Oil Filters - Champion or Tempest

[FlyWalt]

Hello all,

 

We are about to do our first oil change. My reading shows that Champion appears to be the most popular line out there. However the Tempest with its magnet and lower price has me attracted as well. A few questions for you:

 

1. Does anyone know the micron ratings on these two brands.

2. What do you use and why?

3. Are there any other brands out there that my reading has not uncovered.

 

This is for a 231

 

Thanks,
W

[wrbix]

March 2013 Aviation Consumer magazine asked essentially these questions. Porosity on both noted at 40microns. The magnet of the Tempest gave it the deciding vote, with the caveat raised that the magnet might make cut-open filter analysis more difficult to interpret and (more concerning to me) the theoretical concern that the concentration of metal at the magnet could force the bypass valve open on the Tempest..

[aaronk25]

Boy I think we're splicing hairs here. Both are fine and neither are going to make a engine last longer or shorter.

Champion may have the more reconignized name but they lost my business by not responding to the market place by not changing their design flaw with there spark plugs. Shows they choose not to continue to improve there products.

[KSMooniac]

I just put on my first Tempest filter, and I don't think it was any cheaper than the Champions I've been using for 6+ years.  I switched to Tempest fine wires last year after losing a few Champion massives to high resistance...they either changed something or their QC has gone to excrement.  Either way...no more Champion products for me if I have a choice.

[David Mazer]

When I asked my A&P he said they were both fine so I use the cheaper one, Tempest.  No problems so far.

[DrBill]

I've used Tempest now for the last 2 changes.  No issues. I now have 3 filters "in stock" for future use.

Bill

[AmigOne]

Tempest all the way, specially because I like the little magnet that is supposed to  catch the ferrous parts.  Does Champion have one?  I was also impressed by the explanation of the differences between the two ( which I have  forgotten but they sounded impressive at the time) give to me by the guy at Tempest booth a couple of years ago at Oshkosh.

[Jamie]

This sounds unrelated but...

 

Does anyone else have a Roku? Because AOPA has a free channel on it that carries some weekly program (shows you how much I watch, I can't remember the name). It might be available on their website, but I've never checked.

 

Anyway.

 

They recently had a comparison between the filters. I don't remember much, except I left with the impression the Champion was better but not by much and both were good.

[bumper]

+1

 

After Champions sparkplug debacle (I had to throw away a whole set of fine wires due to their crappy resistors), I switched to Tempest for both plugs and filters. Champion lost my business.

 

bumper (with 8 Tempest filters on the shelf - - Mooney and Husky)

[Jeev]

Old thread but found a good video on the subject to answer the question:

 

[bradp]

Btw I have an old and unused -103 Champion that was shipped to me incorrectly (I use -110 size).  It's from 2012 or 2013 and has been sitting in my basement, so I don't know if I'd use in my own engine, but maybe Someone would want it.  PM me if you want it free plus shipping.  

[Guest]

We use both brands in the shop.  

Tempest are usually cheaper when buying in case lots.  A Tempest AA48109 is slightly taller than the Champion CH48109-1 and can pose some difficulty on certain 550 series engines.

We have had many Tempest filters replaced under warranty due to manufacturing defects.  Once was a large curl of machining metal found in the mounting stud, more common is loose innards.  Give the filter a good shake prior to use, if it rattles, send it back.

Clarence

[tony]

I've used tempest for the past six years.  No issues.  I like the magnet to look for steel and its always been a few dollars cheaper.

[Raptor05121]

On ‎4‎/‎17‎/‎2013 at 10:57 AM, aaronk25 said:

Champion may have the more reconignized name but they lost my business by not responding to the market place by not changing their design flaw with there spark plugs. Shows they choose not to continue to improve there products.

When it came time for me to buy my first oil filter, I chose Tempest because of this fact. I also liked that it was a few dollars cheaper. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one in this state of mind. I will continue to purchase Tempest and will be my next choice of spark plugs as well.

[Hank]

Lessee, you don't like Champion spark plugs because of a design flaw, so you avoid everything Champion and buy Tempest oil filters with known manufacturing issues as discussed above by Clarence, whose shop buys oil filters by the case and has frequent returns of bad Tempest filters.

So you're supporting a known bad design of a product you use, in order to not support a known bad design of a product you don't use???    Please tell me that I am misunderstanding your statements, because they make no sense to me.

Also, my Champion plugs are running pretty well. I've replaced them twice in 600 tach hours, typical performance for massive plugs. (The second replacement was during troubleshooting that turned out to be a mag issue; still have the old plugs as spares.) I lean aggressively on the ground and have no lead fouling. Never had a problem with any Champion oil filters, don't need to test them before installation or anything, never found anything untoward when I cut them open, either.

[Andy95W]

Even though I am disappointed by Champion because of their spark plug issues, I still use and prefer Champion oil filters. If nothing else, they seem to be a little easier to cut open and in 25 years of airplane ownership I've never had a problem.  I used a Tempest oil filter once and found no clear benefits to switching or not.

I love Tempest spark plugs and have switched all of mine over.  They seem to get along fine with my Champion oil filter.

[Awful_Charlie]

I've used Tempest filters since I started doing my own oil and filter changes. I like the magnet in the end for a quick guess if there is a nasty surprise likely to come in the filter media! That it's a couple of bucks cheaper per unit in 6 packs is a bonus, and I've not had a rattler yet (in four filters a year for 6+ years)

[One Whiskey Hotel]

Revisiting a topic from a few years ago, and out of sheer curiosity: Why are the magnets no longer available on the Tempest filters?

[PT20J]

[Will.iam]

Soooo are tempest going to lower their price since they no long have to buy and install their magnet? Or are they going to keep the price the same and keep the higher profits? 

[hammdo]

I have a few of those saved up. Hate those are gone ... bet price is increased due to 'supply chain'....

i wonder if they have to recertify the filter again since the old one was FAA-PMA using the magnet?

-Don

[Hank]

31 minutes ago, hammdo said:

I have a few of those saved up. Hate those are gone ... bet price is increased due to 'supply chain'....

i wonder if they have to recertify the filter again since the old one was FAA-PMA using the magnet?

-Don

The Tempest information posted above says "with optional magnet," so probably not. 

[hammdo]

True, but was it 'optional' before the supply chain issue?

-Don

[philiplane]

1 hour ago, Will.iam said:

Soooo are tempest going to lower their price since they no long have to buy and install their magnet? Or are they going to keep the price the same and keep the higher profits? 

Of all the parts suppliers, Tempest is one of the best. Let them work through these current issues.  Your other choice is Champion, who has done a lot of damage to the industry by denying their spark plugs were crap for six years, before quietly changing the design to mirror the Tempest plugs. And producing crap magnetos and replacement parts. Be thoughtful of the big picture before you trash them over an additional feature that they can't provide at this time.

[A64Pilot]

The magnet does work, and I’d bet will come, back. 

I used to think magnets were silly, until I cut open a cars filter that had a “filter magnet” on the outside, and inside the can where the magnet was, was very fine wear metal it looked and felt like a fine layer of grease, but it was ferrous metal.

I believe also you don’t have to lube the gasket, a small thing but makes me believe they are advancing tech when they can, because I seem to remember a while ago you did have to lube the gasket?

Maybe a silly thing but I don’t like Champion plugs because they are painted steel, and of course rust, the Tempest plugs are I think are Nickel plated, and don’t rust.

Makes me think the Tempest plug may be well made as nickel plating is another step to take and not a cheap one as I’d bet it’s outsourced so now you have shipping etc. paint is faster and cheaper.