New-old-stock oil filters

[rovermorris999]

I have a few of these sitting on the shelf, some of them 30 years old. They look as good as new but I'm wondering if the paper element inside has degraded. There's no sign of this and I suppose a filter is cheap and an engine expensive so why take the risk but it sticks in the craw to throw them away.
Any thoughts? Am I being a skinflint?

[dobly]

Are they sealed / in a wrapper / box? Where have they been stored? - if dry and away from sun and massive temperature variations they’ll be fine.

[rovermorris999]

Yes, in the original boxes but not wrapped in those days. Kept in the dark in a cavity-walled but unheated garage so I suppose they should be ok. They aren't rusty and the boxes are dry.

[NDNDNDND]

You could always take a hacksaw to one and see what it's like inside to decide if it's safe to use the rest?

[trickywoo]

I’d put money on them being corroded internally.

[rovermorris999]

trickywoo said:

I’d put money on them being corroded internally.

Quite possibly, I'm leaning to buying new if and when I own the correct car again. For what they cost it's not worth the risk.

[bongtom]

If they’re sealed then there won’t be any moisture.

I acquired a few pallets of first Gen RD1 Honda CR-V parts quite randomly last month. Buddy bought a huge warehouse in Phnom Penh and ask me to come and catalogue stuff/get a general feel of all the “crap” that was part of the sale.

st loads of Honda stuff - mostly mid to late 90s CRVs as they are very popular here, although parts are very hard to find now.
In that lot was about 200 oil filters. All sealed OEM Honda. We cut one open as it was rusty. Inside perfect.

[rovermorris999]

Not sealed sadly, just loose in a cardboard box.