Air Filters

gusc · Post by **gusc** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 23:49

My air filter is composed, front to back, of the steel frame, a metal mesh
front cover, the foam filter material and a fine mesh plastic screen.

The back side of the foam and the plastic screen are bulging out of the
frame about 1/4"! This does not seem right to me. I can picture the foam or
the screen being eventually sucked into the carb with disastrous results.

There are two rivnuts on opposite sides in the center of each side at the back which I
assume are there for some kind of support wire or bracket across the frame
to make sure the foam and screen stay in place.

How are your filters made?

Mnflyer · Post by **Mnflyer** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 00:08

Hi Gus is there a name or P/N on the filter assy, all the Bracket filters I've seem are alum with a steel screen on the back(carb)side and a steel wire frame on the front(ram air) side the foam is sandwiched in between. There was and older(from the 70's) that used a black plastic frame and the was a bulletin or maybe an AD requireing a metal screen to be installed on the carb side to keep it from being drawn into the carb. I'm with you don't like the sound of what your finding/seeing. I'll look at the filters I have in my hangar tomorrow. I know on the Champ its a Bracket filter installed, but I have one of the other foam types in the parts cabinet.

Ron Babos · Post by **Ron Babos** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 17:59

I have the standard bracket air filter. The aluminum channel frame is bolted to the carb heat box. At the back of the frame is a wire mesh held in place from the 4 bolts holding it to the heat box. The foam element is inserted into the channel section of the frame and a smaller wire cage with two tabs gets screwed to the two rivnuts at the front to retain the foam element. Standard Cessna stuff.
Ron

Jody Wittmeyer · Post by **Jody Wittmeyer** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 21:53

Gus, I have the Air Maze filter on my champ. Love it. Easy to clean. The wire mesh (course) goes to the front (inlet) and the fine mesh on the back. (outlet, closest to the engine) Mine is in a steel frame, not plastic.

gusc · Post by **gusc** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 00:41

Thanks for all the responses.

The front frame is steel (I think) and the box for the foam is Al. The foam looks like Brackett stuff to me. I haven't had a Brackett filter in a long time. My Navion used the Air Maze paper type.

The front screen is coarse steel mesh. The rear screen is fine mesh plastic. I don't think this stuff should be there from what you guys say.

The Cessna small rear metsl screen doesn't completely cover the foam as I remember, or is that the front? That must be the purpose of the two rear center rivnuts.

Seems to me I read an AD or Airworthiness Bulletin a couple of years ago about a metal screen on the back side of the filter being drawn into the carb. It said to remove the screen. I don't remember what was to replace it though.

gusc · Post by **gusc** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 23:32

After a close inspection today I decided my filter is an Air Maze that has been converted to use the Brackett element. I did this some years ago to my Stinson. The original Air Maze Data Plate is completely rubbed off by the close fit into the air box.

I found the Brackett number BA4108 on the new element. Strangly, the 7AC or 11AC is not listed on Brackett's Application List under either Champion or Bellanca, but every other 65 hp ever made is? Aeronca is not even on the list.

Every other old 65 hp airplane uses the 4108 so I guess it is ok. Now I have to figure out how to secure the rear to hold the foam element in.

Jody Wittmeyer · Post by **Jody Wittmeyer** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 21:08

I don't have it in front of me, but I believe the AD on the foam filters was to put a screen on the back side, to keep the foam from being sucked into the engine.

Mnflyer · Post by **Mnflyer** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 21:55

The AD's for air filters are: Bracket foam filters AD 81-15-03 (screen) AD 96-09-06 (gasket replace) AD 2002-26-03 N/A

Pure-Air-Inc foam filters AD 80-08-14 ( installation of a screen on back side of foam)

MikeB · Post by **MikeB** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 22:03

As noted above, the 7 and 11 AC's were never on the Brackett "list". However, I always pay attention when I look at Aeroncas at Oshkosh or other events and it appears that about 50% have the Airmaze and 50% have the Brackett.........For the "whatever it's worth department

".

Mike

Captgrumps · Post by **Captgrumps** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 23:56

This is from Bracketts list--Note the Aeronca 65-CA is listed--

Doug

BA-8910
AAF-117

Cessna Models 120, 140, 140A, 150,150A, 150B, 150C, 150D, 150E, 150F, 150G, 150H, 150J, 150K, 150L, 150M, A150M, 152, and A152;
American Champion Models Bellanca (Champion) (Aeronca) 7ACA, 7ECA, and 7FC; Aviat, Inc. Models A-1;
Luscombe Models 8, 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F, and T-8F;
Piper Models PA-22, PA-22-135, PA-22-150, PA-22-160, PA-22-108, PA-20-115, PA-20-135, PA-38-112, J-3, J3C-65, J3C-65S, PA-11, PA-11S, J4A, J4A-S, J4E, J5A, J5A-80, PA-12, PA-12S, PA-16, PA-17, PA-18, PA-18A, PA-185, PA-18-"125" (Army L-21A), PA-18AS-"125", PA-185-"125", PA-18AS-"135", PA-18S-"135", PA-18-"135", PA-18-"150", PA-18A-"150" (SN 18-1 through 18-6963), PA-18S-"150", PA-19, PA-18A (Restricted), PA-18A-"135" (Restricted), and PA-18A-"150" (Restricted) (SN 18-1 through 18-6963);
Taylorcraft Models BC65, BCS-65, BC12-65, BCS12-65, BC12-D, BCS12-D1, BC12D85, BCS12D85, BC12D-4-85, BCS12D-4-85, 19, F19, F21, DC-65, DCO-65, F22, F22A, F22B, and F22C;
Univair Models (Alon) A-2, A2-A, (Forney) F-1, F-1A, and (Mooney) M10;
Swift Museum Models (Globe) GC-1A and GC-1B;
Augustair Model Varga (Morrisey) 2150A;

Aeronca 65-CA;
American Champion 7ECA (with Cont. O-200-A engine) and 7ACA;

Reims Aviation (Cessna) F150G, F150H, F150J, F150K, F150L, F150M, FA150K, FA150L, F152, AND FA152;

MikeB · Post by **MikeB** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 08:42

Except the 65CA is not a 7 or 11 series and, in fact, it's type certificate 675 rather than A-759 or A 761. I'm not worried about it (all three Champs on our field have Brackett filters) just trying to point out that there isn't a direct Brackett paper work link. The Brackett filters are great as long as they are maintained and the filters changed at least every annual. I even had one on my Cherokee.

Post by **joea** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 09:08

mikeberg/wi wrote:Except the 65CA is not a 7 or 11 series and, in fact, it's type certificate 675 rather than A-759 or A 761. I'm not worried about it (all three Champs on our field have Brackett filters) just trying to point out that there isn't a direct Brackett paper work link. The Brackett filters are great as long as they are maintained and the filters changed at least every annual. I even had one on my Cherokee.

Hope that this is corrected later this fall from Bracket. What Mike points out is correct that these air filters are not legal at this time on our 7/11AC's. Legal and "being used" is not the same and while there is one on MY airplane its still not legal until the FAA says its legal.

Wish they would get it approved and fast!

gusc · Post by **gusc** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 18:01

Strangely enough I did find it listed after a google search? I think it was on Chief Aircraft's list but not sure now. I'm away from home and can't check it right now.

The first list I looked at was the officital Brackett list in .pdf format.

It defies common sense that every other 65 hp airplane of that era is listed but not the 7/11 Series??

Nathan K. Hammond · Post by **Nathan K. Hammond** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:40

Probably had something to do with Aeronca 7's and 11's had a different airbox than others. Just a thought.

nkh

gusc · Post by **gusc** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 16:17

Nathan,

You're correct. I sent an email to Brackett Aerpfilters and got a reply from Scott Brackett in which he said Aeronca made their own air boxes and that they are different from all the others.

He sent me a photo of the original Aeronca box with an Air Maze filter. It looks as if mine is a modification of the original to make it thinner. Mine has the BA 4108 filter element but Scott says that the correct element is BA-154E which I'm guessing to be thicker than mine.