Remote Oil Filter Frustrations

DWABoat

DWABoat

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2019
1,012
S Louisiana
Boat Info
2001 280 Sundancer
1989 220CC Cuddy Cabin
Engines
Twin 4.3 w/Alpha Ones
5.7 Mercruiser Alpha One
I have never claimed to be the brightest bulb in the pack, but I am intelligent enough to finish public school. However, I cannot find the logic, or understand the science, behind putting a freaking motor oil filter upside down on top of an engine.

This is my first boat with a remote oil filter system. What a PIA! Easy to reach, for sure. What a mess. I even expected problems, so I had lots of shop towels around and under the filter mount.

Can one of you really smart people help me understand why that position is beneficial to anyone but an engineer with a great sense of humor?
 
Not sure I'm really smart... or even "regular" smart for that matter, but from stubborness and experience...

I used to poke a hole with scredriver and a hammer in the topside of the filter, but I've been doing something different for the last 10 years or so and it seems to work a little better. Well, it "works" the same as far as draining goes, but there's even less chance of a mess since you don't have to worry about any remaining oil dripping out the hole - although a large ziploc bag can help.

Anyways... all you do is unscrew the filter JUST enough to let air in through the gap, but not let oil out. If you look closely, you'll see oil "breathing" in the gap (in and out and in and out). But it won't actually drip out. Go do something else for a short while and when you come back it's all done.

Once you know those little tricks, you'll NEVER want to go back to blindly unscrewing a filter from the aft end of a block in a tight bilge.
 
When I did oil and filters on my 5.0's for the 1st time I thought the same.... it was a mess.

2nd time around I just loosened the filter a smidge and after sucking most of the oil out of the engine the filter was completely empty. A much better result.
 
Ok. I can tell with some experience the process will be cleaner and use fewer towels. Also, as an old-school-under-the-engine-oil-filter guy, don’t wait until last to change the filter. I don’t want the old oil back in my pan. I can live with that.

Now, to business. I have always, and was taught, to pre-fill my filter with clean oil to prevent gaps in lubrication. Probably overkill, but I have done it for 35 years. With the remote, upside down crap, not possible. Further, the oil pump now has to pickup the oil, send it up the little tube, permeate the filter, back down the other little tube and back to the bearings. That is going to take an eternity in engine rpm years.

I guess if this really bothers me, I could prefill the “feed” line of the remote system to shorten the time it takes to complete the circuit.

It’s going to be a long wait.

So no mechanical advantage to putting it upside down? Only convenience?
 
DWABoat said:
I have never claimed to be the brightest bulb in the pack, but I am intelligent enough to finish public school. However, I cannot find the logic, or understand the science, behind putting a freaking motor oil filter upside down on top of an engine.

This is my first boat with a remote oil filter system. What a PIA! Easy to reach, for sure. What a mess. I even expected problems, so I had lots of shop towels around and under the filter mount.

Can one of you really smart people help me understand why that position is beneficial to anyone but an engineer with a great sense of humor?
Click to expand...
The Key is to poke a hole in the top let the air get in so the oil drips out before you pull it.
 
Lazy Daze said:
Not sure I'm really smart... or even "regular" smart for that matter, but from stubborness and experience...

I used to poke a hole with scredriver and a hammer in the topside of the filter, but I've been doing something different for the last 10 years or so and it seems to work a little better. Well, it "works" the same as far as draining goes, but there's even less chance of a mess since you don't have to worry about any remaining oil dripping out the hole - although a large ziploc bag can help.

Anyways... all you do is unscrew the filter JUST enough to let air in through the gap, but not let oil out. If you look closely, you'll see oil "breathing" in the gap (in and out and in and out). But it won't actually drip out. Go do something else for a short while and when you come back it's all done.

Once you know those little tricks, you'll NEVER want to go back to blindly unscrewing a filter from the aft end of a block in a tight bilge.
Click to expand...

I do the same, it’s a fine art to unscrewing just enough to drain quickly but not overflow the little bowl underneath the filter. I pull out the dipstick, open the fil cap, and crack the filters loose as I start to get all the other stuff ready to pump oil out.
 
Okay...since you guys seem experienced with all this oil change fancy stuff, this is also the first boat I’ve owned (newer than 1989!) with the oil drain hoses off the pan. Do these work good or are they just a gimmick that drips oil in the bilge?
 
KevinC said:
... And use the OEM Quicksilver/Mercury filters.

-Kevin
Click to expand...

I've seen at least 2 cases where an OEM Mercruiser oil filter failed and caused low oil pressure and put an engine into limp mode. They are just rebranded cheap Chinese filters. Napa Gold, Wix or K&N are much better quality.
 
I switched to Mobil One filters many years ago after learning a lot about internal construction. I used the OEM Merc filters this time due to not sure of fit plus I was at the Merc dealer.

Do any of you use the Mobil One equivalent (need number) of the Merc for the 4.3L?
 
DWABoat said:
Ok. I can tell with some experience the process will be cleaner and use fewer towels. Also, as an old-school-under-the-engine-oil-filter guy, don’t wait until last to change the filter. I don’t want the old oil back in my pan. I can live with that.

Now, to business. I have always, and was taught, to pre-fill my filter with clean oil to prevent gaps in lubrication. Probably overkill, but I have done it for 35 years. With the remote, upside down crap, not possible. Further, the oil pump now has to pickup the oil, send it up the little tube, permeate the filter, back down the other little tube and back to the bearings. That is going to take an eternity in engine rpm years.

I guess if this really bothers me, I could prefill the “feed” line of the remote system to shorten the time it takes to complete the circuit.

It’s going to be a long wait.

So no mechanical advantage to putting it upside down? Only convenience?
Click to expand...
It's certainly a fair thought. But in reality - doesn't really matter. Maybe in a lab. There's enough residual oil sticking around to more than makeup for the couple of seconds (once a year) till pressure builds up. Again, fair/good thought - but there's 100's of thousands of Merc engines (not just in Sea Rays) out there running around with no ill effects from this. Don't lose any sleep over it :)
 
DWABoat said:
Okay...since you guys seem experienced with all this oil change fancy stuff, this is also the first boat I’ve owned (newer than 1989!) with the oil drain hoses off the pan. Do these work good or are they just a gimmick that drips oil in the bilge?
Click to expand...

I like them. I hook my oil sucker right to it (with a pipe to barb adapter) and suck the oil out that way. You can disconnect it from the garboard drain plug and route the hose up the side of the engine if you want to do the oil removal from inside the boat. But note... the difference in the amount of oil removed via sucking it out through the dipstick vs the hose is very minimal - not enough to really matter. Talking about sucking the oil out through the dipstick... if you are using a little plastic tube that's inserted into the dipstick... forget about it. All it does is make the process take longer - it does NOT get more oil out vs sticking the oil sucker's hose onto the top of the dipstick.

Filters - You can certainly use other brands - stick with good ones. But, the Merc filter is NOT a cheap knockoff. It's a solid filter. I've cut apart MANY filters (lot's of different brands) - it's well made. Fram... well... you know the saying... "Friends don't let friends use Fram".

FYI... if you're somewhere other than a Merc dealer, you can buy the Quicksilver brand - it's just re-branded by Merc to be sold at places other than Merc-certified dealers.
 
Lazy Daze said:
. But note... the difference in the amount of oil removed via sucking it out through the dipstick vs the hose is very minimal - not enough to really matter. Talking about sucking the oil out through the dipstick... if you are using a little plastic tube that's inserted into the dipstick... forget about it. All it does is make the process take longer - it does NOT get more oil out vs sticking the oil sucker's hose onto the top of the dipstick.
Click to expand...
No kidding? I've never heard of that. I can fit a piece of tubing right over the top of the dipstick tube, and it will suck the oil out? I have always used the really small tube stuck down the dipstick tube.
I'm glad that I clicked on this thread.
 
I don't have a dog in this hunt, mine are hung under the remote.

Can the remote be repositioned? I know it would be expensive but it would fix the issue.

When you put a hole in the top of the filter can it be large enough to use your extraction pump to pull the oil out?

Isn't there a drain port on the filter mount frame?

I use a old spark plug boot to connect to the dipstick tube, it works great.
 
wyrman said:
No kidding? I've never heard of that. I can fit a piece of tubing right over the top of the dipstick tube, and it will suck the oil out? I have always used the really small tube stuck down the dipstick tube.
I'm glad that I clicked on this thread.
Click to expand...
Yup! A 3/8" ID hose (happens to be the size of the hose I use with my oil sucker) fits right over the top of the dipstick tube. Usually it fits snug enough the way it is - worst case, use a little SS worm gear clamp to keep it tight. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!
 
dwna1a said:
I don't have a dog in this hunt, mine are hung under the remote.

Can the remote be repositioned? I know it would be expensive but it would fix the issue.

When you put a hole in the top of the filter can it be large enough to use your extraction pump to pull the oil out?

Isn't there a drain port on the filter mount frame?

I use a old spark plug boot to connect to the dipstick tube, it works great.
Click to expand...
You could certainly reposition it - but the amount of time/money that it would cost is completely not worth it. As we discussed above, there are zero issues changing the filter once you know the tricks. It would be a complete waste of time and money to redesign things.

I have never tried sucking oil out through the filter - don't think it would worth. Plus, no reason to since you can suck it out the dipstick tube. No drain in the mount.
 
I have been working on boats most of my life. Remote oil systems are far better than trying to get under the engine like I did recently on a Four Winns with 5.7 engines.....what a mess. By the way the oil filter is still inverted under the engine.

The technique is no different. Punch a hole in the filter and let it drain. Loosen the filter and put a gallon size ziplock bag over it and spin it off.

Make sure the rubber gasket comes off with the filter.

Fill the new oil filter with oil and coat the new rubber seal.

Tighten it up and refill the engine.
 
Lazy Daze said:
It's certainly a fair thought. But in reality - doesn't really matter. Maybe in a lab. There's enough residual oil sticking around to more than makeup for the couple of seconds (once a year) till pressure builds up. Again, fair/good thought - but there's 100's of thousands of Merc engines (not just in Sea Rays) out there running around with no ill effects from this. Don't lose any sleep over it :)
Click to expand...
Is this different for gas vs Diesel engines?

The oil filter in my Cummins installs so the open end is up. During my captains briefing the Cummins tech was explicit that the filter MUST be filled with fresh oil - do not under any circumstances install it empty. He stated that the main bearing is right after the filter, and waiting for the filter to fill with oil while the engine cranks is extremely bad for it. Especially when the engine has sat all winter.

Second, what’s the proper way to dispose of used oil filters?
 
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