Automobile accessories reviewed

A revolution in oil filters

It is not often that we review an accessory which is not in production, as we normally test all the equipment we write about under appropriate conditions. However, this particular item is really only saleable as original equipment on new cars, and is not yet in production.

We have all at some time or another had the messy and often difficult task of removing the oil filter from a car and cleaning it or replacing it with a new one. The filter is usually badly positioned low down beside the block and takes anything from 15 minutes to an hour to replace. The idea of Mr. R. M. W. Croxford, of Ampthill, Beds, is to replace the conventional filter with a new type which can be screwed into the nicker cover of a car. As the drawing shows, his idea is to have a 1- or 2-pint can, incorporating an oil filter in the lower end which can be quickly screwed into the rocker cover. The rocker cover will, of course, have to be modified to take a screw thread (No. 1 in the drawing), while it will be necessary to fit a feed pipe from the pressure side of the lubrication system (No. 3) with a disc at the top from which a metered amount of oil can escape. As the oil passes through the pipe under pressure it forces open the flap valve (shown open in the large drawing and closed in the small drawing) and the oil passes up into the container, down through the filtering material (No. 5) and back into the sump.

When it is necessary to replenish the oil this’ can be done simply by unscrewing the container, waiting a few seconds for the oil in the can to drain into the sump, then pouring in fresh oil through the delivery port. The container can be renewed in similar fashion simply by unscrewing the existing container and replacing it with a new one. Mr. Croxford has also designed a suitable filter utilising the full-flow principle which requires a special casting for fitting to the block.

For this design to succeed it requires the co-operation of vehicle manufacturers, the oil companies and the filter suppliers. Mr. Croxford has received discouraging response from the trade so for, although the Chief Engineer of .a leading oil company heartily approved of the idea. However, his sales department vetoed any thoughts of proceeding with the scheme. We also think it is a first-class idea which will probably be killed by the vested interests in the Industry.