Oil Filter Adapter/Significant Oil Loss

N1277D · Post by **N1277D** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 11:56 pm

My C170A is equipped with the El-Reno Oil filter adapter. While returning from a long cross country, the adapter vibrated loose or lost it torque. The leg was very turbulent for most of the 3 1/2 hr leg. We subsequently lost about 3 to 4 quarts of oil out of the oil filter adapter seal.

Based on this experience, I would recommend that the torque be checked on the oil filter adapter often - perhaps at every oil change or after experienceing significance in flight turbulence for extended time periods.

russfarris · Post by **russfarris** » Thu May 01, 2003 3:07 am

Wasn't the adapter safety wired??? Russ Farris

Post by **GAHorn** » Thu May 01, 2003 3:39 am

The early El Reno adaptor used two copper crush washers for gasket sealing. The later adaptor (they're all made by FM Enterprises, Borger, Tx) had a different chamfer and used a rubberized flat gasket at the base. If you have the earlier adaptor, you should return it to fm-enterprises.com and they'll modify it for free. This should solve your problem. (Borrow their thread chaser while you're at it, to clean your accy case threads for a better torque.)

zero.one.victor · Post by **zero.one.victor** » Thu May 01, 2003 4:19 am

I bought a filter adapter from El Reno about 2 years ago. Evidently I got the "early" version,as it came with crush washers. I did have trouble getting it to seal,until I borrowed a thread-chaser (tap) from El Reno & cleaned out the accessory case hole a little deeper. I then had no trouble getting it cranked down leak-free. They give you a foot-pounds value but since the fitting has a square head & I don't have a suitable attachment for my torque wrench I just used the old Armstrong method on her. No problem since then,so I think I'll just stick with the crush ring arrangement.

Eric

Post by **GAHorn** » Thu May 01, 2003 1:18 pm

If ever you do wish to apply the proper torque (60-65 ft-lbs) you might ask a local PT-6 engine mechanic (KingAir, TwinOtter, Cheyenne, Conquest-I) for the correct 1" square socket. It's commonly used on those engines and they'll likely have one they'll loan you. FM Enterprises is also good about loaning tools.

lowNslow · Post by **lowNslow** » Thu May 01, 2003 5:20 pm

I got my torque wrench to work using a crows foot socket. Only works for that last eighth - quarter turn.

wa4jr · Post by **wa4jr** » Tue May 13, 2003 3:19 am

HA! This also happened to me on my last trip to San Antonio. Just out of annual where the filter head had been taken off for cleaning and a new Champion 48109 filter installed. Test flight was fine with no leaks. Over the course of the flight to Texas, I started to see oil trailing back under the aircraft. By the time I landed at Stinson Municipal in SAT the oil was dripping off the tailwheel! Found the leak to be coming from the crush washer between the filter head and the case. Not knowing proper torque and not wishing to just pull the wrench and risk that sickening feeling of the threads pulling out of the case, I cut the safety wire and tightened the square nut about a sixteenth of a turn at a time until ground runs at idle showed no oil leak. Took a half turn to properly seal the gasket...and I am going back to the shorter 48108 filter!

Dave Clark · Post by **Dave Clark** » Tue May 13, 2003 1:38 pm

It's very easy to move the adapter housing a bit when changing filters. Especially if the torque on the 1" housing bolt is a little low.Be careful and put one hand on the assembly to hold it from moving when changing filters.

Post by **GAHorn** » Wed May 14, 2003 5:40 pm

wa4jr wrote:HA! This also happened to me on my last trip to San Antonio. Just out of annual where the filter head had been taken off for cleaning and a new Champion 48109 filter installed. Test flight was fine with no leaks. Over the course of the flight to Texas, I started to see oil trailing back under the aircraft. By the time I landed at Stinson Municipal in SAT the oil was dripping off the tailwheel! Found the leak to be coming from the crush washer between the filter head and the case. Not knowing proper torque and not wishing to just pull the wrench and risk that sickening feeling of the threads pulling out of the case, I cut the safety wire and tightened the square nut about a sixteenth of a turn at a time until ground runs at idle showed no oil leak. Took a half turn to properly seal the gasket...and I am going back to the shorter 48108 filter!

I thought this had been mentioned elsewhere but just to be safe....the 48109 filter is not approved for the El Reno/FM Enterprises adaptor.

Mike Smith · Post by **Mike Smith** » Fri Oct 03, 2003 4:28 pm

When tightening the bolt ... I have a torque wrench, but do I need a special socket for the bolt? It sounds like a 1" will do, is this a regular 1" socket? Mine has been leaking at a progressively greater rate which is requiring wipe downs after every flight. It's not much oil, but it sure is annoying and I suspect (from the previous posts) that it could get bad enough to be a real safety issue.

Post by **GAHorn** » Fri Oct 03, 2003 9:16 pm

gahorn wrote:If ever you do wish to apply the proper torque (60-65 ft-lbs) you might ask a local PT-6 engine mechanic (KingAir, TwinOtter, Cheyenne, Conquest-I) for the correct 1" square socket. It's commonly used on those engines and they'll likely have one they'll loan you. FM Enterprises is also good about loaning tools.

OK, everbody blame MIKE SMITH for me finally disintegrating down to the point of actually quoting MYSELF

Yes, Mike, you need a 1" SQUARE socket. A regular socket may not do it.

170C · Post by **170C** » Fri Oct 03, 2003 11:49 pm

As a new owner of a FM oil filter adapter this is, of course, interesting. I installed mine just before annual time and not having a correct torque wrench socket (no friends who work on the heavy iron PT-6's, etc) I used a Texas Torque Wrench. ie: all I could armstrong. As I flew to my annual location I noticed oil on the filter. My AI said they put a little more torque on it, but felt most, if not all the oil was coming from my starter pinion seal. After the flyin to Graham, TX last weekend I saw some oil again on the filter, but also noticed, even after paying for the purchase of a less used starter housing (mine was said to be severly worn), I still had a drop of oil on the pinion shaft. I suspect that may be where the oil is coming from. A drop or two of oil on that white filter looks a lot worse than it really is! Still wish it didn't drip. but hoping its not the adapter itself.

Now if I could just find a source for the Champion filters for less than $15-16 !

Mike Smith · Post by **Mike Smith** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 5:04 am

George,
Wow, as a newbie I've already mastered the art of getting you to repeat yourself ... humm, I guess I have lots of potential wouldn't ya say? Anyway, I realized you had already said "1 inch square socket", but since I'm just a shadetree mechanic I wasn't sure if this was the same as the 1" socket I already had in my tool collection. A guy just wants to be sure before he heads out to the aerodrome to do some wrenchin'.

Thanks for all your help, hopefully this will solve my little oil leak.

Mike Smith · Post by **Mike Smith** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 5:09 am

Oh yes, what precipitated the question (which caused George to repeat himself) was that I called the El Reno people and specifically asked if I could use a "regular 1 inch socket" or if I needed a special type of 1 inch socket. Their reply was, "just a regular 1 inch socket will do". Sooooo, I have now shifted blame and it's not my fault ... you can't prove a thing ... noone saw me do it ... it was my evil twin ...

Post by **GAHorn** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 4:16 pm

Ha, Ha, Ha!!!

Anyway, ...like many things, ... the "wrong" tool is a relative matter perhaps. A 12-point socket can be used on a 6-point bolt head, but it only grips the outside corners of the bolt-hex and will not accept the same amount of torque without slipping and damaging the bolt. Perhaps another socket might be used to do this job, but I was trying to steer folks to a method of using the "correct" tool without having to go out and buy one for a one-time use.

The International Cessna 170 Association

Oil Filter Adapter/Significant Oil Loss

Oil Filter Adapter/Significant Oil Loss

Oil Filter Adapter Leak