Tempest Oil Filter failure at 500 feet.

[cwo4ret]

If I didn't have bad luck, I would have no luck at all. A while back I posted about my 19,000 overhaul that was yard art. Thanks to this Forum we discovered the problem was they did not install the oil filter adapter. Well, we got all that fixed, I think.

Run up after after the fix looked good. 100 degrees on oil temp at start and oil pressure goes to 75 psi. So far so good. Taxi for take off, everything still in the green, no problem with mag check, so off I go.

Climb out great, x-wind climb great. As I turn down wind and level out, Poof, the cock-pit is full of gray smoke. The smoke clears fast as I scan the gauges. The Oil Pressure is reading 0. Motor is still running so quick call to the tower and make a fast landing and shut down. From smoke to landing and shutdown probably 3 minutes, give or take.

Towed it in the hanger and everything was covered in oil. Took the top cowling off and degreased the engine compartment. No oil on the dip stick, so they added 4 qts, then it read 5 qts, so approximately 1 qt left in the motor, maybe.

Checked everything for leaks and breaks, found nothing wrong. All the oil on the outside of the airframe was on the right side and belly. The oil filter is located on the firewall right side, so took a look at the filter and there it was. The filter had separated at the seam. Looked like you had taken a filter cutter to it.

So now I am down again. Lot of discussion about tearing the motor down again to check for damage. Got a call into the Tempest Filter Company to see if they will pay, since it was their filter that caused the problem.

I will update my post as soon as I get more information.

This has not been a very good year.

Gene

 

[pa20]

Wow! Really sorry to hear this, Gene!
When you have time, could you post a photo of the filter? Not that it is hard to conjure up the image of a burst seam, but it might be interesting.
Good Luck!
Mark

 

[Dwain]

Gene,
I feel for you, man. I don't know if this is possible on a plane, but I had a truck do that a few miles after overhaul. I had never seen that, so I put new oil & filter in and it did it again. Long story short, there was a piece of gasket material blocking the bypass valve from the oil pump. It allowed the pressure to get way too high, and pop the filter. Either way, the Filter Guys or the Overhaul Guys need to step up. Keep us posted. Luck - Dwain

 

[cwo4ret]

Wow! Really sorry to hear this, Gene!
When you have time, could you post a photo of the filter? Not that it is hard to conjure up the image of a burst seam, but it might be interesting.
Good Luck!
Mark

The Shop has photos of the filter. I will get a copy to post.

Gene

 

[cwo4ret]

Well, the owner of the shop doing my annual and motor work called me. GUESS WHAT?????????? It was not an oil filter problem after all. The guy was very apologetic and said the problem was caused by his shop. When the new oil filter Adapter came in the mechanic did not notice there was a front and back printed on the adapter. The adapter was installed backwards with the small hole facing the housing and poof went the oil filter.

The owner of the shop is financing the tear down and inspection of the motor by the original company that did the overhaul.

If I ever get my Colt back, I will have learned a lot about making decisions.

Gene

 

[Gilbert Pierce]

I sure hope for your sake the shop will be able to get all or right parts back on in the proper orientation.

 

[pistoncan]

Gene,
I feel for you, man. I don't know if this is possible on a plane, but I had a truck do that a few miles after overhaul. I had never seen that, so I put new oil & filter in and it did it again. Long story short, there was a piece of gasket material blocking the bypass valve from the oil pump. It allowed the pressure to get way too high, and pop the filter. Either way, the Filter Guys or the Overhaul Guys need to step up. Keep us posted. Luck - Dwain

I had the same thing happen to me as Dwain with a SBC. Bypass valve stuck, High pressure to oil filter = blown filter. Putting the adapter on backwards probably had the same effect. Good luck with it.

 

[Smokey]

On the Tempest website they claim that there filters are burst proof up to 600 psi!!! That's a lot of oil pressure.

 

[cwo4ret]

On the Tempest website they claim that there filters are burst proof up to 600 psi!!! That's a lot of oil pressure.

I am pretty sure the owner of the maintenance company is in contact with Tempest trying to recoup some of his money for the Eng tare down, but I am out of the loop now that he is financing the work.

The tare down inspection is being done by the original motor shop so my warranty on the motor is still good.