🚀 go-pugleaf

  There are several bypass filters now available to the
consumer that can eliminate "routine" oil changes. Most
are used on heavy duty engines but will work equally
well on the family car, inboard boat or small tractor.
Information about these filters can be found if you
look for it.

  An example - Southern Motor Cargo Magazine of March
1995 on page 38 says:
     "600,000 and Still Climbing!"
      by Gary Bridgman

  "Tucked away near the end of Souther Motor Cargo's
last Oil and Lube Report (October , 1994) a radical
concept in oil drain intervals was suggested: Who needs
to change their oil at all? This seemingly half-baked
suggestion made a lot more sense when owner-operator
Randy Rogers opened the hood of his 1990 Peterbilt and
showed what 500,000 miles with two oil drains did to
his Series 60 Detroit engine...nothing. In fact, the
two oil changes - at 19,000 miles to remove the break-
in oil and at 250,649 miles when a leaky oil-pan gasket
was replaced - weren't apparently necessary.
  As officials from the United States Air Force and
Shell Oil looked on, the main and rod bearings were
inspected along with the rest of the engine's interior
components. According to a micrometer reading, all
bearings were in outstanding condition, and the old oil
was poured back into the engine. "I couldn't even get a
half-reading on the micrometer,' said Mr. Rogers. 'I
'miked' some new bearings right out of the box and got
the same readings!'. The June 1, 1994 inspection was a
product demonstration of the GCF 0-2 bypass oil filter,
manufactured by Gulf Coast Filters, Inc. of Gulfport,
Mississippi (800) 398-8114.
  Today, Randy Rogers' Peterbilt tractor has reached
the 600,000-mile mark still with no further oil changes
and SMC wanted to know how it is running: 'Excellent.
The filter is still doing its job; the engine looks
good; and it seems like it's going to last forever,"
said Mr. Rogers. "People in the industry are beginning
to receive this concept better - that oil doesn't
really 'wear out,'it simply becomes contaminated; and
with most filtration used today, the oil has to be
'routinely' drained to remove the contaminants that are
wearing out the engine.'
  When asked about his thoughts on the day of the
inspection last June, Randy said, 'I was concerned
about the tear-down because Charlie (GCF's president)
didn't know how much I abused that engine.' He crosses
the Continental Divide on a routine basis, often
hauling 75,000 lb., time-sensitive loads over the
Rockies.
  What's the secret of this lubricant fountain of
youth? According to Mr. Rogers, it's Bounty 'Big Roll'
or Scott paper towels (his two favorite brands). No
kidding, two rolls of paper towels comprise the filter
element of the GCF 0-2, and they are to be changed
every 10,000 miles, while the standard factory-equipped
filters should be changed every fifth paper-towel
change or 50,000 miles on OTR engines.
  Mr. Rogers 'specs' his paper towels at either a
supermarket near his home in Gallatin, Tennessee or at
any Wal-Mart. 'Wal-Marts are usually pretty accessible
from the highways. Now and then I'm particular about
the print - you know, ducks or flowers,' he jokes. 'Ink
is petroleum-based, so it doesn't hurt the engine.'
  According to Charlie Sims, president of Gulf Coast
Filters, Inc., most filters on the market use some form
of paper fibers or corrugated paper as filtering
elements. 'Using paper towels provides the means for
many times more ounces of filtering medium which
produces a more efficient and cost effective filter,'
he said. (Accord to a Kroger supermarket official
contacted at press-time, Bounty's 'Big Roll' is selling
for $1.49 per roll, without the coupon).
  'Our filters and PM programs are designed to keep
engines running on clean oil 100 percent of the time,
and we have inspected enough engines equipped with our
by-pass oil filters to know that we have the finest
filter available in the world today," he said. Several
large fleets who are using them seem to agree including
a Pepsi distributor, a dairy products company, and
Indal Aluminum of Gulfport.
  Randy Rogers, an owner-operator leased to Godfrey
Trucking of Salt Lake City, is willing to answer any
Doubting Thomases' questions about his experience (615)
451-4872. He said that he gets a lot of questions over
his C.B. about those chrome filter-canisters bolted to
the chassis. 'What in the world is that?' they say,'
laughs Mr. Rogers, 'When I tell them, they can't
believe that a Series 60 Detroit is running on paper
towels'
  Believe it."

Reprinted with permission from the March 1995 issue of
Southern Motor Cargo March 1995 pg 38

Ralph/Dallas-Ft Worth TX