added a remote oil filter kit to Mercruiser 4.3

[alldodge]

If your working with standard oil pressure and volume you can get the push-on hose and fittings, hose made by Parker Hannifin.

Can also get this kind of hoses and fittings and can make them up your self with standard hand tools. This is the kind I'm using. These and the above pic all are designed to use standard AN fittings

 

[Lou C]

Looks good, I did not realize you could make those up yourself...

 

[JackBronson]

Just make sure you don't get the hoses hooked up backwards, the check valve in the filter works very well and you will end up with no filtering of the oil. Happened on mine when the dealer installed a remote filter on my engine when I purchased the boat. 100 hrs later, it sounded like it had mechanical lifters. A new VP long block was the fix, at no cost to me

Yep, and this is exactly why you can see in photo #1 I wrote with a Sharpie right on the assembly which side was in and which side was out. Did this on both ends of the kit. No way I was gonna make that mistake.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Looks good, I did not realize you could make those up yourself...

you can do the gates mega-tech as a push-on. Summit Racing has a line of push-on hose as well. they are good for 2-300 psi

i had the push on hose, my hydraulics guy said it can be done, however swapped my push-on fittings for crimp-on and swagged them

he is also getting the ISO-6148 to JIC adapter for the power steering as well as the SAE 5/8 inverted flare to JIC. then I can use standard hydraulic hose for the power steering.

goodridge sells pre-made stainless/teflon hoses as well for a reasonable amount

 

[JackBronson]

vibration common in marine engines and also the higher oil pressures you see running at high rpms for extended periods you should use Marine rated hose and fittings and that using regular hose clamps may fail.

That's not gonna happen. The 4.3 is a passenger vehicle engine and doesn't develop any different oil pressure level in a marine application. Sustained pressure level sure, but not any higher pressure level. These hose clamps are perfectly suited for marine, there is no different vibration at the engine. My filter assembly is bolted to a solid part of the boat. Impact vibration won't affect hoses provided the hose route you take between ends doesn't leave the hose lying on a edge that can chafe the hose.

This is a very solid setup.

 

[poconojoe]

That's not gonna happen. The 4.3 is a passenger vehicle engine and doesn't develop any different oil pressure level in a marine application. Sustained pressure level sure, but not any higher pressure level. These hose clamps are perfectly suited for marine, there is no different vibration at the engine. My filter assembly is bolted to a solid part of the boat. Impact vibration won't affect hoses provided the hose route you take between ends doesn't leave the hose lying on a edge that can chafe the hose.

This is a very solid setup.

And since the filter is mounted on a solid part of the boat (not on the engine), I would suggest you have enough slack in the hoses to accommodate any movement or vibration of the engine. Our boats are bounced and beat up over choppy waves etc. If there isn't enough play in those hoses, they might tear off and that's certainly a problem!

 

[JackBronson]

And since the filter is mounted on a solid part of the boat (not on the engine), I would suggest you have enough slack in the hoses to accommodate any movement or vibration of the engine. Our boats are bounced and beat up over choppy waves etc. If there isn't enough play in those hoses, they might tear off and that's certainly a problem!

Are you suggesting that the boat engine can move independently of the boat that it is bolted to? Because it sure sounds that way. and if you engine is moving a different direction or independently of the boat, you've got a problem.

 

[poconojoe]

Are you suggesting that the boat engine can move independently of the boat that it is bolted to? Because it sure sounds that way. and if you engine is moving a different direction or independently of the boat, you've got a problem.

I didn't mean it will jump all over the place, but don't you think there is some vibration or the chance for a bit of shaking? Look at an engine that abruptly stalls. It sometimes will shake a bit. I'm just being on the cautious side. I'm not saying leave 3 feet of slack in the hoses, but the routing should have room for give since oil is such a critical component and failure would be detrimental.

 

[Chigwalla]

Yes, any engine can vibrate on its mounts - that's specifically what the isolation mounts are for. That's why you see electric fuel pumps mounted to the engine rather than the boat: you need to run hard line to carry pressurized fuel over the engine but it also needs to vibrate with the engine.

The remote filter kits are mounted the same way but it's just to keep it all together as part of the power package. Unlike auto engines, boat engine are made to be installed and removed as a service item, like when the exhaust bullhorn rots out.

FWIW, the Merc factory remote oil connections are all swaged hydraulic fittings. VP uses a quick release similar to the fuel or a/c fittings in a car.

 

[poconojoe]

Yes, any engine can vibrate on its mounts - that's specifically what the isolation mounts are for. That's why you see electric fuel pumps mounted to the engine rather than the boat: you need to run hard line to carry pressurized fuel over the engine but it also needs to vibrate with the engine.

The remote filter kits are mounted the same way but it's just to keep it all together as part of the power package. Unlike auto engines, boat engine are made to be installed and removed as a service item, like when the exhaust bullhorn rots out.

FWIW, the Merc factory remote oil connections are all swaged hydraulic fittings. VP uses a quick release similar to the fuel or a/c fittings in a car.

So are you saying a remote oil filter should be mounted somewhere on the engine and not on the body of the boat? Or are you saying it's only as convenience if and when you need to remove the engine? I'm just wondering...what do the manufacturers suggest as a mounting location?
I'm not trying to belittle the OP, or question his installation, just wondering what the best location would be (for future reference).

 

[Lou C]

Both Merc and Volvo mount them on a bracket that is bolted on with the exhaust riser. But there is no reason why you could not mount it on a close enough surface in the engine compartment.

 

[alldodge]

There is no issue with mounting the filter on the boat or the motor. Merc, VP, Indmar and Crusader mount the filter on the motor so all parts stay with the motor. It all goes in or comes out at once. Same reason the fuel pump is on the motor, its keeps it all together. Custom and offshore power boat will mount filters, coolers, and fuel pumps off the motor when ever it works best for their project.

 

[JackBronson]

So it has been a season of running this set up, and I've noticed seeping of oil from the connections. The first time I was able to tighten up the connections and it seemed to solve the issue. However, its happened again. Unfortunately, I can't tighten up the 90 degree connections anymore unless I can bring them around a full half turn because as of now they are up against the boat body. And I doubt I even have enough thread left in the connections to get them to spin that much. God forbid if I strip the thread on the aluminum filter housing.

SO, I've decided to flip the assembly over so the oil filter is "upside down", and remove the iron pipe and connectors. This will allow me to go straight into the filter housing with no issue of clearance to tighten it up.

I've read a lot about mounting the filter this way in different powersports forums. I'm not convinced this is a flawless method. Great for mess-free filter changes sure. But I'm concerned about oil drain back out of the filter, as the boat can sit unused for weeks at a time.