Do the paper element oil filters, ever disintegrate over time?

We've got two MB diesels that have gone 5+ years without an oil filter change.

Should be changed at least every year.

Wouldn't be surprised if they disintegrate with time

I don't know for certain but would expect the filter media and or any glue used would deteriorate in that environment. If they do deteriorate they could restrict an oil passage leading to internal engine damage.

Good luck!!!

__________________
"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Why 1 year?

But do you have any examples to make such a claim?

If I remember correctly that's what the owners manual/service manual says that if you don't do enough miles then you should change it every year

Yes the factory interval is 1 year or x number of miles for oil and filter change. The x depends on the engine type.

If this is your CDI you should see ‘service exceeded by xxx days’ every time you start it.

__________________
The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

An oil and filter change is cheap compared to the cost of an engine rebuild or replacement.

__________________
Mercedes Benz Master Tech - Retired

There is no need to change the oil annually, that's an old myth:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-yt5a1cWd4

Or at the very least, it may have been true at one time, but is no longer the case with modern oil formulations, especially good quality synthetics. That said, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable going beyond 5 years on the same oil. But this may be a good opportunity to validate this - take a sample of your 5-year-old oil and send to Blackstone Labs for an analysis. That would be $20 well spent I believe, and would certainly make for an interesting discussion here in the forums!

Can't speak to the filter, but for folks who are into really long drain intervals, I know they do replace the filter periodically between oil changes, so I would imagine the filter is the weak link here. Some of the VW TDI guys will go 25k on the oil, but replace the filter every 7.5k.

I have personally experienced oil filter failure before. What happened was not a disintegration of the filter media, nor did any pieces make their way into the engine. The filter media collapsed internally, but it all stayed inside the canister. The symptom was an erratic reading on the oil pressure gauge. This was on an older Porsche that had a factory oil pressure gauge on the dashboard. Without that gauge, there would be no other way to tell, but certainly the engine would be starved for oil in that scenario, resulting in excessive wear.

__________________
Current fleet:
1998 E300 turbodiesel
2008 E320 bluetec - leaky oil cooler seals replaced
2012 S350 bluetec
2015 GL350 bluetec

Sold:
1996 Passat TDI
1997 E300 diesel

Manufacturers of engines and filters specify the time. Believe them or not, simple science & engineering.

one reason to change the oil regularly is the moisture that builds up in the oil, especially if the engine does a lot of short drives and doesn't get fully heated up to boil that stuff off.

If you like your MB engine, never just change the filter - good to get that sooty oil out.

__________________
1985 300TD 1981 Scirocco 1.6D conv 1986 Golf 1.6D 2003 Golf TDI

This parallels with most of what I know, and what I surmised. An owner of a Ford 7.3 turbodiesel reported that Blackstone's analysis of 100% synthetic oil with 15K on it, advised him to run the oil another 5K and then submit another sample. The 100% synthetics have tremendous longevity. Oil filters should be changed out more frequently. Both my CDI and 300SD have gone 5 and 8 years on the same 100% syn. It's the paperish oil filters I'm concerned about. My new Corvette goes several years between oil changes too. Never an issue.

Update on Blackstone prices: now costs $30 per test.

And my Cummins holds 3 gallons of synthetic. An oil analysis is worth it every so often to know what's going on.


My recently painted, partially put back together 85SD will receive an oil and filter when it is ready to be driven. The oil change after that will be sent off to be tested at 5000 mi.

__________________
85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Does anyone remember the old toilet paper oil filters?
https://www.toiletpaperoilfilter.com

I don't know why this thread reminded me of those. Perhaps it's the realization that toilet paper is designed to break down easily (in water). Conversely, toilet paper is also designed to clean crap... so it should really get the nasty shiit out of your oil, right?

Or maybe it's the prospect of being penny wise and pound foolish to not simply replace the oil filter annually? Especially considering how cheap and easily accessible they are on most modern MBZ's. I'd consider that to be cheap insurance.

So... keep the oil, but toss the filter? That is acceptable, so long as the oil remains serviceable. Blackstone will tell you that, along with a lot of other valuable data about what's going on inside your engine.

On a final note, I can't think of any reason why a modern polyester ("fleece" type) filter would degrade. But then again, I'm not a materials engineer. As for the old style pleated media filters, they do use a glue/adhesive in their construction. You'd think that there could be some possibility of degradation over time... but again, I'd bet that the engineers take into consideration the exposure to petroleum products when selecting the materials.

Of course, all bets are off if you are foolish enough to use cheap, no-name generic filters, or are unfortunate enough to get some defective knockoff counterfeit parts.

__________________
Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.

April Fools! bahahahahaha

__________________
Regards,
Ian White

1995 E300 Diesel w124 OM606
2014 E550 w212 M278 biturbo

2001 BMW 740i E38 M62 (past)
1981 300SD w126 OM617 (past)