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Challenger Reusable Spin On Oil Filter

Steve Pierce

BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
Has anyone used the Challenger spin on oil filter. I see it has a magnet installed in it, is easy to disassemble, inspect and clean. Looks like retail from Aircraft Spruce is about $250 which would pay for itself in 12.5 oil changes not counting labor to cut and inspect. I just ordered one and will see how it works but was curious if anyone had any experience with them?

http://www.challengeraviation.com/newproducts.html

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/challengerLifetime.php

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I have a Capehart spin on on my O 470 that I've used since 1995. It has a fine screen and magnets inside and sounds like the same idea.
 
The magnet idea sounds good, you will have to let us know if the filter looks like much more or able to be better than the original lycoming screen.
 
Remember the old CFO-100? Or whatever # it was. You would never safety the filter housing until you ran it up and checked it for leaks.
 
Ummm, Steve, your caption for the string calls it a "sin" on oil filter. Is there something else we need to know? :roll:

Thanks. cubscout
 
Challenger aviation is just the folks who stc'd it. The parent company is. http://kandpengineering.com/ great product used them in cars and motorcycles they have
information on their website including videos how to clean. Kind of pricey but does what it says on the tin so to speak. Still a well engineered quality American made product. Steve please let us know what you think after you use it and clean it a few times. I'm interested to see what a person of your maintenance knowledge thinks of it.
 
Got the filter today. Here is it next to a Tempest AA4108. Weighs 6.5 ounces less than the throw away Tempest filter. It is a bit smaller.
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Push the screen part in and turn slightly and it comes out like the Steve's gascolator.
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There is a magnet on the top as well.
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That looks pretty slick. Does it matter how it mounts; up - down - sideways? Does it safety wire??
 
Doesn't look like there's any way of venting it so that it can drain prior to removal, if mounted gasket side down. Is that a problem, or will drain just fine without venting? I'm thinking about the B&C arrangement, and their recommendation to punch a vent hole in the top of disposable filter housings to aid draining.
 
My Dad and I were pondering that. ECI makes an adapter just like the B&C and the Casper Labs and it has a quick drain boss in the bottom of the adapter. We were discussing a pipe threaded hole in the top of the filter and a quick drain screwed in to allow air in so it would drain. I make a mess no matter what I do so I just throw a few rags under it and let er rip. 8)
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When I change mine, of course first I let the oil drain out of the sump. By the time I'm organized and take off the oil filter, there is never any oil in it...just a few drops that one or two shop towels wrapped around the bottom pick up as I lift the filter off of the housing. To be clear, the filter is top-down, so I lift the filter up after unscrewing it.
 
A little bit of drift here, but related - - What are your experiences / thoughts re oil filter adapters? I'm trying to compare Casper Labs vs B&C adapters, but not finding much online except that the Casper Labs unit is $100 or so less costly.
 
Gordon, FWIW I wondered about the Casper because it was notably less expensive but figured I'd give it a shot. The machining quality is excellent and I can't fault it in any way.
 
I have installed a lot of Casper Labs filter adapters simply because of the price difference. I have a B&C on my own airplane only because it was given to me by a friend. I have seen no difference in quality or operation.
 
I was taking off (in the air) at KBOS once in a new (70TT) PA-28-180 when both my passenger and I saw the oil pressure drop to zero. All of the oil had been pumped out between the adapter and the accessory case. That was repaired followed by a second incident with another pilot followed by a new engine all before the plane had 100 hours on it. I'll use the oil screen thank you since I do not operate in dusty environments.


That Challenger filter does look very nice.
 
I was taking off (in the air) at KBOS once in a new (70TT) PA-28-180 when both my passenger and I saw the oil pressure drop to zero. All of the oil had been pumped out between the adapter and the accessory case. That was repaired followed by a second incident with another pilot followed by a new engine all before the plane had 100 hours on it. I'll use the oil screen thank you since I do not operate in dusty environments.


That Challenger filter does look very nice.

What was the cause of the leaks? I have installed more of these adatpters than I can count with no issues. I install the filter adapter more of an ease of maintenance issue than anything. Messing with the oil temperature bourdon tube, especially on a Super Cub with it so close to the firewall is always risky and I have found a pile of cracked oil screen housings. I just find it way easier to unscrew a filter than remove 4 bolts, clean off the old gasket, reinstall and torque with new lock washer.
 
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No question Steve, it is certainly easier from a mechanics point of view to unscrew the old one and screw on the new one. Less $$$ for the customer. And there certainly is less room on a -18 than a -28.
As I recall (it was in 1966) it was a defective adapter surface which did not seat correctly on the accessory case. I think that they (the maintenance people where I was working) should have done more than change the oil and filter putting the plane back on the line. I saw the filter and adapter after the second incident. It was jammed full of metal which no doubt was caused by my loss of oil pressure.
 
That looks pretty nice, Steve. Hopefully your oil-change review goes well. I've been wanting to remote mount my filter and if I do that I'll probably get one of these.
 
It looks like a spin-on screen to me. I never enjoyed cleaning a screen and found a disposable filter much more convenient. Does that housing have a pressure bypass built in?
 
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