No oil filters available.....

Cruzinchris

Cruzinchris

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Cruzinchris
As you probably know, oil filters are difficult/impossible to obtain due to "supply chain issues".

My Lyc 0-320 uses a Tempest AA48110-2. It time to replace it. Any ideas? Earliest shipment from Aircraft Spruce is February (I ordered 2 in October).

What about just removing the old filter, draining it and putting it back on? How about removal and rinsing with solvent?

Thanks in advance and happy holidays.
 
How many hours on your current oil? I change my oil every 25 hours, filter every 50. Like you, I'm in need of a new filter. No way I would rinse the filter though.
 
Filter has >50 hours and >6 months. Flown regularly however. I wonder if the Tempest will come off and go back on safely. It is one of those you do not lube the gasket.
 
I have the champion equivalent that I'm thinking of listing for the highest bidder :)
 
If the shortages continue, I bet there will be a rush for the old screens.
 
I just checked my order history at aircraft spruce and I ordered filters on 3/4/22 and they were delivered on 9/7/22. that's cra cra.
 
I’ve been running filters to 100 hours for the last year or a little longer. Roughly 2000 hours among 3 airplanes with no negative issues and good oil sample returns.
 
I put in an order 2 weeks ago and ASSCO said none til Feb, like you saw.
I decided to leave the order in.
They showed up last weekend.
So don't believe the availability notes.
 
Ask around shops if they have filters. I also placed an order with Spruce like three months before my oil change was due in hopes to receive the filter in time. When my oil change came due, I haven't received the filter. I asked my mechanic and he said he has plenty so I cancelled my order with Spruce.
 
I bought a couple of Champion oil filters from Marv Golden a few months back. They're not listed on the website, and I had to call. It's worth a shot...
 
No one has them online…well some overpriced on eBay if you are hurting. Try local mechanics
 
Try some local parts suppliers as well. Got lucky a couple months ago that way. Just had to fly into a small field with short runway, but it was worth it.
 
Spruce is saying expected in stock on Dec. 8 at the moment. You might get them earlier than you think. If you need it now, $48.95 with free 4 day shipping on EBay doesn’t seem too outrageous. If I order one from Spruce it’s $50.19 with the $18.44 shipping. I may just get them from EBay next time.
 
I ordered a tempest off spruce last week, still backordered and the last date I saw was Jan. On a whim I threw the part number into amazon, there was one in stock and I pushed the order button. Supposedly it's been shipped and should arrive soon.
 
Fortunately I have a case and a half of AA48108-2 and a few CH48108-1's. Always amazes me when people don't store a few consumables and leave it to fate of the supply chain.

In our house all gas tanks are empty when the gauge says "half full". Fuel, oil, common filters are on hand along with a few other necessities.

I learned a hard lesson in a major earthquake here in the Bay Area. My gas tank was nearly empty, batteries were dead in the flashlights, and power was out throughout the area.
 
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NordicDave said:
I learned a hard lesson in a major earthquake here in the Bay Area. ...power was out throughout the area.
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During the SoCal earthquake, I was fortunate to have a 4K generator, so at least I could power the refrigerator, some lights, and the TV. In the new house, I have a whole-house generator. Must-have for a California resident!
 
I ordered a couple of Champions from Spruce in late August. At that time, they expected to ship in early October. Still waiting, and now expected in stock December 9. I had a couple in the hangar, sold one to a friend who needed one more than I needed two. Luckily, scored a case of the Tempests on Amazon about six weeks ago...
 
The Challenger filter is a very fine screen. That means that the overall area of the screen is the total filtration area. Once that's covered with debris or carbon or whatever, it bypasses and lets dirty oil through to the engine.

Champion or Tempest filters use a media that has some depth to it. Big stuff is stopped at the surface, smaller stuff gets trapper farther down. That make clogging unlikely.

Challenger claims what? 34 micron filtration? That's not as good as Champion:

upload_2022-11-30_11-19-59.png

It's a screen. A fine screen, much finer than the old OEM screens, but still a screen. It has no depth. Depth? The Brackett air filters are an open-cell foam, saturated with a silicone oil, and filtration occurs throughout the entire depth of it. The old filters were pleated paper or synthetic media, and had little depth. Easily clogged by dust. Challenger's air filters are pleated.

Still, the Challenger might be good enough. 34 microns isn't that bad. And it's a one-time thing, more or less, although they warn that if there is metallic debris stuck in the screen and won't wash out, you must replace the screen. Makes sense, since the filtration area is compromised.

They claim a better flow rate of oil through their filter. That's because there is less drag--meaning less filtration--through it. Filtration causes drag. Hard to get around that. Once that screen gets some stuff trapped on it, the drag will go way up.

Just some thoughts. I'm not condemning the Challenger, just pointing out some limitations. I think it's good that Champion and Tempest are going to face some serious competition. Might force prices down.
 
GaryM said:
So naturally California banned the sale of new ones starting in 2028.
New portable ones, anyway.
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You can't buy them starting in 2028, but you can still use them. I'm sure people will pop over the border to nearby Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and bring them back. People's Republic of California in all its glory!
 
Dan Thomas said:
The Challenger filter is a very fine screen. That means that the overall area of the screen is the total filtration area. Once that's covered with debris or carbon or whatever, it bypasses and lets dirty oil through to the engine.

Champion or Tempest filters use a media that has some depth to it. Big stuff is stopped at the surface, smaller stuff gets trapper farther down. That make clogging unlikely.

Challenger claims what? 34 micron filtration? That's not as good as Champion:

View attachment 112728

It's a screen. A fine screen, much finer than the old OEM screens, but still a screen. It has no depth. Depth? The Brackett air filters are an open-cell foam, saturated with a silicone oil, and filtration occurs throughout the entire depth of it. The old filters were pleated paper or synthetic media, and had little depth. Easily clogged by dust. Challenger's air filters are pleated.

Still, the Challenger might be good enough. 34 microns isn't that bad. And it's a one-time thing, more or less, although they warn that if there is metallic debris stuck in the screen and won't wash out, you must replace the screen. Makes sense, since the filtration area is compromised.

They claim a better flow rate of oil through their filter. That's because there is less drag--meaning less filtration--through it. Filtration causes drag. Hard to get around that. Once that screen gets some stuff trapped on it, the drag will go way up.

Just some thoughts. I'm not condemning the Challenger, just pointing out some limitations. I think it's good that Champion and Tempest are going to face some serious competition. Might force prices down.
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I find it mildly amusing that everyone wanted to get rid of the original pressure screens for oil filters, and are now thinking of replacing them with a washable "oil filter" that is essentially a screen.

I'm a bit surprised nobody has discussed alternative oil filters that are the equivalent of a Tempest or Champion yet. Perhaps people aren't desperate enough yet.
 
mondtster said:
I'm a bit surprised nobody has discussed alternative oil filters that are the equivalent of a Tempest or Champion yet. Perhaps people aren't desperate enough yet.
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https://www.aircraftspruce.eu/engin...ly-aerospace/kelly-aerospace-oil-filters.html

I don't see them on the US AS&S website.

These used to be Kelly Aerospace filters. I bought some Kellys once. They looked and felt cheap. Kelly's other stuff often had problems, too. I would hope that Hartzell has smartened things up.
 
We had a kelly oil filter blow up during runup on one of our rental skyhawks. "Fool me once" -- no more red boxes for me.
 
Dan Thomas said:
https://www.aircraftspruce.eu/engin...ly-aerospace/kelly-aerospace-oil-filters.html

I don't see them on the US AS&S website.

These used to be Kelly Aerospace filters. I bought some Kellys once. They looked and felt cheap. Kelly's other stuff often had problems, too. I would hope that Hartzell has smartened things up.
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As far as I know, Kelly exited the oil filter business so I don’t think they’ll be available.

Regarding the screen filters, I’ve got an old wafer style filter on a helicopter with an Airwolf kit in line after that which the previous owner installed. The screen does a decent job of trapping junk but there is always a little stuff that ends up in the spin on filter because it is too fine to be trapped by the screen.
 
schmookeeg said:
We had a kelly oil filter blow up during runup on one of our rental skyhawks. "Fool me once" -- no more red boxes for me.
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You’re not the only one I’ve heard with a story about an exploding Kelly filter. It’s probably a good thing that they aren’t available.
 
I have an S&B filter adapter on my O-300-A…may pickup a screen to hold onto just in case. I have a case of filters on back order at Spruce and one in hand.
 
FWIW, I ordered a case (6) of Tempest AA48110-2's in September, then showing for an early December availability. I noticed a few days ago that the the availability date was dropped, and now Spruce is saying they don't know when they'll come in.

I suspect there are plenty of filters out there, but hoarders took up too much of the supply, and now we have a snowballing effect.
 
I'd be considered a hoarder but I didn't know my plane would be down for nearly 6 months out of the year this year. I have 3 in a box and would've used 2 of them by now if I were flying like normal.
 
Rgbeard said:
Yep. I saw your post. I'm surprised the current eBay sources are more moderately priced.

Looks as if the lowest priced 110 available is $59.00 including shipping. That's not horrible. If I ran 110s, and needed one, I'd consider it.
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I paid $180 for 3 108-2’s. I’ll do that any day over reusing filters.
 
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