Cruising Outpost

On the CAL 34 the oil filter is off engine, bulkhead mounted, in the bottom down position, perhaps so it can/could/would/ drain back into the sump once the engine is shut off. This assumes that it is not a closed circuit and air can take the place of oil as it drains.



Note that on my previous boat, the filter was also off engine, bulkhead mounted, but with the hoses and bottom of the filter (opening) in the up position, arguably preventing the oil from draining back into the sump.



My question for this learned group is, with the filter basically sitting at the outlet of the oil pump, i.e. oil flow goes from suction - from sump - to pump - to cooler - to filter - and only then to the various oil lines and branches within the engine that receive clean and cooled oil. In my simple brain, if the oil would be encouraged, or allowed, to drain back into the sump upon engine shutdown, would not upon startup the engine be temporarily starved from oil until the pump sucks it back out from the sump, pushes it through the cooler, filter and then finally into the engine?

On Seraphim, the lines, cooler, and filter easily add up to 1 or maybe even 2 quarts...

What say you - would it make sense to take that filter and turn it around?

On a Vanagon the filter is mounted the same- if you change the oil and don't use the oem filter with a check valve you are screwed.

Same thing on a Beechcraft Baron Lycoming.

If it was me, I would flip it.

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www.sailblogs.com/member/sailingpapillon/

Arguing on the net is like teaching a dog to talk.

I don’t have that much oil filter history behind me but I vote to turn it around. I don’t believe I have ever seen a filter that would drain itself when the engine is not running and, as you suggest, it seems that having a full filter and lines would supply oil to the engine more rapidly at start-up.

Maybe someone didn’t think it through and decided that a dry filter would be much easier to change…

Startup is typically the harshest environment most engines encounter. The first few seconds of operation while the oil pump builds pressure and the oil circulates throughout is when the most scoring and damage occurs to engine parts.

There are companies that manufacture pre-oilers for some engine makes/models. this device operates on stored air pressure or an electric pump that is energized prior to engine start and circulates oil throughout the systems to eliminate those few seconds of "dry run".

This obviously will extend your engine life. Whether it is wortht the added expense is a subject of debate.

Stupid idea plain and simple. Flip the filter base.
Dan is right about using the correct filter with check valve if you decide to keep it the same but if there isn't an issue with flipping the base then do it.

There are several companies that make oil storage pressure reservoirs which are used to supply oil to the bearings on turbos of turbo-charged engines during wind-down. I know of none that store oil under pressure for startup. This could be accomplished by putting a solenoid in line with a oil storage pressure reservoir. Shutting of the solenoid would store oil pressure until the engine was read to restart.

Or, as mentioned a electric powered oil pump could be activated prior to start-up and for shut-down of turbo powered engines.

Turn the filter over it can't hurt and just might help.

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Don Ferguson
K5DJF
S/V Nobody Knows

Shark, here is one of the systems I was talking about, a quick search shows many different ones available for a wide variety of applications for marine, auto and aircraft. http://www.masterlube.net/home.htm

I would also say turn the filter over. I asked a diesel engine dealer once why filters are always horizontal and not pointed down? Right or wrong he said that is because the diesel engines for boats are made for other applications like tractors. I said does it make a difference if in either application half the oil in the filter ends ends up on the ground or the bilge? He just looked at me puzzled.
Changing oil and filter on a diesel engine is one of the most important things to do right up there with clean fuel. The cleaner and easiest way to do it makes the most sense.
Better to have to fill the filter with oil and screw it on then to unscrew the filter and have all that oil drop and never have a way to fill it if starving the engine for oil is a problem.

My homemade unit with quick-disconnect fitting on the hose.

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Don Ferguson
K5DJF
S/V Nobody Knows

Hey Paulus,

On Argyle the oil filter is installed remotely. The filter hangs under the mount that contains the hose connections. From the filter the oil hose goes right back into the engine, there's no oil cooler. When I change the oil, the filter is always full of oil (and it's a challenge not to make a big mess). Looks like mine is upside down compared to yours, never seen one mounted that way.

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S/V Argyle
Downeaster 38 #40