A hydraulic filter that's done its job protects pumps, valves, and cylinders. A filter past its life is bypassing contaminated oil through the system. Catching the transition between those two states is the goal.
Most heavy machines have a Δp indicator on the hydraulic filter housing. When the differential between inlet and outlet rises past the spec value (commonly 1.5–2 bar), the filter element is restricted and the bypass valve is opening more often. That's the signal to replace.
Default replacement intervals run 500–2,000 hours depending on system pressure and contamination class. Severe environments (high pressure, frequent cycling, ambient dust) bring that down. Oil cleanliness sampling (ISO 4406 codes) gives you the data; the filter change interval should track the oil's contamination trend.
Hydraulic filters are not cleanable elements. Reinstalling a cleaned filter doesn't restore filtration efficiency; the depth media has already trapped what it can trap. Extending intervals to save cost is a false economy: pump and valve replacement costs orders of magnitude more than the filter.
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