Replacement engine: Volvo or Yanmar? Common rail or mechanical?

[malbert73]

I get oil and fuel filters for Beta off Amazon- genuine Kubota parts, inexpensive. And Beta NC also sells them online and not expensive

[Dieseldude]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Here's a classic...I was informed by the Volvo dealer to only use Volvo oil filters doing an oil change....I don't recall the exact price anymore, but it was about 10 times the price of a regular oil filter. I took the Volvo oil filter to an auto spares shop and they gave me a list of about a half dozen similar filters at a fraction of the price.
Needless to say, I never went back to Volvo for more oil filters.
But the question remained in my mind. Why would Volvo charge x10 times as much for their oil filter ??? For what purpose ????

Engine manufacturers have a captive market on spares that are only available from them, so they price gouge. They think that they can apply the same practice to all parts. But no need to fall for that trap with filters. I would look at the specifications and reviews though before choosing an after market filter. Like anything that at first might appear as simple, filter choice has some complications to beware of. A bit of research can save you expensive engine damage and premature wear. If you know any mechanics or engine builders, they might be able to offer suggestions.


Gotta make sure that micron spec is as good as OEM, and that flow rate is at least as good. Different filter brands and models can use different filter media. Bypass and anti back flow valve capability should be just as good. Fact is that engine manufactures do not make filters. They are made by some large manufacturer with engine makers name printed on. As long as an aftermarket filter meets the OEM spec and is equally durable, it is fine to use. Test spec and durability are two different matters. A filter may meet spec when new, but will it hold up over the expected running hours? Aboard commercial vessels I have seen brands such as Baldwin, Wicks, Fleetguard, Hastings, Donaldson, Purolator etc. used. Fleetguard though is owned by Cummins. I would not recommend Fram. Their reputation is not good. https://www.cherishyourcar.com/fram-...lter-problems/


According to following link, Canadian Tire Motomaster oil filters are made by Fram, and Canadian Tire has replaced some with even lower quality Chinese made filters. https://forums.redflagdeals.com/care...n-tire-715107/


A good place to start your research is

Oil Filters Revealed - MiniMopar Resources

[MicHughV]

Well, I certainly wouldn't debate what you say above with a name like "Diesel Dude"

I took my Volvo filter to a local NAPA store and the guy behind the counter, looked up his filter book and gave me several alternate options to consider, all of which were at least 1/10 the price of the Volvo filter. That was all I needed to hear, as this what I was after. There was an added bonus, that the NAPA store was just down the road from me, whereas the Volvo dealer was across town.

Being a general Joe on the Street, my knowledge of oil filters is pretty much the same as any other Joe on the street, so am easily swayed by $$ price.

Nonetheless, never had any issues with my Volvo's from an oil point of view, regardless of brand of oil filters I used. I was fairly constant in replacing the filter every 100 hours or so.

In general, I think Volvo makes an extremely robust engine, but it was a number of little things that drove me nuts.

[gonesail]

everybody I know is going with Beta marine diesels.

[Sailing August]

Yanmar all day long.

[goboatingnow]

The great thing about small Volvos is there as common as muck, I have have two spares agencies within walking distance and a whole host of third party parts.

Buy the engine that’s supported locally.

[Dieseldude]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Well, I certainly wouldn't debate what you say above with a name like "Diesel Dude"

I took my Volvo filter to a local NAPA store and the guy behind the counter, looked up his filter book and gave me several alternate options to consider, all of which were at least 1/10 the price of the Volvo filter. That was all I needed to hear, as this what I was after. There was an added bonus, that the NAPA store was just down the road from me, whereas the Volvo dealer was across town.

Being a general Joe on the Street, my knowledge of oil filters is pretty much the same as any other Joe on the street, so am easily swayed by $$ price.

Nonetheless, never had any issues with my Volvo's from an oil point of view, regardless of brand of oil filters I used. I was fairly constant in replacing the filter every 100 hours or so.

In general, I think Volvo makes an extremely robust engine, but it was a number of little things that drove me nuts.

It is easy to take the easy approach and play roulette with oil filters. This issue may seem trivial, since externally they all look the same except for the color and label. But a badly made filter can limit engine life. That is one reason engine manufactures charge high prices. You are paying for confidence. Presumably, an engine maker will spec a quality filter from a big filter maker and have their name printed on. The trick is to find an equally good one yourself which will have a lower cost.


"While there are dozens of oil filter brands out there, there are only a few actual manufacturers. Most filters you see on the shelf are sold by companies that don't actually make oil filters. The exceptions are Baldwin/Hastings, Champ, Donaldson, Purolator, and Dana/WIX. Those are actual manufacturers and you can be fairly certain of what is inside the can. Although Fram hasn't made filters in decades, it seems that the brand is tied closely enough to Honeywell that you can be pretty sure about what is in the orange can (for better or for worse). Most other brands contract one of these companies to make filters for them. They seem to change from time to time, so one has to be vigilant when purchasing one." Oil Filters Revealed - MiniMopar Resources


Avoiding inferior filters can prevent costly disasters and premature engine wear. It is bewildering why manufactures will put out inferior products for the sake of only a couple dollars difference in the price of a good product and a bad one. But since the guts are not visible, it is an easy subterfuge. It can be difficult to impossible to prove engine damage caused by bad filtration.

[Rumrace]

I never debate maritime stuff with fellas or ladies from Canada’s maritimes. They know too much in all things durable and true.
But...
How about re ring the old sucker and wait for Yanmar/Toyota or Yamaha Toyota to deliver the new Hydrogen engines just to stir the pot a little
Seems Japan is committed to hydrogen or zero emission anything by 2050.
Electric sail drives are not hard to imagine in the near future to rival diesel range.
The new Yamaha V8 and 3 Cylinder Hydrogen engines already have marine destinations

[MicHughV]

Diesel Dude,

I hear ya....and everything you say makes total sense, and thanks for the education, but I'd venture a guess that most sailors, and for that matter, most motorists, etc, are not that well versed with oil filters, myself included.

I've always been pretty diligent about changing the oil in my diesels about every 100 hours, give or take, and trust that this will overcome any shortcomings in my oil filter selections.

Mind you, if I had twin 1,500 hp Cummins in my sportfishing boat, I'd likely not take a chance on oil filter selection. In the same breath, there is 100% chance, I would not be the one servicing them and would be entirely dependent on the mechanic sent to service them.

[MicHughV]

Just wanted to add this one thing...most people I know take their cars to Jiffy Lube or equivalent to have their car oil changed, and this would include me. I note that the oil filters they put on my vehicles have no brand label...just plain white.

I'm sure that they are using the least expensive oil filter that they can find. Just curious to to get your take on that.

[Rumrace]

Filters are not equal. I am a car nut and fram is my brand. Royal purple I trust also.
Fram make a teflon platelet filter which I use on older cars over 100,000 Klm 1 out of every four filters. The Teflon filter adds scratch fillers as a description. Many oil adders are Teflon with low grade 30w oil. The quick lube place knows exactly which oils and filters I want and screws me accordingly. Of note most my cars have been 5 litres of oil and the quick lube places promote 4 litres.
For boats the single biggest lube error is winter storage without changing engine oil. It’s very acidic
The worst oil in a boat power or sailing is gear lube. Brake lube in a car. They love sucking up water. Transmissions VDrives saildrives need oil love too.

[Dieseldude]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Just wanted to add this one thing...most people I know take their cars to Jiffy Lube or equivalent to have their car oil changed, and this would include me. I note that the oil filters they put on my vehicles have no brand label...just plain white.

I'm sure that they are using the least expensive oil filter that they can find. Just curious to to get your take on that.

Quality of service is one reason that I do my own work. Some shops will use cheap low quality materials just to maximize their profits. Simplifying inventory to only one or a few product lines makes things easier and less costly for them. But for you, their convenience and profits are not a concern. Most customers out of ignorance are unconcerned about quality of materials. Some shops have no regard for the longevity of your vehicle. When it suffers premature wear and failure, it becomes your problem, not theirs.



If you do not wish to take on the job, perhaps you ought to find an independent shop to do your vehicle servicing. I have a friend who brings his own oil and filter, and pays only for the labor. If you ask around at a few small shops, you should eventually find one that will agree to this arrangement.

[MicHughV]

In my younger days, I routinely did my own oil and filter changes....on cars.

Alas, as time marches on, my ability to crawl under a car to drain the oil, and change the filter, has gone by the way.

I do use one of these suction type of devices (inserted in the dipstick holder)to draw the old oil out of the boat diesel, which works great and getting to the filter is easy. Works great on cars too, but getting to the filter is another story.

My old Toyota Tacoma had the oil filter mounted near the top of the engine, making changing the filter easy peasy, but my new truck does not have that feature, neither does my wife's car, and I'm simply not up to the task of jacking the car up to get to the filter.

I do know some independent service shops, I'll broach the topic with them.

I realize this is a bit of thread drift, but I'm learning a lot of stuff here.