Toilet Paper Oil Filter (was Re: [Farmall] Super M Oil Filter)

[Steve Offiler]

I give Ed a lot of credit for his careful handling of the commercial 
disclaimers.

Personally, having only ever heard of the TP oil filter in the notoriously 
chintzy JC Whitney catalog of 25-ish years ago, I had a generally negative 
default opinion from the outset.

To my surprise, a Google search turned up military specification documents 
referencing bypass oil filtration and toilet paper cartridges.  Maybe there *is* 
some legitimacy here...?

Correct me if I'm wrong:  I understand that the factory "full-flow" type filter 
is designed for high flow and low pressure drop, and therefore has relatively 
large pores in the filtration media.  The TP filter does not replace the factory 
filter but rather is run in addition to the factory filter.  The TP filter has 
effectively very small pores and the downside is a much higher pressure drop and 
reduced flow rate.  Therefore, full flow cannot be run through the TP filter or 
the engine would starve for oil.  Instead, a fraction of the total oil flow is 
bypassed and run thru the TP filter where it is cleaned more thoroughly because 
the filter media has much smaller pores and traps smaller particulate.  This oil 
mixes back with the bulk of the oil, but over time, an averaging effect takes 
place and all of the oil at some point passes thru the TP filter.  OK so far?

Questions that arise in my mind:

- A guiding principle in engineering is that everything always takes the path of 
least resistance.  Since the TP filter is such a heavy restriction, exactly what 
is the relative flow rate between the oil passing thru the TP filter vs the 
amount that bypasses?  I would think the flow differences would be quite large, 
and effectively a tiny fraction of oil is actually being filtered in the TP 
filter at any given time.

- Claims are made that oil never needs to be changed.  This concerns me.  There 
is far more happening in the oil than merely loading up with microscopic 
particulate.  For one thing, acids tend to form, due to combustion byproducts 
blowing past the rings.  These acids probably won't touch cast iron, but I'd be 
quite concerned about acidity (over time) damaging bearing shells.  For another 
thing, oil does in fact "wear out".  Long-chain hydrocarbons break down over 
time, resulting in what the TV ads call "viscosity breakdown".

- Laboratory oil analysis is quite common these days, and readily available. 
Has an oil sample ever been tested from a vehicle run for an extended period of 
time on the TP filter with NO oil changes?  Aside from basic data indicating the 
condition of the used oil from a lubrication standpoint, this would also turn up 
evidence of metals such as copper that are being broken down by acids, not to 
mention stray substances arising from a breakdown of the TP itself.

I'm not criticising Ed.  I am genuinely curious.


Best regards and Happy Holidays to all,
Steve O.
Sterling, CT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ed" <crest25 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Farmall/IHC mailing list" <farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 11:29 AM
Subject: Re: [Farmall] Super M Oil Filter


> With all the discussion about oil filters for your Farmall, I would be remiss 
> if I didn't pop in and at least make one comment. I please forgiveness to the 
> owner/moderator for this because it hinges on commercialism or spamm but I am 
> only doing it to inform the members of the list as to what occured for decades 
> back.
>
>  I am an authorized distributor for the Frantz Oil Filter. The website is 
> www.WeFilterIt.com and the filter is not new but some of you youngsters may 
> not have ever heard of it before. It might be a shock to you to learn the 
> cartridge is actually a roll of toilet paper. Yep, good ol T.P.
>
>  The filter used to be called the Frantz Oil Cleaner. That is because it 
> cleans the oil and thus with clean oil, why change it? Yes, I never change my 
> oil in my "daily driver" automobile. I do change the filter (T.P.) every 2000 
> miles or so. When changing the T.P. a 1/2 qt of oil is added to replace that 
> which the old filter absorbs and is discarded. I'm told the old cartridge 
> makes a good starter for bon fires or even BBQ but I don't do that myself.
>
>  I don't know what NAPA charges for a new cartridge but usually a roll of T.P. 
> will run like 50-cents plus or minus. That's it. Don't change oil and give 
> more green bucks to the Middle East or rich gas executives. Keep it in your 
> pocket. Just change the T.P. For a tractor with average use - and dusty use - 
> I'd change it about every six months. Let's see, that's about $1 a year I 
> think.
>
>  I sell the units, I sell the Frantz brand T.P. that is the exact size, etc., 
> and I install locally. That's all the info you need. Any further would 
> definately be spamm and so no prices, etc. unless you contact me off-line.
>
>  These were VERY popular back in the 60's and 70's. We all had them on our 55 
> Chevy's and GTOs, etc. The Frantz guys would drive their VW busses all decked 
> out with Frantz decals, etc. and made service installation calls to your home. 
> Ah, just a little bit of history. We had them on heavy equipment, semi 
> tractor-trailer rigs, and standard passenger cars. They work on generators and 
> any other machine that needs oil filtering/cleaning.
>
>  You heard it first (and last) right here. I live in Pinon Hills (not too far 
> from Apple Valley, CA) and own a '46 Farmall that I work my property with 
> towing a disc accessory consisting of 2 rows of about 12 discs each.
>
>  Happy Tractoring and Merry Christmas to all of you.
>
>  Ed Greany
>  Crest25 at sbcglobal.net
>
>
> Richard Pope <popeman at verizon.net> wrote:
>  Thank you to Dan, Kurt and Kenly for all the info on an oil filter for the 
> Super M. I had one sent from the closest IH/Case dealer, about 150 miles from 
> my home.
>
> Richard Pope
> Apple Valley, CA
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