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Challenger Lifetime Oil Filter

pilotyoung

Well Known Member
Is anyone using the Challenger Lifetime Oil Filter on their Rotax 912? Of so, how do you like it? Pro's and Con's.

Thanks.
 
The short answer is yes. However, the longer one is that Challenger oil filters are made by K&P Engineering as the PMA manufacturer for Challenger and can be bought online as a non-PMA part here https://usaoilfilters.com/. I don’t want to take business away from Challenger, but if you’re not in need of a PMA part, such as on an experimental airplane, then non-PMA parts make a lot of sense (same part, no 8130 cert)

I have these on my car, truck and airplane.

Advantages are: higher flow rates, better filtration, no more buying or disposing of filters and additional oil cooing. Oh, and probably a “cool factor”. The only disadvantage is the initial price; depending how often you are changing your oil, the payback period is not too long.

K&P makes very high quality parts, and a good small company with great service.
 
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Filter specs

A couple folks have asked me which K&P filter works on the Rotax, so I thought I’d post my responses here for reference.

Looking at Rotax’s black filter specs, ¾”-16 thread, 2 5/8" diameter seat and 1.1 bar relief valve, the K&P S4 would be a correct replacement (also a direct replacement for the KN HP/PS/SS-1002 filter line, if you’re using those). You should measure your actual filter to verify as I simply found the Rotax filter spec online and don’t have a physical reference. I have a UL Power engine, not a Rotax, which uses the S1 filter.

The S15 filter is the same spec at the S4 with the exception that it is a little taller for a slightly larger volume and added cooling fins if you have the room to fit it.

They also have a C4 housing with a 1” nut and safety wire holes machined in if you’re inclined to have that. You can email or call the fine folks at K&P and they’ll be happy to help and mix n match parts to fit your needs. Do be sure to mention that it is for an experimental airplane as they have an obligation to send you to Challenger for certified aircraft parts.
 
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The short answer is yes. However, the longer one is that Challenger oil filters are made by K&P Engineering as the PMA manufacturer for Challenger and can be bought online as a non-PMA part here https://usaoilfilters.com/. I don?t want to take business away from Challenger, but if you?re not in need of a PMA part, such as on an experimental airplane, then non-PMA parts make a lot of sense (same part, no 8130 cert)

I have these on my car, truck and airplane.

Advantages are: higher flow rates, better filtration, no more buying or disposing of filters and additional oil cooing. Oh, and probably a ?cool factor?. The only disadvantage is the initial price; depending how often you are changing your oil, the payback period is not too long.

I'm curious how you clean the screen and not contaminate the the clean side of the filter?
 
They have some videos on their website that go into the design of the filter, as well as demonstrate the maintenance of the filter. http://kandpengineering.com/press-area/

I?m sure they?d be happy to answer any questions you may still have.

disclaimer: I have no relationship with these folks, I just like their products.
 
replacement for Tempest 48108-2 filter

Maybe this should go in a different thread, but for those folks with Lycoming engines or their clones and using the common Tempest 48108-2 filters, the guy I talked with at K&A says you should order their C4 housing with an S15 filter (see the K&A website for photos). With free shipping and no tax, at least for me in California, total will be $169. Not too bad really given that the Tempest filters are $20.50 each plus shipping from Spruce. K&A claims better oil flow through their product, so might be worth a try.

erich
 
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I have a couple of certified customers that have them installed. They're super easy to clean and inspect. Really like them.
 
I’m running one. Better Oil cooling (maybe 5 degrees or so). Haven’t hit first oil change with it yet so we’ll see how that goes. But yes, you can safety wire it.
 
I'll toss my name in here as well.. I've been using it for about 125 hours now. I don't notice any temperature differences.. in fact, it seems I have trouble maintaining temps in the green arc with or without this reusable filter.. seems like I always need a winter baffle installed (NJ weather).

Cleaning it is a little messy.. but cutting open a filter is probably worse. Overall, if it makes financially sense, I'd recommend it.
 
I had used it in my last plane. I did not see any oil temp change, the cleaning is much easier and you would need to change the gasket each time or risk leaking oil but it would take more than 3 years to pay for itself.
 
Some oil filters (I don’t know about Rotax) have pleated paper element coated with a chemical base that neutralizes the acids produced in an internal combustion engine. Might be advantage to using replaceable oil filter…
 
Challenger or K&P?

Anyone have the cross reference for a CH48110-1

Thanks!

Cheers, Sean

If you want to buy the FAA-PMA version from Challenger it's CP-48110-C. Since experimental aircraft don't require PMA'd parts, you could try to find the K&P equivalent which I found is the C4 housing and FE15 element.

Good luck, however, trying to buy the C4 housing (it has the 1" hex and safety wire holes on the end). Challenger has complained to K&P (their OEM supplier of the filters) and you probably won't find a dealer/distributor that will sell you that housing. It didn't used to be that way, but lately I've found it difficult to get the C4 housing.
 
If you want to buy the FAA-PMA version from Challenger it's CP-48110-C. Since experimental aircraft don't require PMA'd parts, you could try to find the K&P equivalent which I found is the C4 housing and FE15 element.

Good luck, however, trying to buy the C4 housing (it has the 1" hex and safety wire holes on the end). Challenger has complained to K&P (their OEM supplier of the filters) and you probably won't find a dealer/distributor that will sell you that housing. It didn't used to be that way, but lately I've found it difficult to get the C4 housing.

They look available here.

http://oilfiltersites.com/product/c4-housing/

https://kandpengineering.com/product/fe-15/
 
I had used it in my last plane. I did not see any oil temp change, the cleaning is much easier and you would need to change the gasket each time or risk leaking oil but it would take more than 3 years to pay for itself.

I have had mine for couple of years. Have never changed the gasket. No leaks so far.
 
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I have had mine for couple of years. Have never changed the gasket. No leaks so far.
That is good to know. I was told by the company owner that is advisable to change it each time and I have seen them with their edges start tearing when I changed oil.
 
Would this new filter do away with the 120 F warm up requirement? If I'm correct the cold oil can cause the Rotax type filters to by pass if RPM is above 2400...it takes me around 6 minutes generally to get to 120 F...
 
Would this new filter do away with the 120 F warm up requirement? If I'm correct the cold oil can cause the Rotax type filters to by pass if RPM is above 2400...it takes me around 6 minutes generally to get to 120 F...

Negative - the 120F Oil Temp requirement before RPMs > 2500 still a requirement. This is just a filter you don't have to cut and throwaway each oil change. I will admit it's more 'neat' than necessity.
 
The 122F warm up for oil is necessary because crankcase scavenging is not adequate until oil thins in viscosity. RPM is limited during warm up so oil pump volume does not exceed capacity of crankcase pressure to return oil to reservoir tank. Once oil is at operating temperature, the inflow of oil won’t exceed the engine’s ability to drain.
 
Would this new filter do away with the 120 F warm up requirement? If I'm correct the cold oil can cause the Rotax type filters to by pass if RPM is above 2400...it takes me around 6 minutes generally to get to 120 F...

Actually, the filter bypasses because oil viscosity is too high (thick) at low temperatures. The bypass feature is to protect the pleated filter element - it would rupture if oil can't flow at design rate.

I wonder if the Challenger Lifetime Filter has the same feature?
 
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