Secondary Fuel Filter Change on D3

[S. Todd]

I have a 2015 R25SC with a D3-150. It is time to winterize (second night in a row here in Indianapolis that is going to get to 32 degrees or below) so I attempted to do my end of year filter changes. Has anyone else experienced great difficulty in removing the spin on Volvo water separating filter that is mounted on the engine. I have succeeded in bending the handle on my heavy duty filter wrench, wearing out my arms, and have managed to turn the filter 1.3 turns. Unfortunately, it is not getting any easier and I am getting sore. :cry: I expected it to get easier after the first half turn like every other filter have I changed in the last 45 years. I suspect that somehow when Volvo built this engine they cross-threaded it or there is something else going wrong with the way it got mounted. 🙁 (I have checked no less than a dozen time to make sure I am turning it correctly by examining the threads on the new filter and the arrow in the owner's manual - it is a standard clockwise to install, counter-clockwise to remove thread.)

 

[knotflying]

It can get confusing sometimes, but the rule to tighten clockwise and loosen counterclockwise is reverse when you are looking down over the base where it screws on. So to loosen when looking down at the base turn clockwise. It sounds like you may be tightening the filter.

 

[S. Todd]

I wish it were that simple. I was going counter-clockwise looking up, (clockwise looking down) just like the arrow in the owners manual shows for removal.

 

[Scuffy]

I think I for one, tend to over tighten spin on oil and fuel filters making me my own worst enemy. I use Vaseline on the oring or rubber washer on spin on filters and spin on hand tight and then go another 1/4 or 1/2 turn.
Maybe take a sharpie marker and put arrow showing the off direction followed by writing off next to the arrow?
Do you fill your fuel filter with fuel before installing the new filter? Ever have to bleed the fuel system of air after changing fuel filters? I was wondering as I have not done mine yet and wondered if there is a pump on the filter housing and a bleeder screw like on our truck that allows you to get the air out of the system?

 

[Brian B]

Those of us with Yanmar's had a hard time with the original filters. The MFG seem to over tighten them and then they get tighter with use. On my Genset I had to remove the assembly and put it in a vice. Seems like you have no choice but to continue trying to get it off, it may leak if you were to use it now..
Pre filling the filters with diesel will make bleeding easier.

 

[Don Cardinal]

I have a 2015 R25SC with a D3-150. It is time to winterize (second night in a row here in Indianapolis that is going to get to 32 degrees or below) so I attempted to do my end of year filter changes. Has anyone else experienced great difficulty in removing the spin on Volvo water separating filter that is mounted on the engine. I have succeeded in bending the handle on my heavy duty filter wrench, wearing out my arms, and have managed to turn the filter 1.3 turns. Unfortunately, it is not getting any easier and I am getting sore. :cry: I expected it to get easier after the first half turn like every other filter have I changed in the last 45 years. I suspect that somehow when Volvo built this engine they cross-threaded it or there is something else going wrong with the way it got mounted. 🙁 (I have checked no less than a dozen time to make sure I am turning it correctly by examining the threads on the new filter and the arrow in the owner's manual - it is a standard clockwise to install, counter-clockwise to remove thread.)

S. Todd
If you have turned the filter 1.3 turns counter clockwise it seems to me that the filter should have left contact with its sealing surface by now.
I would guess that you have a case of galling of the threads involved. IMO this could have been caused by over tightening of the filter the last time it was installed, cross threaded filter as you suggested, damaged threads on either the filter or housing, or a poor factory match up of the male and female threads. Galling happens when there is an exchange of metal between the two parts. This causes seizing of the two parts. Although I don't think these parts are stainless it is helpful for boaters to know that stainless steel is one of the worst metals for galling.
I hope that your findings are less of a problem than galling. If it is it may call for new associated parts. If it was me I would be talking to the factory on this and pushing my warranty even if it has expired.
Good Luck
Don

 

[S. Todd]

Borrowed my neighbor so I could watch what happening as we spun the filter. The canister part of the filter is spinning, only with great force, but the top section of the filter that has the gasket and threads on it is not moving. IMO someone in the Volvo factory should be chastised for putting the filter on too tight. :x This is the original equipment filter on an engine built about a year ago with all of 62 hours on it. Still under warranty but I hate to have to tow it 240 miles and back just to change a simple filter.

 

[Boatdreamer]

Brian B is right about the Yanmar filters. I had to take both filter blocks off, put them in a vise and use the old screwdriver through the filter and twist it off trick. I can't think of any reason the filters needed to be so tight. Good luck S. Todd, keep working on it, you'll get it.

Tim
Gratitude

 

[S. Todd]

Filter has been removed. It took two people, one filter wrench, a vice grips, and a few other heavy duty tools that I will be happy to explain to anyone who needs to know in a PM or a phone call. All the threads were in good shape. The rubber gasket was compressed like no gasket I have ever seen. Someone at the factory got over zealous when they put the filter on. When I installed the new one per specifications there is considerably more space between the metal rim of the filter and the aluminum mounting face. I am sure glad I did not have to spend 8 hours trying to do this on the water somewhere.

 

[nzfisher]

"Brian B is right about the Yanmar filters. I had to take both filter blocks off, put them in a vise and use the old screwdriver through the filter and twist it off trick. I can't think of any reason the filters needed to be so tight. Good luck S. Todd, keep working on it, you'll get it."

The only way I was able to get the original filter off the Yanmar 150 (BMW block) was to put on two largish hose clamps high on the filter, tighten the hell out of them then beat the protruding ends with a wooden block in the correct direction. This should probably work for other tight filters as well. It makes you worry that the filters should be installed that tightly since the factory is supposed to know more than you do.

 

[Cruzerboy]

I'm a big fan of Loctite anti seize or Never-Seez lubes applied to threads you need to open up at some later date.

Tom

 

[knotflying]

Not sure if antisieze is the answer on this one. I think it is more of an issue with over tightening and the rubber gasket expanding and then causing extensive friction when trying to turn and remove the filter.

 

[1Harrison]

We had the same problem with our 2014 D3 at it's 50 hour change. The Volvo Tech said it was very common, because they are mechanically installed on the assembly line. It took him an hour to get the secondary filter off using a pry bar. All following changes have been as it should be. Read the manual it says snug and 1/2 turn. Also, it's not in the manual, but is written on the side of the filter, that when installing the water sensor on the bottom of the filter "snug then 1/2 turn". Very important because at 3/4 turn the plastic slaps and then you can't remove it. This requires another new filter and sensor. Not cheap, been there and it did not come with a tie shirt.

 

[BB marine]

I entered this on my post yesterday but found this post today. I'm putting it out there for new or future D3 owners. I have removed many stubborn oil filters and fuel filters. Most of the worse ones were on new products installed by the factory. I was a Mercruiser certified technician for 20 + years and performed many 20 hour checks which involved removing/changing oil filter and removing /inspecting water/separating filter. Many filters were tight and required extra effort to remove. I guess I expected the same with removing the filter on my D3. I have never experienced a filter of any type on any engine as tight as this was. I thought I was prepared , I have a 1/2" drive strap wrench that I bought years ago from a Freightliner/White truck dealer , the go to wrench for the tight filters. No way! crushed the filter, never moved! I had to do What Brian B did, remove the complete filter housing and filter from the engine block. This required quite bit of disassembly , all electronic components ,a few small anti- freeze return hoses, metal cowling that is mounted on the top of the engine ( all the electrical components mount to this). I had to do this to gain access to 2 Torx head bolts that hold the filter housing to the block. If they were hex head I think I could of moved them without the extra work. The engine compartment in the 26 Cutwater is tight. After removal from the block , housing in my vise, I used I larger strap wrench with multiple try's a lot of swearing it finally broke loose. It took a full turn before it was totally loose. On inspection I found the rubber gasket compressed 3/32" ,the stainless steel filter housing galled and had grooves around on the gasket to housing mating surface . I stoned the surface to clean up the grove marks. The positive to this is the boat is laid up, it didn't ruin a boating day, It will be easy to remove from now on. I posted some pictures in my album of the filter.
Brian Brown
Cutwater 26
PORT-A-GEE