Frantz Aircraft Filter

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I recently found my original Frantz Aero aircraft filter and thought I'd post pictures of it here for those who never knew it was approved by the FAA for aircraft use.

 
Cool
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Aircraft oil is thick stuff and never seems to get very hot.

Might be useful on lonnnnng cross-country flights?
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Aircraft oil is thick stuff and never seems to get very hot.

Might be useful on lonnnnng cross-country flights?


Very cool oil filter. I'd love to have something like that as a sub micron bypass filter on my plane.

Just flew a short trip in my Cessna 177RG, about 50 miles or 18 minutes. Since the flight was so short, I spent little time climbing and only went to 3000 feet. Even so, oil temp hit 220F (redline is 245F) and oil pressure hovered around 70PSI. I use 15W-50 semi synthetic Aeroshell, which I believe is 50% PAO. It's not particularly thick or viscous here in South Florida. I'll bet a bypass filter would keep the oil considerably cleaner. The champion CH48103-1 spin on filter I use (I don't know the filtration spec) (resin-impregnated cellulose) does not seem to be anything other than a 40-50 micron filter.
 
Originally Posted By: Cujet
The champion CH48103-1 spin on filter I use (I don't know the filtration spec) (resin-impregnated cellulose) does not seem to be anything other than a 40-50 micron filter.


Look at the oil screens That Cont/Lyc recips used to use decades ago!!!
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50 microns would be a HUGE improvement
 
Originally Posted By: maxdustington
From the days when even label was proudly made in the USA. Awesome!

Needs to be installed on a old school hot rod.


Absolutely on a old hot rod. Made proudly in the USA.
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: Cujet
The champion CH48103-1 spin on filter I use (I don't know the filtration spec) (resin-impregnated cellulose) does not seem to be anything other than a 40-50 micron filter.


Look at the oil screens That Cont/Lyc recips used to use decades ago!!!
grin.gif
grin.gif


50 microns would be a HUGE improvement


About 60 years ago, my first cousin, which was an aircraft mechanic for Combs Aircraft in Denver, stretched new fabric on the wings and rebuilt the engine in his 140 Cessna. The first time he flew it with the rebuilt engine he lost oil pressure so he landed it in a field but hit an irrigation ditch and flipped it upside down. He took it to his parents farm and rebuilt it there.

I never heard what caused the loss of oil pressure but possibly lack of an oil filter?
 
I wonder if Frantz could get an STC or a field approval for their filters today? I can see the need for one in the days when aircraft engines used a strainer for filtration, but most of the engines produced in recent history have a full flow filter installed which usually keeps the engine clean enough to go to TBO and sometimes beyond if the oil analysis and compression checks show the engine to be in good operating condition.
 
Originally Posted By: 46Harry
most of the engines produced in recent history have a full flow filter installed which usually keeps the engine clean enough to go to TBO and sometimes beyond


I don't think the FAA STC's expire?

Yeah, no need for it.

Hard to convince aircraft owners to fix what isn't broke.
 
I know that STC's don't expire and I would think that Frantz had one for that filter. I was just thinking about the FAA issuing a new STC for an external bypass oil filter today. Maybe it's just me, but I never had any faith in a TP oil filter as the paper is biodegradable and I worry about the paper disintegrating and plugging something if moisture collects in the oil. I used to see Frantz Oil Cleaners on automotive engines in the 60's and 70's, but I haven't seen one in use in quite a long time and I don't remember ever seeing one used on an aircraft engine.
 
Originally Posted By: 46Harry
I never had any faith in a TP oil filter as the paper is biodegradable and I worry about the paper disintegrating and plugging something if moisture collects in the oil. I used to see Frantz Oil Cleaners on automotive engines in the 60's and 70's, but I haven't seen one in use in quite a long time and I don't remember ever seeing one used on an aircraft engine.

I have 7 Frantz filters installed on a variety of engines and automatic transmissions and some have been in use on the same engines for 50+ years without any negative effects. Although I haven't tried it, others have used TP to filter engine coolant very successfully. If there was a problem with TP disintegrating in engine oil, I'm sure the FAA would not have issued a STC for their use in aircraft.

Most modern automobiles just don't have the space to install an auxiliary oil filter otherwise I'm sure there would be many more in use.
 
I'm not going to argue about whether the Frantz oil cleaner is good, bad or indifferent. I have friends that have been using them for years and say they're great and I've had customers years ago that had me remove them because it was claimed that they were a pain to service and there were issues with oil leaks especially with the oil lines. Other than that, I've never used one, so I'm not going to make any comments either pro or con.
 
Originally Posted By: jacobs
If there was a problem with TP disintegrating in engine oil, I'm sure the FAA would not have issued a STC for their use in aircraft.

True, or at least it would have been required to be reported to the FAA as part of the STC holder's responsibility.

But also don't think that just because it has an STC that it is "better" than some other thing or has special abilities because it is approved. All an STC means is that the holder has demonstrated to the FAA that the modification allows the aircraft to confirm to the type design as amended. You can have a modification that is approved (and has an STC) that does nothing. People sometimes go all googly eyed because something is "FAA Approved" and is used on airplanes, but that really doesn't speak to effectiveness just like a patent doesn't either. Patents only demonstrate novelty and nothing else.
 
Originally Posted By: jacobs
Originally Posted By: 46Harry
I never had any faith in a TP oil filter as the paper is biodegradable and I worry about the paper disintegrating and plugging something if moisture collects in the oil. I used to see Frantz Oil Cleaners on automotive engines in the 60's and 70's, but I haven't seen one in use in quite a long time and I don't remember ever seeing one used on an aircraft engine.

I have 7 Frantz filters installed on a variety of engines and automatic transmissions and some have been in use on the same engines for 50+ years without any negative effects. Although I haven't tried it, others have used TP to filter engine coolant very successfully. ...


As a side note, I just recently posted a thread with photos of my Motorguard using TP as a coolant filter in this very forum.

FAA approval simply means that they were adequately convinced it wouldn't cause problems if installed and operated properly. It's no reflection on the effectiveness, or lack thereof of TP as a filter.

That said, anyone who would choose no filter at all over a properly installed and maintained Frantz TP bypass in a GA aircraft should have his head examined, and probably shouldn't be flying.
 
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