External Toilet Paper Filters

[Youngblood]

Whats everybody's take on the external toilet paper filters? At first I was afraid of the toilet paper filter filtering out the ad package but on a post earlier someone said most additives are essentially liquids so it probably won't filter them out. So, are they cost effective? Has anyone ran an analysis before installation, after x hours/miles, and then again in x hours/miles? One of the marketing ploys is claiming extended drain intervals (very extended) but I would be afraid of the viscosity changing. Here's some links;

frantz
gulf
oilguard

 

[Gary Allan]

A tp filter does a very good job. The media is cheap. The service life isn't that long though.

Depending on the size of your sump, it takes a while until the sump is "mature". The problem, if you call it one, is that when oil was Group I and recommended OCIs were 2000 miles or less, then they really saved some cash plus did a great job on filtering. Now you have oils that can last a very long time in comparison, so you're payback is a bit different. The roll will saturate at some variable rate depending on how much you introduce in combustion byproducts (and other stuff) into the oil. Most do 3k/3m tp filter changes. I imagine you could manage a fuel consumption component to change this number..but anyway, effectively you'll be dumping a very clean quart of oil in the servicing. Not such a bad deal if you're under 12k year. 4 quarts of oil and 4 rolls of tp ..forever. If you're up in the 18k a year bracket ..then you're doing 6 quarts a year ..and you're starting out with a new sump. So, you're doing your next (assuming 6 month OCI) oil change piecemeal.

If you're a 3k/3m type ...lots of pluses to it. If you're not trapped in the 3k prison, then you have to rely more on the finer filtering aspects of the filter for value.

Just factor your sump size plus one quart for the tp filter and then reduce the original sump by that percentage at each 3k interval. It take s long time to reduce the original sump to lower than the new oil your adding. The larger the sump ..the longer it takes.

Let's say a 4 quart sump and 1 quart for the filter

5 quarts new oil new filter
first change
80% original sump 20% new
64% 6k/16%3k/20% new
etc..etc..etc. You'll decrease all the % to .8 of their last value on each tp change. It takes a while to reduce the original 5 quarts to below 20% (the new add).

You can sorta factor your composite sump "age" if you so desire.

Great filtering. Cheap media. Shorter life span.

I'd say that if you were on the shorter end of the annual mileage spectrum they would work well. If you're on the higher side of the annual mileage spectrum then an Amsoil unit would be more suited to your needs.

 

[Harley Anderson]

Thats gotta be one of the best descriptive responses I've read on here about a tp bp filter. Thanks Gary.

Tp filters like the motorguard and frantz are one of the best inventions from the 60's. You gotta wonder why the auto manufacturers haven't caught onto it and used them as factory installed equipment. Well worth the money, time spent, and all the expensive oil I had to throw out to change the roll. Read some of Ralph Wood's posts and take that oilguard off your list because there's no sense buying an expensive element when you can go to any store and buy cheap replacements.

 

[Harley Anderson]

Also, I do 20-30k a year and I average one tp change a month every 2k miles. One oil change a year using amsoil ame and a eao filter. I think I am a candidate for Ralph's suggestion to never change the oil again but it's too tempting not to.

 

[Youngblood]

Yes, Harley is correct, thank you for the very informative response Gary. You give warm fuzzy feeling about this concept and it's application. Harley, I'm like you typically driving 20-30k a year. What kind/brand of toilet paper do you use? Something with aloe? lol. I'm assuming that needs to be used is paper that is unscented w/o lotion or aloe.

The only thing that worries me a little is the media giving way (a hole through the toilet paper). Has anyone ever encountered this?

Also, has anyone made their own setup? $150+ is pretty expensive for just a canister, oil lines, and some off the shelf fittings. Even though the Frantz setup looks great.

I kind of want to try this out on my 81 Rabbit Diesel truck, because the oil gets dark very quickly (which is to be expected on a diesel).

 

[Gary Allan]

You can probably pick up your own Motor Guard M30 for about $65 delivered if you look on the internet. I'm not sure what end collars they come with from MG. The one I got off of ebay had nylon collars (I assume, they took boiling water without softening) but you had to find (not too hard) 1.5" core tp. I had fab'd up a 1.5" copper sleeve that fit nicely into the 1 5/8 rolls to take up someone of the slack ..but I imagine that this would cause some spike for a bit in any UOA that was run. Not too bad if you're prepared for it.

The MG I have has a nylon mesh on the outlet end.

If you want to save about $50 ..ebay Frantz units usually peak out at around $95+/-.

 

[Harley Anderson]

I've been using scotts 1000 in the single roll which has the mandatory 1.5" core diameter. I picked my frantz up on ebay about two years ago which was new old stock from 1972. I paid $90 for the frantz with no fittings and have another $90 in fittings and lines from a local hydraulic shop. I could have saved money using barbed fittings and cheaper hose. The tp filter really caught my eye over the amsoil unit I could have bought for the same price.

 

[Youngblood]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
You can probably pick up your own Motor Guard M30 for about $65 delivered if you look on the internet. I'm not sure what end collars they come with from MG. The one I got off of ebay had nylon collars (I assume, they took boiling water without softening) but you had to find (not too hard) 1.5" core tp. I had fab'd up a 1.5" copper sleeve that fit nicely into the 1 5/8 rolls to take up someone of the slack ..but I imagine that this would cause some spike for a bit in any UOA that was run. Not too bad if you're prepared for it.

The MG I have has a nylon mesh on the outlet end.

If you want to save about $50 ..ebay Frantz units usually peak out at around $95+/-.



Wow, no joke. Motor Guard M30 That's a great price.

 

[Gary Allan]

Tool Paradise has them for about $3 less ..but I haven't checked out the shipping rate. I can't imagine the guy on ebay selling too many @ $107 with free shipping. I picked up 5 for $135 on ebay ..but 4 of them were in my minivan that got stolen. They were M30 units ..but someone must have bought them in bulk for some proprietary service. The filters inside had an 800 number on them to a filter company that was out of business. The Motor Guard logo/numbers were ground off of them ..but they were perfect in every way.