Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
rbattelle
TDR MEMBER
Tonight I installed my new TP bypass filter in conjunction with an oil change. As promised in this thread, I am posting my installation procedure here. Some useful pics follow this post.
First off, I bought a Motor Guard filter from Ralph Wood. This has NOTHING to do with any particular preference for the Motor Guard vs. the Frantz! I just decided to buy the Motor Guard instead. Both use a toilet paper element. The primary difference is that the Motor Guard case splits 1/2 way, whereas the Frantz case comes off the base as one piece. In this write-up I mention several companies. I do this only to provide those unfamiliar with where to get some of the supplies a means of getting them.
Installation begins with a selection of appropriate pipe fittings and hydraulic hose. I use (and always have) Swagelok pipe fittings, but any quality fitting will do fine. The ports on the filter are 1/8 NPT. I bought two 3-ft. hydraulic lines from www.northerntool.com to use for the input and output from the filter. The hoses I chose are 1/4 inch ID, with 1/4 NPT threads on the ends. I used 1/4-to-1/8 NPT fittings to connect these hoses to the inlet/outlet ports on the filter. I also included a 1/8 NPT tee-fitting at the inlet port so I can run my oil pressure sending unit from there. Teflon tape all connections. My setup has no fewer than 12 pipe connections and NONE of them leak at all... it's all in how carefully you set them up.
The location I chose to mount the filter is along the passenger side battery tray, engine side, as close to the firewall as possible. Refer to my pictures. This location allows easy access to the filter for TP changes, and keeps all the lines away from anything "nasty".
Amsoil makes a very convenient swivel fitting for the oil filler cap. I intended to buy one, but decided to make my own instead. I had to heavily modify the factory oil cap to do so, since it uses a fancy interlocking clutch mechanism. I used a 90 degree elbow and a 1/4 inch quick disconnect fitting so I can disconnect the bypass return line when I need to remove the oil filler cap. What I'm saying is, my fitting assembly does not swivel.
Note that my source for the bypass oil is the top of the oil filter mount.
Some observations:
1. It took about 30 seconds to build oil pressure at the filter inlet after initial startup.
It took so long that I almost shut off the engine for fear that I had no oil pressure. Fortunately, the factory oil pressure switch was indicating that pressure was there, but it just took some time to fill up the bypass filter housing. Don't panic if this happens to you!
2. At peak oil temperature (after a 20 minute highway ride at 70), I have lost about 8 lbs pressure at the inlet to the filter. Before the filter install I had the oil pressure sending unit mounted at the end of the hydraulic line (in anticipation of the bypass install) for a few weeks. At that location I was seeing 20 psi at hot idle and 65 psi above 1800 RPM. Now I get about 11 or 12 psi hot idle and 55-60 above 1800 RPM. I am not concerned, as the factory oil pressure switch will "protect" me if the pressure at the main oil rifle drops below 6 psi.
3. Many people will think you're a fool for putting a TP filter in your engine. Do your best to ignore them.
I hope this write-up isn't as confusing as I think it is. If there is a demand for it, I will post part numbers and a complete parts list for the entire project.
First off, I bought a Motor Guard filter from Ralph Wood. This has NOTHING to do with any particular preference for the Motor Guard vs. the Frantz! I just decided to buy the Motor Guard instead. Both use a toilet paper element. The primary difference is that the Motor Guard case splits 1/2 way, whereas the Frantz case comes off the base as one piece. In this write-up I mention several companies. I do this only to provide those unfamiliar with where to get some of the supplies a means of getting them.
Installation begins with a selection of appropriate pipe fittings and hydraulic hose. I use (and always have) Swagelok pipe fittings, but any quality fitting will do fine. The ports on the filter are 1/8 NPT. I bought two 3-ft. hydraulic lines from www.northerntool.com to use for the input and output from the filter. The hoses I chose are 1/4 inch ID, with 1/4 NPT threads on the ends. I used 1/4-to-1/8 NPT fittings to connect these hoses to the inlet/outlet ports on the filter. I also included a 1/8 NPT tee-fitting at the inlet port so I can run my oil pressure sending unit from there. Teflon tape all connections. My setup has no fewer than 12 pipe connections and NONE of them leak at all... it's all in how carefully you set them up.
The location I chose to mount the filter is along the passenger side battery tray, engine side, as close to the firewall as possible. Refer to my pictures. This location allows easy access to the filter for TP changes, and keeps all the lines away from anything "nasty".
Amsoil makes a very convenient swivel fitting for the oil filler cap. I intended to buy one, but decided to make my own instead. I had to heavily modify the factory oil cap to do so, since it uses a fancy interlocking clutch mechanism. I used a 90 degree elbow and a 1/4 inch quick disconnect fitting so I can disconnect the bypass return line when I need to remove the oil filler cap. What I'm saying is, my fitting assembly does not swivel.
Note that my source for the bypass oil is the top of the oil filter mount.
Some observations:
1. It took about 30 seconds to build oil pressure at the filter inlet after initial startup.
It took so long that I almost shut off the engine for fear that I had no oil pressure. Fortunately, the factory oil pressure switch was indicating that pressure was there, but it just took some time to fill up the bypass filter housing. Don't panic if this happens to you!2. At peak oil temperature (after a 20 minute highway ride at 70), I have lost about 8 lbs pressure at the inlet to the filter. Before the filter install I had the oil pressure sending unit mounted at the end of the hydraulic line (in anticipation of the bypass install) for a few weeks. At that location I was seeing 20 psi at hot idle and 65 psi above 1800 RPM. Now I get about 11 or 12 psi hot idle and 55-60 above 1800 RPM. I am not concerned, as the factory oil pressure switch will "protect" me if the pressure at the main oil rifle drops below 6 psi.
3. Many people will think you're a fool for putting a TP filter in your engine. Do your best to ignore them.
I hope this write-up isn't as confusing as I think it is. If there is a demand for it, I will post part numbers and a complete parts list for the entire project.
