The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Toilet paper oil filters

More from KANADIAN KORNER. My Canadian built 1300 has an "aftermarket toilet paper oil filter " that the farmer who once owned it installed. I haven't opened it up to look inside
fearing I might encounter a rolled up Sears and Roebuck Catalogue ......
So are these things any good? I was thinking of installing a more modern apparatus. Anybody have any experience with these things?
Thanks for any advice -coolchevy

Seems the toilet roll filter is common. I cannot see why they would not work. I would prefer a real filter however. I have an aftermarket canister filter on my 235 and there are a few models available to fit it. As far as putting a filter on your motor it seems there are many opinions both pro and con regarding its effectiveness.

A lot of old timers did that. No reason that I'm aware of that you couldn't track down a replacement filter (not sure what year truck you have or I'd try to offer something more specific!).

Downy or White Cloud? Or would ya use the cheap stuff that feels like sandpaper!

My Dad said that there were no such thing as a toilet paper filter. He told me that the after market filter like FRAM (or any other brand) was made for a real filter. People in those days were (how do I put this?) Thrifty! So many noticed that T.P. worked great! Dad also said that as soon as we could afford better, we did, because the T.P. filter was MESSY!

Cliff59

You may have a Frantz filter or a similar device that is worth $200 if you want to buy one today Frantz Filter

They filter verry well - in my opinion better than the most other filters.
The toilet paper filters removes particles as small as 1/10th of a micron in size, that is equivalent to the size of particles in cigarette smoke.

I swear by it since my grandpa used it since the 60es on every car he had with good results.

I have one on the 235 since 3 years as a usual bypass and one on the Voyager as an additional baypass to the spinn on filter, but for some strange reason if it comes to oil and filters it is always an almost religious discussion here. :rolleyes:

I cange the toilett paper twice a year - no big deal but you have to refill the amount of oil that the roll contains (about half a quart)

I bought a used one Ebay for $120 and was happy to save some ca$h So if you wonna get rid of it I´m sure there are some guys that would jump on it.

@cliff

I don`t want to offend your dad but this is from the original instructions:

"Therein lies the real genius of Mr. John Frantz' patented invention. He designed his Oil Cleaner/Filter to use a filter element that is already widely available and cheap: a roll of Toilet Paper! It has been proven that this roll of thin paper, manufactured and sold for a different familiar purpose, is also a most highly effective oil filter. In the Frantz Oil Cleaner/Filter, the roll is placed over a hollow upright post where it fits snugly. Oil from the engine pressure source flows up through this central post and is forced downward through the circular roll of paper, "from one end of the roll to the other", so to speak, through about four and one-half inches of densely rolled paper. The oil has nowhere to go except through the paper, which is highly effective in trapping fine particles. The bottom edge of the roll rests upon a metal screen which holds it in place. Filtered oil passes through this screen and is returned to the crankcase."

You can put a TP roll in a Fram housing and some guys may have done that, but a real TP filter housing looks way different inside (special carier for the roll, screen, oil flow).

They became popular in the late 50es early 60e and where sold like on a Tupper Party.

My grandpa had - what they called - an EES-Garage back in the 60es and 70es.
Part of AAFES where the GIs over here in Germany had ther private cars maintained and fixed.

I remember that he sold those Frantz Filters a big time back then.

Frank

Hummmm! I think I will show dear old Dad this thread and ask him more questions. I mean he Did live during the time of the T.P. filters.

Thanks Fred.

Cliff59

Don't use the scented toilet paper. Your truck will smell like a sissy.

I can't imagine that a roll of toilet paper could hold up to any high pressures and do any real good. My dad and uncles told me of this years ago. They said that the toilet paper would degrade and end up flowing through the oiling system. They had to clean the toilet paper out of the canister. I would never put a roll of toilet paper in my truck for a filter. There is no relief valve in any rolls of toilet paper that I've seen.

The only filtering toilet paper is good for is keeping the $h!tt off my fingers when wiping my @$$.

Friend of mine back in the 60's had a side business selling these things. Trying to sell to a fleet owner he offered to install one for free and let the guy try it out. Buddy of mine installed the demo on a truck with the crankcase full of what could be called sludge. He did not drain the pan or pull the original filter. He would go back every 500 miles or so and change the TP and after a half dozen changes the oil was cleaner than out of the can. The fleet owner was sold and these filters installed on every vehicle he owned.
My only concern would be if you just replaced the oil held in the TP how would the detergent level be maintained after a time. Would seem a better option to change your oil as usual.

Holding up to high pressures? I may be different but some of mine hold up to high pressure. Haven't tried it in the truck yet, though.
TP is like life. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes!

Studies that I have read showed the tp filter to be better than nothing, but nowhere near as good as a quality filter. Biggest thing is to keep the oil changed on a regular basis. The acid that forms with condensation is harder on the engine than the dirt in the oil.

Cliff59, I grew up with these trucks. You could buy tp oil filters from JC Whitney, and numerous other places. But I don't remember when dirt was new, my memory ain't what it used to be.

My dad was a manager at a toilet paper mill. After seeing all the chemicals, acids, dyes, and stuff that goes into toilet paper, I wouldn't use it to filter my oil, even with the "john wayne" paper that these filters were designed for. Pulp is very corrosive to iron. The detergents in the oil may get most of it, but if you really want to filter the oil this way you should use lens paper or kimwipes.

im thinking that like anything, the toilet paper has changed a lot. i bet if you had a roll from back then,it was not as thick and more then likely more able to flow oil. with todays toilet paper, theres no way i would use it as a filter. wait. my 48 GMC dosent even have a filter :confused:

Wait, ask yourself how many sheets per roll? Quilted? How soft? Dont give your truck a rash! Oh this is great!

Ive talked to a few people who did this when they bought their trucks new. I just went down to my autoparts store, spent 7 bucks and got a real filter. Its about 8" tall for my old 216.
-Jeff

Are we talking about "canister" oil filters, or something totally different?

I'll bet Mr. Whipple's stovebolt had one of those filters. :p

Something at least somewhat different.

These filters were in their own separate canisters.

I ask because the '50 1/2 ton I had used a 'canister' oil filter.. the deal with the bolt on top.. seems like a tolit paper roll would have fit in there.

The '40 GMC 1.5 ton in my lawn has a simular deal on it.

Fumblin, it's a similar design, but not just a canister filter with a TP roll shoved in.

how about cutting a roll of bounty or another heavey duty hand towel?

I looked at the Frantz filters pretty hard a few years ago but did not buy one - I thought they were too expensive. The technical information and drawings on their website make a lot of sense and customer testimonials are rather convincing. (They do have a small orifice for the oil to flow thru at low pressure.) And I remember when they were popular back in the 60's. I would trust my 50 216 with one if they were lower priced. I don't think it's a good idea to put a roll of TP in my Fram or AC filter canister.

Thanks for all the great advice ( especially on softness and texture ) I think I'll go with some sort of a remote system . By the the way this filter does look very homemade.I'll keep you posted
Jeff