Favorite Oil Filters and Source

[RoundTwo]

The previous owner was gracious enough to leave a case of oil and 2 Champion filters in the plane when he sold it to me. I’ve found a good source for oil and have plenty on hand now but I’ll soon need filters.

AirpowerInc seems to have the best price on Tempest filters at $27+ while Champions seem to run about $8 more. I’m currently using Champion, and am very happy with them, but the price on the Tempest is attractive.

Any thoughts on product and/or source?

[A64Pilot]

I’ve used tempest for years and have been happy with them, plugs too.

But recently I’ve run into in print that Champions filter to a slightly lower micron level.

So who knows

This is a Champion ad so it’s surely slanted, but I’m confused why so much more “test dust” was injected in the Tempest filter

https://www.championaerospace.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Oil-Filters-vs-Tempest-Competitive-Analysis.pdf

RAM used to sell apparently a very superior filter, but it cost a lot more and due to the price it didn’t sell. I think only a very few knew how much better it was, while everyone knew how much more it cost.

So it appears the Champion filter is slightly better than the Tempest?

[DXB]

25 minutes ago, A64Pilot said:

I’ve used tempest for years and have been happy with them, plugs too.

But recently I’ve run into in print that Champions filter to a slightly lower micron level.

So who knows

This is a Champion ad so it’s surely slanted, but I’m confused why so much more “test dust” was injected in the Tempest filter

https://www.championaerospace.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Oil-Filters-vs-Tempest-Competitive-Analysis.pdf

RAM used to sell apparently a very superior filter, but it cost a lot more and due to the price it didn’t sell. I think only a very few knew how much better it was, while everyone knew how much more it cost.

So it appears the Champion filter is slightly better than the Tempest?

Does reduced efficiency in filtering <=25 micron particles have any consequence at all for engine wear? I have no idea but I bet someone here knows.

[PT20J]

Both meet Lycoming specs.  I wouldn’t overthink it.

[A64Pilot]

1 hour ago, DXB said:

Does reduced efficiency in filtering <=25 micron particles have any consequence at all for engine wear? I have no idea but I bet someone here knows.

We don’t fly behind auto engines, much less Diesels but in my opinion this is where it’s likely there is a correlation.

https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/30697/choose-oil-filter#:~:text=In a related study on,of motivation for clean oil!

Years ago there was testing of very fine high bypass filters and they showed very significant improvement. The finer the filter the more restriction it will have, one way to combat that is bigger filters, another is high bypass, meaning you only filter a portion of the oil flow, but it all gets filtered just not at every pass.

However many aircraft engines fly just fine with no filtration, just “rock catcher” screens, like old VW engines, so how much difference does it make, Lycoming I don’t believe even requires a filter, will it make it to TBO without one? Apparently and if it makes it to TBO should a manufacturer be concerned past that?

Now I believe oil change interval is halved if no filter.

Personally I think your oil can’t be too clean, but at what point does it make a difference? I’d like a 10 micron absolute filter but don’t think that’s going to happen, I’d like a Million dollars too  

[M20F]

Probably snake oil but I like the concept of the magnet in the Tempests so I use them. 

[hammdo]

They no longer have them - supply shortage…

https://tempestplus.com/product/oil-filters/

-Don

[RoundTwo]

1 hour ago, M20F said:

Probably snake oil but I like the concept of the magnet in the Tempests so I use them. 

I hope you have a bunch of old ones stashed away.

 

[PT20J]

I’ll buy anything claimed to be ‘super’.

[RobertGary1]

23 hours ago, A64Pilot said:

I’ve used tempest for years and have been happy with them, plugs too.

But recently I’ve run into in print that Champions filter to a slightly lower micron level.

So who knows

This is a Champion ad so it’s surely slanted, but I’m confused why so much more “test dust” was injected in the Tempest filter

https://www.championaerospace.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Oil-Filters-vs-Tempest-Competitive-Analysis.pdf

RAM used to sell apparently a very superior filter, but it cost a lot more and due to the price it didn’t sell. I think only a very few knew how much better it was, while everyone knew how much more it cost.

So it appears the Champion filter is slightly better than the Tempest?

Silly question but what makes one “happy” vs unhappy with an oil filter?

[A64Pilot]

2 minutes ago, RobertGary1 said:

Silly question but what makes one “happy” vs unhappy with an oil filter?

No leaks or failures of any kind, upon cutting the filter open never finding the filter media compromised in any way, never buying a filter that has any corrosion on the inside of it. On Auto filters I’ve seen media where the ends weren’t connected well leaving a hole where unfiltered oil can pass through etc. I won’t put an orange colored filter on my lawnmower, often they are pure junk.

Having said that I’m astonished our filters, at least the ones spec’d for Lycoming have no anti-drain back valve, so that means every cold start first has to re-fill the filter before the engine gets oil unless your filter is mounted open end up and how many are?

If you want to see a well constructed filter cut open an Auto K&N or a Mobil-1 filter, I’d expect that kind of quality in an aircraft filter, but it’s not there.

The K&N some claim it filters down to 10 micron while the Mobil-1 is 30

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/micron-rating-how-important-is-this-in-filter-consideration.27158/

But there is a lot more to a filter than filter micron rating, what kind of spring is used to seal the media, how many square inches of media is there, type of rubber used in the seals, thickness of the can etc.

I readily concede that the MOST important thing you can do is to change your oil frequently, if you really, really want to get the longest possible life out of a motor, shorten the oil change interval. With aircraft filters and oil there is NO bad filter or oil, it’s all good, just maybe some are better than others, or maybe some are just as good, but cost less, maybe