Mercruiser Changed Their Oil FIlter?

[skolbe]

I bought a new oil filter to change the oil on the boat. It appears that Merc made the oil filters smaller for the V-8's. I even went back to the store to make sure I didn't pick up the wrong one.

Why would they shorten the oil filter?

 

[First Born]

Skolbe,

They did; I remember a couple of users talking about it on SRO. Maybe some others will chime in but there was a topic on it and why they did it.

Wesley

 

[Alex D]

Correct the number also changed and the design did too ... not sure what the reasons were ... new supplier???

 

[Fred]

The new filters were available last October when I purchased them from my local Marine Max. The parts guy brought it to my attention as he knew I would question the change as soon as I looked at the new filters.
He said that the new filter, even though it looks smaller, was designed to have more flow / less restriction. He believed flow was more important than absolute filtering ability in a high performance / high rpm engine.

 

[rondds]

if size matters to you, go with the wix or napa equivalent. they're all i use.

the cynic in me says merc allied with a new manufacturer to save a few bucks and the smaller filter was the result. truth is, there are only a handful of filter manufacturers so your mercruiser filter proably has arvin (or fram or wix or AC/Delco) guts.

required reading for all DIY boaters..

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html

 

[boatrboy]

This is wierd, I just went thru this last weekend. I went to Boaters World and noticed only one (short) filter on the shelf which states it worked for all v-8 with and w/out remote mount.
This was different than the one I just removed. They had a quicksilver book on the shelf and it had the longer one in the book but it was a 2005 book.
So I go to autozone to get the fram compatable (long) and the cross reference was a short filter. Gez, I put the darn short quicksilver one in and it was fine. I worried for nothing it appears. :smt021

 

[Alex D]

By far most private label filters are made by Champion Labs. They make everything from Walmarts Super Tech to the expensive Mobil 1 and K&N oil filters and are probably the largest supplier in this space. Arvin (Purolator) also makes some private labels such as Motorcraft, Microtech(O'Reilley's) and a few others, but mostly obviously their Purolator brands.

Both manufacturers filters are easily identifyable by their base plates whcih may have different hole sizes or shapes, but have common characteristics telling you in they are CL or Arvin filters.

If you're intereted, you can read more that you ever wanted to know here: www.bobistheoilguy.com go to the forum there ...

BTW ... Fram are the WORST constructed filters out there and they make a few private label brands ( mostly quick lube oil change chains) as far as I know ... Fram filters are also easily identifyable by their typical base plate.

 

[Chris989]

Oh this thread helped. I ordered new filters and had the exact same issue. Shorties arrived (ordered from Stem to Stern on internet) and they were obviously NOT what I had been using :smt013 . Problem is, there was no explanation in the packing list or invoice so I stowed them and went and bought a set that I "knew" were the right size!!! :smt017

So, some of you hate Fram, I'm not a fan of the new shorties (for no paticular reason) how about K&N's?

I have a couple of months to anguish over the filter size before the next oil change...

 

[HIFI]

Same issue and more

I picked up new filters at my MM dealer. Part number same but shorter filter AND THREADS DONT MATCH.

 

[boatrboy]

I found that the short one did have a different part number then the long one I was using :smt017
Anyway, mine fit and ran fine. (just to clarify, the filter I am talking about was for a 5.7 in a rinker I own, not the 7.4 in my SeaRay)

 

[rondds]

i had heard bad things about fram also. bursting issues? back-flow/check valves problems?? could be urban legend, but i stay away from them.

 

[Amberjack01]

Read a thread on this topic on THT that had a link to a site with way too much information on oil filters, but yes, the most important issue with higher RPM use and marine engines is flow rate. One of the better rated filters was from Baldwin (B360 for mercruiser V-8). Never heard of this company before but was interested in researching the issue after changing my oil and filters with the new smaller sized filters. Sometimes I hate change!!!

 

[Chris989]

Filter preferences seem to be a passionate topic no matter where you are. I read the same article. Of course, when I asked one of my engineering staff at work about Baldwin filters, they're the worst filter ever made!!! But then, we're running 20-cylinder diesels that generate upwards of 3,600 BHP and are burning over 150 GPH each engine.

I'm going for the K&N's next time around.