Multimedia Video of the Week

How To Cut And Inspect An Oil Filter

pauldyeavweb

Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 07:08 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Cutting open and inspecting an airplane's oil filter is a crucial step in DIY maintenance.
The video demonstrates the correct procedure for this inspection.
A specialized tool is recommended for cutting the filter efficiently, rather than using a hacksaw.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XajDFyGYY8I

If you do your own airplane maintenance, cutting open and inspecting an oil filter is an important step. In this video, KITPLANES Editor-at-Large Paul Dye explains how to do it. Having a purpose-made tool for the job speeds things along and, pro tip, that’s not a hacksaw.

pauldyeavweb

Paul Dye, KITPLANES® Editor at Large, retired as a Lead Flight Director for NASA’s Human Space Flight program, with 40 years of aerospace experience on everything from Cubs to the Space Shuttle. An avid homebuilder, he began flying and working on airplanes as a teen, and has experience with a wide range of construction techniques and materials. He flies an RV-8 that he built, an RV-3 that he built with his pilot wife, as well as a Dream Tundra they completed. Currently, they are building a Xenos motorglider. A commercially licensed pilot, he has logged over 5000 hours in many different types of aircraft and is an A&P, EAA Tech Counselor and Flight Advisor, as well as a former member of the Homebuilder’s Council. He consults and collaborates in aerospace operations and flight-testing projects across the country.