Frantz filter

[curatchko]

I'm thinking I want to install a by pass filter system. Frantz seems to be the cheapest.



Any frantz users here who can give me the thumbs up or down? Also, how often do you change oil with this? How often do you change the conventional filter? Toilet paper intervals? Brand of toilet paper?



Thanks,

Chris

 

[JGK]

I don't have one of their set-ups (yet - a future mod), but I was talking to one of the Frantz folks the other day (they are just down the road from me about 25 miles and had a booth at our state fair). He says the toilet paper they recommend can be found in most grocery stores or from them. He said the best to use is the sorta hard 2-ply type, like you typically find in commercial use (business bathrooms). Says the filter will filter out particles down to 1/10 micron. He's installed them on racers, daily drives, big rigs, boats, etc. From looking at them at their booth, it appears to be a good product for the price.



Can't remember the replacement interval he recommended. Might say on their web site (www.wefilterit.com).



JK

 

[WadePatton]

I'm going bigger

With the paper towel job from Gulf Coast Filters of OK.



I like the 6 quart added capacity because I'm going to stop changing oil. Just change that big filter and top it off.



The TP job does filter out smaller stuff.

 

[Got Smoke?]

Re: I'm going bigger

Originally posted by WadePatton

With the paper towel job from Gulf Coast Filters of OK.



I like the 6 quart added capacity because I'm going to stop changing oil. Just change that big filter and top it off.



The TP job does filter out smaller stuff.

Had a guy come show us his setup of that on a 98 or 99 3500 used for hot shot hauling in Gallatin Wade. I'm still kinda about that. I wouldn't be intersted in running it on my truck, but hey that's just me

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I understand Frantz systems filter very well, but there is one significant disadvantage: you are supposed to change the element every 2000 miles, and lose a quart of oil in the process. That would get expensive if you run synthetic, probably OK with dino oil. I would get tired of messing with it 14 times a year.



I guess it would work well if someone went on one of those percentage changeout oil programs like on power steering pumps, you know, where you replace a few quarts of oil every few thousand miles and eventually all the original oil will be replaced



Vaughn

 

[WadePatton]

"Supposed to" is the catch. Like you're "supposed to" change your oil at 3500 or 7000 depending on your "schedule".



I plan to simply check the downstream flow. When oil flow through the BP filter slows significantly, THEN I'll change the element. Who knows it could be 1000 miles. But I suspect It'll be a few more than that. We WILL find out.

 

[JGK]

Vaughn,



I'd like to know more details about the issue of loosing a quart of oil.



The guy I talked to said it used to be that if you mounted the filter unit upright (bracket on the bottom, housing on top), it was messy changing the paper filter because when you removed the housing, oil draining from the paper would spill out over the mounting bracket. The solution to this was to mount the set-up upside down (bracket on top), much like your oil filter is mounted on the engine. This would cause the housing to hold the paper roll and the oil it contained. That may be where the quart of oil was lost.



They've apparently redesigned the mounting bracket so that you can mount it upright but when you remove the housing, excess oil doesn't spill out. Of course, you still want to let the engine sit a while after shut down before removing the cover so the bulk of the oil in the paper roll has a chance to drain out. But now the little bit left still in the roll isn't a problem.



Of course there are folk here that say changing your oil when hot is best to drain out suspended particles (like me). The Frantz guy countered that with the Frantz filter, there are very few particles left to keep suspended. Change the oil "cold".



So where's the loss, as you understand it?



Thanks,

-Jay

 

[curatchko]

Change the oil? I thought the whole purpose here was to never change the oil again?

 

[WadePatton]

fs-2500

So I finally got the poopie from Filtration Soulutions Worldwide. They sell a FS-2500 for the diesel truck market. It uses a 22 dollar element.



A CD with video comes in the package and they show how effective the filter is at removing carbon black (simulated soot) and water. The first competitive comparison is meaningless because they use a Fleetguard Full Flow filter. This only shows what your engine filter does.



The second comparison is quite good however. It is with an Amsoil bypass filter which leaves plenty of carbon black in the solution (5w oil). The FS-2500 then gobbles up all that soot.



I'd love to see the same demo with a PT and a TP filter.



Call Marlin at FS for the info package. www.fs2500.com



And when you do, ask him how many TDR folks we need for a group discount. I have yet to buy a system.

 

[Josparkz]

TTT

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

JGK, I think I saw that on Frantz' website about losing a quart every filter change. If it could be mounted upside down it makes sense some could drain out to save your oil. But as dense as TP/element is I would think it would take forever for very much oil to drain out.



Another thing I see competitors point out as a Frantz flaw is oil channeling through the element once it starts to clog, but who knows if there is any truth to that.



So are you going to the event at Edge? Sure wish I could get down there!



Vaughn

 

[Josparkz]

I knew this guy that was a school teacher(auto-shop) and these were his comments on the Frantz filter I used to run (in several gas engines).

He said he had done a real big study in college on oil filtration. He felt that the T. P. filters worked TOO well. They took out additives from the oil that they shouldn't have.

Anyway, that was his story.

One thing I will say after using those for several trucks, they are about a messy unit to change the element in Oo. That's my story,(and I'm stickin' to it ).





BTW : The first Frantz filter i bought cost me something like $35. I can't believe the price they want for them now:--) .

 

[Matt42]

Channeling?

Has Frantz figured out how to prevent the channeling problem that plagued T. P. filters in the past? And what about lint? Perspiring minds want to know?

 

[drag racer]

I think the jury is still out on these things. I have bought several units a couple years ago.



My own personal experience is: The one I HAD on my Ram I could never get to stop leaking around the canister gasket. I mounted the unit on the lower right frame rail to get it out of the way in the engine compartment and make it easy to get at the filter. Had several instances of going out to the garage and finding a pool of oil on the floor.



On the other hand, I put one on my Toyota daily driver and it has never leaked a drop. It is mouted to the rear left fender, just below the hood line and against the firewall. It does seem to delay blackening of the oil a few thousand miles, compared to without it installed. I change the oil, regular filter, and the Frantz filter at 10,000 miles regardless of any other circumstances. I have not noticed anything unusual about the tp roll when I change it. I have no feel for whether it actually does any good.

 

[RKohn]

Franz works fine for me.



I usually only need to add about a half a quart to make up after a change.



Mine's mounted to the inner fender fittings down. I've only made a mess 1 time, because I got in a hurry and didn't give it time to drain. $0. 78 can of Wally World degreaser fixed that.



I think that channeling is only a problem with softer (easy on your a$$) paper. The 1000 sheet rough stuff is really wound tight. I've had mine on for 60k now and change the tp at 7500 and the regular filter every other time now because it doesn't get loaded up like it did before. Analysis looks good.

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

Originally posted by drag racer

I think the jury is still out on these things. I have bought several units a couple years ago.



My own personal experience is: The one I HAD on my Ram I could never get to stop leaking around the canister gasket. I mounted the unit on the lower right frame rail to get it out of the way in the engine compartment and make it easy to get at the filter. Had several instances of going out to the garage and finding a pool of oil on the floor.



On the other hand, I put one on my Toyota daily driver and it has never leaked a drop. It is mouted to the rear left fender, just below the hood line and against the firewall. It does seem to delay blackening of the oil a few thousand miles, compared to without it installed. I change the oil, regular filter, and the Frantz filter at 10,000 miles regardless of any other circumstances. I have not noticed anything unusual about the tp roll when I change it. I have no feel for whether it actually does any good.

The reason for your leak is the 60psi of oil pressure that a 5. 9 sees regularly.



Call the folks at Frantz and the will give you a restrictor to solve the problem.



Later,

Mark

 

[drag racer]

Originally posted by Mark_Kendrick

The reason for your leak is the 60psi of oil pressure that a 5. 9 sees regularly.



Call the folks at Frantz and the will give you a restrictor to solve the problem.



Later,

Mark

The restrictor was installed from the get-go, while experiencing the leaks.



My latest theory is maybe it had more to do with the filter can being below the feed lines - that the canister seal doesn't do well in an immersion environment. It never leaked on me while running - only after shutoff and sitting for a while in between uses.



As I said, on my Toyota, which has never leaked a drop, the canister is mounted above the feed lines, therefore the oil seeps back down into the pan on shut-off.

 

[MGrantham]

"Supposed to" is the catch. Like you're "supposed to" change your oil at 3500 or 7000 depending on your "schedule".



I plan to simply check the downstream flow. When oil flow through the BP filter slows significantly, THEN I'll change the element. Who knows it could be 1000 miles. But I suspect It'll be a few more than that. We WILL find out.

What was the results of your test? I might be putting in gauges to check pressure drop.

 

[ScottLewis]

I first encountered Franz filters in the 60's. My Father-in-Law's mom had a 55 Chevy with a one that hadn't had the oil changed in over 80K miles. He was Utilities Division Superintendent for a medium size city and had Franz filters installed on the large sewer gas fueled generators that powered the sewage treatment plant. Those engines held 55 gallons of oil each and the filters on each used 15 rolls of TP. Those were changed on a regular basis. They frequently analyzed the oil and changed it when tests indicated the need. Change interval was extended triple with use of the Franz filters. The saving were considerable considering that 165 gallons of oil was used by the 3 generators. Based on testing, the removal of additives was one concern. Another was that viscosity of the oil increased over time. They changed the oil when it reached a specified level. My tours and lessons learned there greatly impressed me and have stuck in my memory over 50 years. I ran a Franz filter in my power boat for nearly 20 years and it may still be in operation as far as I know. I passed it on about 20 years ago.

 

[MLee]

When changing the Frantz TT do it when cold and you won't have much of a mess, or do it after you change the motor oil and filter. a lot of the oil will have drained down. I have had mine on for a long time. If it gets pluged and stops filtering, the case won't be as hot as it would be if it filtered as it should.
You feel dumb when you buy TT and you squeeze the rolls to find one thats firm. also you want one that has 1 1/2" core, or buy it from Frantz. They also sell an adapter to seal around the center pipe and TT. I made my own adapter.