 oil filter (or any other) that could adversely affect the $30,000 engine in the rear of our coach. And this leaves a very bad taste in my mouth regarding FBarn....that's for sure!