replacing a fuel filter should be easy!!!!

[c-caron]

Tige has made a simple procedure hard again by placing the fuel filter canister above the stinger with only about 1/2" clearance. Makes it impossible to remove if the filter won't come off by hand. Not even enough room to work a filter wrench in there. Now I have to remove the whole bracket, and what do you know..... the long bolts are seized. This is going to be an all day project. Routine maintenance parts should be easy to ge to!!!!!!!

[spooner]

Try an auto parts store there are all kinds of filter tools one of them should work

[c-caron]

the replacement filter is a sierra brand, about 1/4" taller, it will not fit at all. very poor design.

[chpthril]

the replacement filter is a sierra brand, about 1/4" taller, it will not fit at all. very poor design.

Poor design because the wrong filter wont fit I haven't changed mine yet but agree that it is tucked away and hard to get to, but well in line with any other boat and or car. Products are designed to be assembled, not repaired


A piece of 50 grit sand paper wrapped around the filter should give you the needed grip to get it loose

[kko]

granted its snug but its a very simple design wich works well. dont really see where i would change a thing. can do it in a just a few minutes. you sure your working on the fuel filter right?

[c-caron]

Its a poor design because the filter is difficult to get off if it is at all tight. This happens sometimes. No problem if you can loosen it using a one hand, but you cannot wrap 2 hands around the thing. Even when I got my metal filter wrench on, there is barely any room to turn it because of fuel supply hoses on one side, and the battery compartment on the other. You can tell they dropped the engine in as is and the filter just happens to be right on top of the stringer. I am lucky that eventually it started to give. Then another trip to repace the Sierra filter with a Quicksilver part because Sierra won't fit. Just a few inches of clearance around a service part is all that is necessary. If you do this yourself, maybe a strap wrench will work better. Who knew that my metal wrench would be so hard to get in there, and lack the friction to grab down on the tight filter.

[tabone1]

The sand paper is a great idea, thanks. I am about to tackle mine for the first time and was also concerned about the lack of clearence under the filter.

[spharis]

Run to autozone and buy one of the long handled plier types with teeth.


If that one will not fit, there is also a concentric gripper style that can be used with a ratchet/extensions. I am sure one of those two will get in there. The slip over round filter wrenches are not much good for the painted filters. They just slip if it was overtightened. If there fuel filter was overtightened, you probably will not have much luck with sandpaper, screwdrivers through it, or any other method. They are near impossible without gripping it with more than a few inches of leverage.

[dogbert]

Run to autozone and buy one of the long handled plier types with teeth.


If that one will not fit, there is also a concentric gripper style that can be used with a ratchet/extensions. I am sure one of those two will get in there. The slip over round filter wrenches are not much good for the painted filters. They just slip if it was overtightened. If there fuel filter was overtightened, you probably will not have much luck with sandpaper, screwdrivers through it, or any other method. They are near impossible without gripping it with more than a few inches of leverage.

Dude, you obviously haven't worked on a V-Drive. You're lucky if you can fit your hand anywhere inside the compartment, let alone a biga$$ wrench like that.

[spharis]

c'mon it has to be able to fit one of those in there??????????????

But you are correct....I have no idea!

I would think if he got a filter wrench on there then the concentric type may work. It is the same size, but clamps as you turn.

[R&T Babich]

Dude, you obviously haven't worked on a V-Drive. You're lucky if you can fit your hand anywhere inside the compartment, let alone a biga$$ wrench like that.

Dogbert - are your side panels removable next to the engine? Ours come out and the filter is right there. My complaint is to get the plastic case off the filter the rear panel/forward panel and the side panel bottom rail have to come out.

I have a slip-over filter wrench that has a rubber liner and a pivot that has gotten into some tight spots and works great. I think I got it at Walmart.

c-caron - Walmart also carries an Attwood fuel/water seperator that is 3 3/4" tall and has a double gasket seal.

[dogbert]

Dogbert - are your side panels removable next to the engine? Ours come out and the filter is right there. My complaint is to get the plastic case off the filter the rear panel/forward panel and the side panel bottom rail have to come out.

I have a slip-over filter wrench that has a rubber liner and a pivot that has gotten into some tight spots and works great. I think I got it at Walmart.

c-caron - Walmart also carries an Attwood fuel/water seperator that is 3 3/4" tall and has a double gasket seal.

My boat is just like yours, so yes. I also know what you're talking about. I've had many conversations with my dealer's service manager. He's constantly whining about how the motors were never designed to go into V-Drives. Not only is everything backwards (from an accessiblity standpoint), but then you have the exhaust manifolds and mufflers crammed around either side of the engine so that anything that was accessible, now no longer is.

Personally, I think you could have installed the mufflers behind the engine in that big wasted space and made a whole lot of mechanics very happy.

[c-caron]

In the end, I got the wrap-around wrench on there after removing the filter bracket and tilting the whole thing slightly. With a LOT of persistance, it started to move. Its sad when you have to go out and buy a better tool just to change a filter because the good ol' wrap around won't work. This is after changing an alternator, and steering cable, myself. Unpleasant to say the least. Even simple projects are an ordeal on a V-drive.

[laserfish]

Yes, even the simple things are a pain, but learning to work on your engine while standing on your head is worth the room and capacity of a v-drive IMO.

[da.bell]

Define "easy"!!!!!!!!! he he he