Mercury Filter Up-Date - Water Pressure Sender Up-Date

Michael T

As you guys know my dealer installed  "Spam" filters on my 2014 Mercury 8.2 Mags. The first time I started them after a week's shut-off they "clattered" a bit. I shut the engines off right away, made calls to do some research, then whipped the "Spams" off and threw them in the garbage.

I installed Mercury High Efficiency oil filters PN 35-858004K. They have been on for a while and the engines have never "clattered" with them on BUT today was the first time the engines have been off for a long period. Started-up NO "clatter".

My dealer tech was present and was really impressed. We were talking about it and another boater spoke-up saying that was cr*p - that "Spams" were as good as "anything".  Before I could say anything, one of the top technicians from one of the biggest marinas around (Hurst Marine) popped-up from an engine bay in another boat and said "we" only recommend the use of the 858004Ks for  mercruisers as they have check valves and retain most of the oil which acts as a pre-charge and results in lightening fast lubrication of your upper engine preventing engine "clatter". The other boater slunk-off LOL.....So 35-858004K - my new friends!

The culprit in my erratic water pressure readings was the water pressure sender. So these senders have failed on both engines now. The general opinion around the slips today was that engine builders are trying to keep costs down and source out some parts that foreign manufacturers "should" be able to produce.  Apparently the "should" is lost on China! I don't think much money was saved in my case as it required two trips from the dealer (45 minutes away) to my slip plus parts. That is under warranty but had to be expensive at $115.00 per hour labor? I welcome the day that manufacturing returns to North America :-)

BTW my water pressure is apparently now in spec for Mercury  8.2 catalyzed Magnums at 3.5-4.5 psi at idle, 6.5-7.5 psi at 2000 RPM and  13.5-14.5 psi at 3400 and above RPM.

LaRea

Apparently, Merc recommends changing the HE filter every 50 hours, compared to 100 hours for the standard filter.  Better keep spares on the boat! 

(I got that info from the Jamestown Distributors web site.  I wasn't able to find any technical information published by Mercury.  Their bizarre marketing strategies continue to baffle me.) 

Michael T

Yes. La Rea..... and I have been told that is because the HE traps more contaminants, faster. Yes, I do keep two HE filters on hand. Anyway, a number of engine builders and techs have re-affirmed to me over the years to change the filter half way through your intended oil change interval.  For my 8.2 mag catalyzed engines, Mercury specifies100 hours max for oil - my Vessel view will actually flash me bulletins at 100 hours. That said, even with synthetic, I have never let my oil go that long. This year the tech forgot to "zero-out" my vessel view when changing the oil so even though there was only about 20 hours on the oil I got the change oil NOW  warnings LOL. That said, I LIKE Mercury's warning system (as long as the friggin' sensors work LOL). I have been swapping-out my marine oil filters at the mid-point of intended oil change intervals for 20 years. It's the cheapest insurance. It took me less than 15 minutes to swap out the two filters on my 8.2 Mags (Mercury high efficiency filters only!) and top-up and check the oil. I am sure glad that I had a filter wrench though as even with putting oil on the rubber gasket before installing the filter it was nice to have the wrench to get them off. BTW - I CRINGE when I see some guys drive a screw driver through an oil filter to remove it. Can you imagine the potential for contaminants, filter media and most cringeworthy of all metal shavings getting into the engine?????