The Advantages of Installing a Toilet Paper Filter

As strange as it may seem, the use of toilet paper filter systems has been going on since the 60s. That was when the first tests were done and they were able to prove that long-haul trucks benefited from the change. However, the studies were discontinued and now the practice of using toilet paper as a filter for engine oil is all but forgotten. Still, there are mechanics that still use it and there are websites that still sell the products you need to make the change for your car.

What is a Toilet Paper Filter?

A toilet paper filter is almost exactly what the names suggests, only that it is not meant to replace your oil filter but to bypass it. So most kits will allow you to run a line from the sump to the filter and the through the oil pump back in the engine. And although you can use a store bought role of toilet paper, it is better to buy the specially designed one. That is because modern toilet paper is specifically designed to disintegrate and it has far less to do with paper than the rolls you could buy 40 or 50 years ago. But aside from that, these types of filters are able to clean out the oil perfectly; they remove granules as small as two microns where your regular filter can only handle five microns particles and up.

Can You Use a Toilet Paper Filter on Your Car?

Since the only real study was conducted in the 60s, you would be right to wonder if the toilet paper filter can be used on a modern car. And the answer is that a modern car is actually better equipped to use this type of filter than an older model. That is because modern cars use synthetic oils, which do not break down over time like regular oils. As a result, the only reason why you would need to change the oil in your car is because it gets dirty. So using a toilet paper filter will clean the oil for you, and you can basically use it indefinitely.

Should You Make the Change?

It will always be scary to make the change to a new system, and you should definitely check and double-check the functioning of your car’s engine during the first thousands of miles after making the change. Still, using a toilet paper filter will increase the the number of miles you can do on just a single oil change, and besides being a good financial decision, it is also the ecological choice. Have your mechanic give you a hand if you are not entirely comfortable where the sump or the oil filter pump go.

What Type of Engine Would Better Benefit from the Change?

The toilet paper filter has been initially tested on diesel engines, so if you have a diesel engine, you are certain to benefit from this type of filter. And if you have a truck, particularly an older model using a classic engine, then you can rest assured that this type of filter has already been tested by somebody else on your exact model of car; all you have to do is seek them out to learn from their experience. Still, gasoline engines use oil in much the same way as diesel engines, so the toilet paper filter will work on them too.

The biggest problem with toilet paper filters is that they are relatively difficult to find. And it is also relatively difficult to get a mechanic to install the system for you if he himself has not had the chance to use test it. But once you overcome these two hurdles, you will be surprised to find just how efficient the system is. There are even people who bought used cars with the system on and who have never had to change the oil once while they used the car.