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Oil Filter Change Question

RogerH

Member
About to do my first oil filter change on a Lycoming IO-360 and searching the Internet I'm a bit confused on whether to lubricate the filter gasket prior to installing and torquing or not.

From my checking on-line:

Lycoming documentation says do it, Tempest says no, Champion doesn't directly answer the question.

What do folks commonly do?

Thanks for any info!
 
Tempest has a new filter called EZSpin that doesn’t require lube like its old version did. For all others, as far as I know, a light film of DC-4 is appropriate or oil if DC-4 is not handy. Good luck.
 
Don't over-tighten

Follow the directions on the new filter for proper torque....it is easy to over-tighten which can make the filter very difficult to remove.
 
Now it makes sense!

OK, now I get it. I didn't catch that the current filter is a Tempest "EZ-Spin" which says on the exterior to not use lubrication.

I'm going with a new Champion so I'll follow the Lycoming procedure.

I did pick up a torque wrench from ACS but seems like most postings I've seen indicate a 3/4 turn from initial seating ends up about right.

Thanks for the info!
 
I have always used 3/4 turn, never had an issue.

Are you aware of the screen in the sump?
 
Nope, haven't got any info on that, is it something readily accessible, how often does need cleaning?
 
Thanks for the heads up! I did find the thread on here that explains the situation...not quite clear on what size crush washer the IO-360 will need but for sure will get the screen checked & cleaned on the next oil change.
 
Easy way to properly torque is to use a 1" box wrench being pulled at 90 degree angle with a fish scale. The moment arm is a bit under a foot, so I pull until I see about 18 lbs. I haven't noted how much the rotation is from first contact.
 
You'll need a 1" crush washer (AN900-16). I clean the screen with every oil change. If you have a tail dragger be prepared to catch about a pint of oil when you remove the screen.
 
You'll need a 1" crush washer (AN900-16). I clean the screen with every oil change. If you have a tail dragger be prepared to catch about a pint of oil when you remove the screen.

I didn?t think about that, gotta start remembering how much the engine is tilted compared to my previous 0-360. Thanks !
 
Clean the suction screen per Lycoming. After break in period which are shorter, it is a 100 hour inspection interval. You can certainly do it more often but I follow the recommendations.
 
Tempest ?EZ Spin?

Tempest has a new filter called EZSpin that doesn?t require lube like its old version did. For all others, as far as I know, a light film of DC-4 is appropriate or oil if DC-4 is not handy. Good luck.

Champion used to recommend DC4 either right on the filter or somewhere on the box.

I?ve seen several instances lately on my RV-8 as well as on a Bonanza where the Tempest EZ Turn filter was so hard to remove that the filter housing distorted from the torque required to remove it. I installed my filter with the recommended torque, and the Bonanza filter was installed by a respected local engine overhaul shop at the time of rebuild.

I think I will be lubricating my tempest filter gaskets with DC4 in the future...

Skylor
 
You'll need a 1" crush washer (AN900-16). I clean the screen with every oil change. If you have a tail dragger be prepared to catch about a pint of oil when you remove the screen.

Another reason to build a tail hoist. :)

tailhoist-17-small.jpg
 
Or you can just put the little wheel in the right spot to begin with.


<ducking, running for cover, giggling maniacally...>
 
I?ve seen several instances lately on my RV-8 as well as on a Bonanza where the Tempest EZ Turn filter was so hard to remove that the filter housing distorted from the torque required to remove it. I installed my filter with the recommended torque, and the Bonanza filter was installed by a respected local engine overhaul shop at the time of rebuild.

I think I will be lubricating my tempest filter gaskets with DC4 in the future...
Skylor
According to the conversation I had with the Tempest folks at SnF, they said additional lube on their EZ Spin filter gasket will increase the removal difficulty.
YMMV.

George
 
Tempest has a new filter called EZSpin ...
This is the second time I've used one of those and this time I am unable to remove it. The Anti-Splat tool just rounded off the flats on the end, and so did a 1" 12 pt. box wrench. I drove to the auto parts store and bought a traditional 3-3/4" oil filter wrench and the handle just bent. Hopefully I can find my Rigid strap wrench or I'm going to have to purchase a really huge set of Channel-Loks. Nuts!
 
6 point

This is the second time I've used one of those and this time I am unable to remove it. The Anti-Splat tool just rounded off the flats on the end, and so did a 1" 12 pt. box wrench. I drove to the auto parts store and bought a traditional 3-3/4" oil filter wrench and the handle just bent. Hopefully I can find my Rigid strap wrench or I'm going to have to purchase a really huge set of Channel-Loks. Nuts!

12 point sockets suck, use a 6 point when you need the strength. You could also use a large channel lock style pliers to getting off..you can also drive a long screw driver clear through the middle to break it loose, but it makes a mess!
 
+1 on the strap wrench. I put an ez-turn on dry and it was VERY hard to get off. I don’t think anything but a heavy duty strap wrench would have done the job. If putting lube on an ez-turn makes it even harder to get off I guess I’ll either switch to Champion or get one of those reusable filters. More than likely I’ll go with the reusable. I don’t think I’ve heard a single negative comment about these (other than the price).
 
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12 point sockets suck...
I totally agree, but I can't use a socket at all because my oil filter is too close to the firewall. I'll use a screwdriver as a last resort, but on my way to the hangar tomorrow I'm going to look for a set of oil filter pliers or a set of 20" Channellocks. I seem to have lost my Rigid strap wrench somewhere along the way. I'm very disappointed in EZ-spin and will use DC-4 next time regardless of what Tempest says.
 
39 years changing oil filters on O320's that I have owned, using fresh engine oil on filter seal and installing with ONLY 3/4 turn after contact..... NEVER EVER had a problem removing the filter with a band wrench.

Use 3/4 turn, it is the same as the torque spec. It is easier to do, and a lot cheaper than a torque wrench.

Someone is doing something wrong.

500,000,000 car motors have filters that are installed with + 3/4 turn after contact..... and without safety wire, they stay in place for millions of miles.
 
This oil filter removal is turning into a real nightmare. Today I borrowed a Fram oil filter wrench from my RV-12 buddy.
This wasn't the strap kind, but the kind with the jaws and teeth, like so:

2uMgoo.jpg


It didn't work; The teeth just skidded along the surface of the can. So I drilled a hole in the can and screwed in a sheet metal screw to act as a stop. Still no dice.

IcfauI.jpg


So I pounded a large screwdriver through the filter and it still wouldn't loosen. WTF?

g5wcOu.jpg


At this point, all I could think to do was to use a chisel to peel away the can:

T959VG.jpg


Then I pried out the pleated paper filter:

J3V92x.jpg


After using a chisel to remove the remainder of the can, there was really nothing left but the base of the filter, which was a 1/8" thick steel stamping. Beating on the the edge with a brass drift and ball pein hammer wouldn't loosen it. I tried grinding on it with my peanut whistle cutoff wheel, but it was too sturdy to break up. I didn't want to grind into the oil filter adapter, either.

At this point I drove to Harbor Freight and bought a set of 20" slip joint pliers. Would you believe that the base of the filter still wouldn't budge??? I plugged up the oil passage with a paper towel so as not to get anything in there.

Al01Rm.jpg


At that point I ran out of ideas and went home to think about it. The only idea I have come up with is to remove the left mag so as to get a better purchase with those Big Azz pliers. You guys got any ideas?
 
Oil filter adapter?

Can you remove the oil filter adaptor and get the whole mess on the bench?

I?ve had some tough ones, but you?re in really tough place. Good luck.
 
This oil filter removal is turning into a real nightmare. Today I borrowed a Fram oil filter wrench from my RV-12 buddy.
This wasn't the strap kind, but the kind with the jaws and teeth, like so:

2uMgoo.jpg


It didn't work; The teeth just skidded along the surface of the can. So I drilled a hole in the can and screwed in a sheet metal screw to act as a stop. Still no dice.

IcfauI.jpg


So I pounded a large screwdriver through the filter and it still wouldn't loosen. WTF?

g5wcOu.jpg


At this point, all I could think to do was to use a chisel to peel away the can:

T959VG.jpg


Then I pried out the pleated paper filter:

J3V92x.jpg


After using a chisel to remove the remainder of the can, there was really nothing left but the base of the filter, which was a 1/8" thick steel stamping. Beating on the the edge with a brass drift and ball pein hammer wouldn't loosen it. I tried grinding on it with my peanut whistle cutoff wheel, but it was too sturdy to break up. I didn't want to grind into the oil filter adapter, either.

At this point I drove to Harbor Freight and bought a set of 20" slip joint pliers. Would you believe that the base of the filter still wouldn't budge??? I plugged up the oil passage with a paper towel so as not to get anything in there.

Al01Rm.jpg


At that point I ran out of ideas and went home to think about it. The only idea I have come up with is to remove the left mag so as to get a better purchase with those Big Azz pliers. You guys got any ideas?

Heat will do wonders for this, if you get it on the bench. The heat will soften up the rubber washer and make removal easier.

A heat gun could be used on the plane and should get it warm enough to soften, it will just take a while. 1/8" steel will take a long time to get warm enough with a heat gun.


Larry
 
Success!

OK, it took two days and a lot of blue language, but I was finally able to remove the EZ-Spin filter. I had to destroy it in order to save it, though:

BZcpbA.jpg


  • The Anti-Splat oil filter wrench just rounded off the hex on the end of the can.
  • A 1" 12 pt. box wrench did the same. Maybe a 6 pt. would have worked but I don't own one.
  • The handle on a $7 band-type oil filter wrench just bent.
  • The jaw type oil filter wrench with the teeth just skidded along the surface of the can.
  • Pounding a big screwdriver through the filter and pounding on it didn't work.
  • Using a chisel to removed the can and pleated filter did nothing for me except make a big mess.
  • Using a ball pein hammer and a steel drift on the periphery of the filter base wouldn't break it free.
  • The 20" Channellock pliers I bought at Harbor Freight wouldn't break the base free either.

I tried all those things yesterday and then gave up and went home to sleep on it. Today I got smart and spoke to the Chief Mechanic at the FBO and described what I had been through. (When all else fails, ask someone who knows what he is doing.) He told me stuck oil filters happen all the time and the solution is to never, EVER torque them to what the manufacturer says. I told him I had been beating on the O.D. of the filter base with a ball pein hammer and steel drift, but it just wasn't budging. He put his hand on my shoulder and told me, "Son, you need a bigger hammer." He loaned me his cold chisel and his BIG (20 oz.?) ball pein hammer and I was able to break the filter base loose after a couple of good whacks. Then I used my recently purchased Big Azz Channellocks to back it out the rest of the way. Obviously, I had forgotten the maxim that I learned in engineering school: Beat it until it comes! (Can I say that here?)

So I sprayed down the area behind the rear baffles with non-chlorinated brake cleaner, wiped up the puddle of oil under the plane, installed the new EZ-Spin filter, added 7 qts. of W100 and 10 oz. of Camgaurd, and ran up the engine. 80 lbs. of oil pressure and no leaks. :bow:

Disclaimer: I'm certainly not going to advise anyone to torque an oil filter to less than manufacturer's specifications because I would hate it if the rubber gasket blew out if your oil pressure got high. But I can tell you what I did. I wiped the face of the adapter clean with a paper towel, then screwed on the EZ-Spin by hand until I couldn't turn it any more. Then, with a wrench on the hex flats, I turned it 1/2 turn further and safety wired. I guess I'll give the Tempest EZ-spin filters one more chance before I switch back to Champions and DC-4. The FBO says they don't have an problem with the EZ-Spins if they're torqued as described above. YMMV.
 
This is one of those times that it would have been worth taking it to jiffy lube for an oil change :D

Glad you were able to get it all off.
 
Can?t believe how ugly this got. For those who have and easier time with the filter, don?t forget to cut it open and look for metal on each oil change.

I?m sure a hot hair dryer would of got it off in the first place.
 
After all that ugliness, the pleated paper filter came out intact. So I'll be cutting the ends off with a utility knife and inspecting the pleats as usual.
 
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