****Alert**** - F+M Oil filter adapter gasket fail

[170C]

George, I missed something regarding your suggestion of purchasing the gaskets and cutting the ID to the proper diameter. You mentioned the gaskets are $1.21 each, but you also mentioned what 8 of them would cost ($17.00). Why 8?

[N2625U]

It says that the minimum order is 8.

[170C]

Thanks! I obviously missed that. Maybe the ones not needed can be passed on to others or sold to others.

[russfarris]

Guys, some sad news - Bob from F & M has passed away. The recording says F & M will be closed until next week to mourn his passing.

Prayers to him and his family.

Russ Farris

[blueldr]

There has always, over the years, been problems of one sort or another with that after market oil filter. I never did want to install one figuring that if the engine really needed an oil filter, Continental Motors would have built one on the engine when they designed it.

[GAHorn]

I've had ZERO problems with my FM Enterprises oil filter.
But I still do change my oil every 25 hours, so I've saved nothing by having it....except the peace of mind of knowing my oil is filtered... instead of simply strained...

(And the oil change is easier and less messy... I take a large zip-lok bag and turn it inside-out, put it over the filter and turn the bag right-side-out...and un-spin the filter. .. a clean, no-drip method of containing it until I can get it to the bench to cut it open.)

[domeier]

Hello C-170 tribe: I was trying to buy an F&M adapter today for a client's C-170B/C-145, and came across this thread. I'm horrified to see the first post, and I am now very much concerned with an adapter I installed on a different client's C-172/O-300 in August, 2014. I bought the adapter from Spruce, and it came with AN crush washers, no asbestos gasket. It was very difficult to get it installed with no leakage - and now I'm wondering about the legality of the install with crush washers only - and if Spruce sold me an outdated/non-airworthy product? And Bob is dead and so is the F&M website?

I've never liked the F&M design for O-300/C-145 as opposed to the F&M O-200 unit which is flawless, but I find the only other option, (Airwolf remote mounted filter with a million places to leak and external oil lines to blow,) to be a perfect catastrophe... so... I suppose I'll forward this thread to the client and suggest we leave the screen in place, continue changing oil every 25 hours.

Pretty amazing that no one has engineered a simple, non-leaking, non-catastrophic oil filter for the C-145/O-300 in all these years. Maybe it's time to start a company...

First post here: I'm a C-140 man, but am now wrenching a 170, and find this site an excellent resource. Best regards to all.

Paul Domeier

[c170b53]

Welcome Paul, good to see the site is of some use. Don't be shy to add your 140 based 170 info, it's all about expanding the knowledge base and preserving it for everyone.
I think you might be a bit harsh on the air wolf system and your view of external oil lines. I have a Lycoming in my "B" and have kept the screen but have an external oil cooler. I've had fuel leaks with my copper lines but I've yet to have an issue with the oil lines. It's not my intention to persuade you one way or the other but my only reservation with the air wolf is the amount of firewall real estate lost to the filter.
Good luck with wrenching on the 170.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Paul,

Technically in all likelihood Spruce didn't sell you an unairworthy adapter. Many many adapters are out there with thousands of hours using AN crush washers satisfactorily. Or at least the owners have gotten use to the seeping oil. I wouldn't be surprised if lots of folks have no trouble at all. But oil seepage around the crush washers is a long time known manageable issue with this adapter. The new gasket material was an attempt by a new owner (Bob) at illuminating any issue. There was never a SB or AD on the older adapters and so they are as airworthy as the newer adapters.

Personally if I had an adapter using crush washers I wouldn't take it off. And given what looks to be a failure of the new gasket and the likely hood ready supplies of those will be non existent to meet the requirement of the ICA, I might rather have the crush washer type.

But no, I'm not really looking for either at this point to install on my engine that has reached TBO with the screen.

[T. C. Downey]

But no, I'm not really looking for either at this point to install on my engine that has reached TBO with the screen.

But what will the crank look like when removed. The reason we use a filter is to save the internal parts. Your screen only saves the oil pump.

[domeier]

Yeah, I was a little harsh on the Airwolf setup. Sorry about that. I don't like the idea of adding external oil lines to an engine that has none, but if properly installed and maintained, there should never be a problem with it - and one aspect that is superior about it, is ease of access to the filter.

I took a hard look yesterday at the AN crush washer adapter I put on the 172 in August, and it is indeed seeping a little oil. But I agree with the opinions above that a little oil seep is better than a failed gasket. I'm leaving the crush washers in place.

But back to my client's C-145 170: He wants an F&M filter adapter, but as far as I can tell, they're no longer available anywhere?

[bagarre]

Mine had the two crush washers on it and constantly leaked.
I swapped out one for the fiber washer from F&M and it's worked great ever since.
So well that it let me realize that I also have a leak from my generator

[airspeed]

Paul,

I had a question about the gaskets used on the F&M spin on oil filter adapters so I called the company that makes them. I found out that it has changed hands and called the new owners. I spoke to Greg Ehrlich, one of their Techs. He would like to ask you some questions about the failure you had on your O-300. If you can, call him at Aero Accessories 1-336-449-5054. The new owners appear to be interested in making the product as safe and reliable as they can. Your input might be of value to them.

Regards,
Airspeed.

[airspeed]

I just posted a question for Paul Douglas. His comment started this thread over two years ago. I'm not sure he will see it. If anyone knows Paul please give him a heads up for me.

Thanks

[bella]

I don’t see any new posts on the Stratus (FM) spin on oil filter adapter but I’m going to comply with the Stratus SB-001 revision B. I recently discovered my adapter seeping a little oil. In during a little research found the Mandatory service bulletin and dug a little deeper and found revision B. Also I see NTSB is requesting an AD on this, the request for an AD came out on or about 12/09/2020. The B revision requires Copper washer on both sides plus torque seal marker and safety wire. I nor my AI knew about this just thought I would bring it up for safety. If anyone has complied with this could you share any thoughts or observations it would be appreciated.