Oil Filter

[Steven Muchmore]

New to this list, but glad to find it! What a great resource for us die-hard A4 lovers.

I have an A4 in a 1977 vintage Columbia 8.7 M vessel. I really love this powerplant, and I agree with all the positive recomendations found in this forum about the thing. For what we use the boat for, the A4 is a perfect solution.

My partner and I would like to know whether or not it's a good idea to install some sort of an oil filter on the engine. We usually put 100 - 150 hours on the engine (in and out of the marina, maybe one long trip per year). We change the oil at least twice a year (too much, based on so few hours on the engine, but due to the harshness of the winter storage, we feel better doing it), at the end of the season, and sometime midway through. We've been running SAE 30 weight exclusively. The engine is generally in good shape, and doesn't burn oil, etc.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

[Don Moyer]

Steve,

Welcome to our Atomic 4 Forum!

With respect to your question on filtering the oil, a "by-pass" type of filter system is available from Indigo Electronics, but full flow systems, as are common in the automobile industry today, are not possible due to the design of the oil system in the Atomic 4. Specifically, the fact that the oil pump is integrated into the rear main bearing cap makes it impractical, if not impossible, to filter the oil between the pump and the rest of the oil-swept system.

Presumably, because of the impracticality of incorporating a full flow filter in the Atomic 4, Universal installed a fine meshed oil strainer over the pickup tube of the oil pump, and their position was that if the oil is changed regularly (they recommended every 50 hours), long bearing life would be assured, even without a filter.

In spite of their earlier position, in the later years of Universal's production of the Atomic 4, there was an optional after-market "by-pass" type of filter kit developed, which routed some of the pressurized oil to an external filter, and then back into the crankcase. These kits were a bit problematic in terms of maintaining a consistent oil pressure to the engine.

The oil filter kit marketed today by Indigo Electronics is a very well designed "by-pass" system which continually filters approximately 25% to 30% of the oil being circulated within the pressurized oil system at a normal cruising power setting of 2000 RPM. Oil pressure is maintained by a separate regulating valve within the housing of the filter, which provides for much more consistent regulation of the oil pressure to rest of the engine. You can call Indigo Electronics at (800) 428-8569 for more details of their filter system.

Best regards,

Don Moyer

[keithems]

don -- do u recommend i do this? do u have one on your own boat?

thx -- keithems

[Don Moyer]

Keith,

I do recommend this kit from Indigo Electronics, though I do also change my oil every 50 hours and recommend that practice as well.

Don

[marthur]

For what it's worth, I have installed the indigo oil filter kit. It was a pretty easy thing to install and the oil pressure regulator is an improvement over the original.

Good luck, Mike

[rigspelt]

For what it's worth, I have installed the indigo oil filter kit. It was a pretty easy thing to install and the oil pressure regulator is an improvement over the original.
I cannot get the plug out of the third oil pressure port, and the second one is covered by the carb, so I am going to have to install the oil pressure sender and oil pressure safety switch in a second T at the end of a hose that extends from a first T in the first oil pressure port, where the first T on the block will have the oil pressure alarm switch. I could mount the second T on the intake of the Indigo filter as shown on Indigo's website http://www.atomic4.com/oilfilter.html. Then the outlet line from the filter runs to the oil pressure sump port on the block http://www.atomic4.com/detoil.html

Easier oil pressure adjustment is an interesting advantage. I have no plans to add the oil filter kit yet (I have enough to do at present), but if I did, then unless I misunderstand, I would not be able to install the MMI oil change kit that I purchased on that sump port. Where do you extract the oil for oil changes?

[old-sailer]

I have an oil filter on my A4 but I can't find any reference to it anywhere.

It is mounted on the sidewall by the engine. It's a clear glass with a cartridge in it. There's a drain cock in the bottom. No name on it and I have no idea what cartridge I need to stick in it.

Has anyone seen such a thing or know what it is????

[edwardc]

It actually sounds like a Racor diesel fuel filter! Can we get a picture?? :)

[old-sailer]

It actually sounds like a Racor diesel fuel filter! Can we get a picture?? :)


I could eventually get a picture but right now it's on the hard under a ton of snow.

[joe_db]

I have my oil pressure switch and low pressure alarm on the oil filter housing as shown. You can add more with more T fittings.

New to this list, but glad to find it! What a great resource for us die-hard A4 lovers.

I have an A4 in a 1977 vintage Columbia 8.7 M vessel. I really love this powerplant, and I agree with all the positive recomendations found in this forum about the thing. For what we use the boat for, the A4 is a perfect solution.

My partner and I would like to know whether or not it's a good idea to install some sort of an oil filter on the engine. We usually put 100 - 150 hours on the engine (in and out of the marina, maybe one long trip per year). We change the oil at least twice a year (too much, based on so few hours on the engine, but due to the harshness of the winter storage, we feel better doing it), at the end of the season, and sometime midway through. We've been running SAE 30 weight exclusively. The engine is generally in good shape, and doesn't burn oil, etc.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

[roadnsky]

I'm with Ed on this...
Your description really sounds like a Racor fuel filter.
Does it look something like this?
Maybe look on the Racor site and see if anything rings a bell.
(http://www.parker.com/portal/site/PARKER/menuitem.7100150cebe5bbc2d6806710237ad1ca/?vgnextoid=f5c9b5bbec622110VgnVCM10000032a71dacRCR D&vgnextfmt=default&vgnextdiv=687630&vgnextcatid=2622336&vgnextcat=MARINE+FUEL+FILTRATION&Wtky=)

Joe-
Note that the OP by Steven is from 2004! ;)

[old-sailer]

No.. that's not it.

Same overall shape but visualize it all in glass with the petcock in the bottom and a cartridge oil filter inside loaded from the top. The top comes off (actually the glass unscrews) and a cartridge is dropped in then the glass put back on. All glass, not plastic. Brass top, petcock and fittings.

Weird little sucker..!!

Eventually I'll get a picture.


I'm with Ed on this...
Your description really sounds like a Racor fuel filter.
Does it look something like this?
Maybe look on the Racor site and see if anything rings a bell.
(http://www.parker.com/portal/site/PARKER/menuitem.7100150cebe5bbc2d6806710237ad1ca/?vgnextoid=f5c9b5bbec622110VgnVCM10000032a71dacRCR D&vgnextfmt=default&vgnextdiv=687630&vgnextcatid=2622336&vgnextcat=MARINE+FUEL+FILTRATION&Wtky=)

Joe-
Note that the OP by Steven is from 2004! ;)

[roadnsky]

I guess I should have thought about this more...

Since it's a see-thru cover, is there oil in there?
Do you recall where the hoses come from and go to?
That'll tell you what it really is.

[old-sailer]

Through the glass you can see the cartridge and the oil. The lines come in the side of the top and out the centre of the top.. or via vera I'm not sure of the flow direction.



I guess I should have thought about this more...

Since it's a see-thru cover, is there oil in there?
Do you recall where the hoses come from and go to?
That'll tell you what it really is.

[Dromo]

Sound like a raw water basket strainer for the engine
Dose it have a metal basket screen inside? Maybe your missing yours
What size hose fittings dose it have? I'm thinking anything around 1/2''-5/8'' size hose fittings would too big for a oil line
Cheers Rick

[old-sailer]

I now know my Oil Filter... but more on that in a minute....

Firstly, I used the moniker "old-sailer" (e rather than o because someone had that already) to log in here to identify my lack of knowledge. I'm not an old salt but rather I'm old and I now have a sailboat so I'm a sailor (I guess) but I really have no clue what I'm doing. I've spent the last couple of years crewing on a 38 Beneteau and found I wanted my own old girl. I fell in love with C&C MK1 30 in wonderful condition so here we are.

Once upon a time I was an aircraft mechanic so I'm comfy with engines.. and I love these old flatheads. I've owned old cars, motorcycles and tractors and always do my own maintenance on them. Thus my question re what in hell is this oil filter????

Up until recently I had never heard of Good Old Boat. I bumped into the Mag. reading an item on the A4.. then another item on the C&C 30 like the one I now own. I fell in love with Good Old Boat, subscribed and have read with interest what people do with their old boats.

Well... wouldn't you know it: Good Old Boat saved my bacon yet again. I was hunting through their web site and came across a parts list for almost everything in the water and found a listing for an A4 oil filter.... and this is the unit I have. The only difference is mine has a glass bowel instead of metal. But this is the unit.

http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/catalogs/catalog_group.php?owner=goodoldboat&page_ident=200150-104&model=Atomic%204&manufacturer=Universal&title=Oil%20Filter&quant_position=&catalog=200150&printparts=200150&printservice=&printoperators=&comment1=This%20oil%20filter%20system%20is%20not%2 0standard%20equipment.

I hope you can select it and be taken to the item, and I offer it here for any of you who want to see an original A4 oil filter.

The listing shows up under the diesel engine but at the top of the page it does say A4.. so I can only assume it would be used on both engines. Possibly as an option. It's mounted on the compartment sidewall rather than on the engine with hoses to and from it. Now my quest will be where to get those old metal Fram filters...

[Marian Claire]

I think I have the same canister, mine is not clear. Try a Fram C-4, or from my old notes a NAPA 1006, Carquest 85006, Purolator L-30034. I am on the boat and can not access some of my pics but you can see the canister in my A-4 album on my profile page. Hope that helps. Dan S/V Marian Claire

[old-sailer]

I think I have the same canister, mine is not clear. Try a Fram C-4, or from my old notes a NAPA 1006, Carquest 85006, Purolator L-30034. I am on the boat and can not access some of my pics but you can see the canister in my A-4 album on my profile page. Hope that helps. Dan S/V Marian Claire

Great... thanx... I'll do the Carquest 85006 unit. I use their WIX filters on my other vehicles and they appear to be of good quality. You just saved me a lot of work.