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Christen 801 system oil screen(s) inspection

clam

Well Known Member
After searching VAF and the Christen manual, I can't find mention of how often to inspect the oil screen on the 810-S fitting and/or the 804-A (in our case) screen.

The manual does not speak to an inspection schedule of these screens. It does state the system "normally requires no maintenance". There is mention of sump inspection at major overhaul or if problems arise with the system.

For those flying this system, do you inspect both screens at condition inspection? Each oil change? Never? Only the 810 screen? What's the tribal knowledge?
 
Yes Sir, I'm aware of those, thanks. I don't fly this system, but helping a buddy, so was trying to get smart on the system. Sounds like the consensus (per the manual and general practice) is that folks forego the screen checks unless and until the oil filter and oil analysis offer a reason for further investigation.
 
Sounds like the consensus (per the manual and general practice) is that folks forego the screen checks unless and until the oil filter and oil analysis offer a reason for further investigation.
Yes, but... there’s always a “but”, right? I would at least periodically check and clean that screen just to cut down on the gunk and sludge that builds up. My O-360-A1D came from a flight school Geronimo Apache trainer; it received regular inspections, oil changes and all that, but apparently no one ever cleaned the sump screen. When I pulled it all apart for overhaul I found the sump screen intake was jammed up with a gray, murky sludge. How any oil got through there to the oil pump I have no idea... I now pull and clean the screen at every oil change, no gunk build up.

I will say though that the Christen system complicates that... a buddy of mine had an -8 with the inverted system; in looking at his plumbing system I was pretty puzzled on how you would even access the screen without disassembling a bunch of plumbing along with it. Ouch.
 
I have an Eagle with the Christen system and an oil filter. I check the lower screen only at the annual, but I do it every annual. I also take the separator off and fill it with 100LL and let it sit for a while and then slosh it. I take that and pour it down the breather tube that runs to the tail, I catch it at the other end and repeat that half a dozen times. I know some people take the valve apart periodically but I have not done that and not had any problems.
 
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