Loose Oil Filter No Oil Pressure

Willy.Fire

Cadet
Joined
Apr 26, 2017
Messages
16
Hi. So bought a 09 with 3.0 mercruiser in it. Love the boat we had it out for its 1st real outing yesterday. Cruised around for about 35 minutes at 25-30mph. Took a break for 1 hour then returned home at about 32 mph while riding home lost all oil pressure. Checked engine bay and oil had sprayed everywhere. Checked around and found the oil filter to be very loose. Got towed found supplies to fix on lake and got home. Question the previous owner said oil was changed in the fall professionally. Has anyone heard of a filter coming loose itself? I did drive highway speeds home for about 8 hours with the boat other then that it has only ran a few short times since that oil change. Just want to know if I should be contacting this dealer and questioning them.
 

wahlejim

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 23, 2015
Messages
884
I have personally not experienced this. I know that some (emphasizing some) boat mechanics, especially large dealers, get backed up with winterization and shop help can skip small steps. Maybe they didn't lube the o-ring on the filter to allow it to expand and lock in place? Maybe the guys hands were tired and hand-tight didn't quite do it? I would call them, explain the situation, and see what they have to say. Possibly ask for them to cover the cost of cleaning the engine bay.
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
Willy.Fire, unless you heard strange engine noises during the loss of oil pressure, I think you will be okay. Hard to say for sure, but the engine will tell you quickly if it is dry. Not a good sound either. JMHO
 

Rick Stephens

Admiral
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
6,118
For your thinking, there is literally no difference between a marine engine oil filter and an automotive engine oil filter. If the automotive one can run down the road for 5k miles without coming loose and leaking, same with the marine. They are identical filters and engines. Someone screwed up, obviously. But without wanting to sound too negative about expectations, I don't see any way for you to transfer the warranty responsibility from a previous owner's shop purchase of a winterization servicing, to you, the new owner some 400 miles away. They might, and they might not do anything for you. It might very well be simpler to do a wash out, oil change, new filter and move on. Your actions on the water were exemplary. A shutdown and tow back, thus saving the motor, seems such a simple thing to do, but so many people would have tried 'limping back'. Great choices made. Heartrending to have something like this happen on a maiden voyage. At least you know it is unlikely to ever happen again.
 

boatman37

Lieutenant
Joined
May 14, 2015
Messages
1,273
our local dodge dealer changes the oil in my truck and my wifes jeep and 4 out of 5 changes they left the filter loose and we leaked oil. my daughter took her 2016 wrangler unlimited there and got upgraded to synthetic oil. she left and drove about 15 miles to her boyfriends and noticed a puddle. she was 1 qt. low already. so it can and does happen.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,297
generally the lowest paid and most inexperienced technicians are the ones that change oil. this is the same for the quicky lubes or marinas
 

Willy.Fire

Cadet
Joined
Apr 26, 2017
Messages
16
Thanks for all the replies. I did call the boat shop that did the work in the fall and they took full responsibility. The mechanic that was on the work order had been fired awhile ago im assuming for other things like this. Really bad luck on our part. Would have been a very simple preventative fix if I took the time to go thru the boat before taking it out but who would have thought. Have most of the mess cleaned up lost some life jackets and ropes that got saturated but I can live with it. The shop is even wiring me some $ to cover new oil and some of my time which I did not expect.
 

Jcris

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
466
For the owner of that shop to take responsibility is surprising, especially in this day and age. It of course could have gone much worse and that shop owner perhaps realizes that. Good luck to you and enjoy the boat, and the summer!
 

youmansjason

Seaman
Joined
Jun 3, 2005
Messages
68
Wow, that's great that the shop took responsibility for it. They must have had other issues with the mechanic they fired that made them take responsibility for it. That's a reputable shop!

Also, having heard this story, I will now always check my filter before each outing. Luckily, mine is one of the remote mounted filters that's right up top beside the engine.
 

Maclin

Admiral
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
6,761
Thanks for all the replies. I did call the boat shop that did the work in the fall and they took full responsibility. The mechanic that was on the work order had been fired awhile ago im assuming for other things like this. Really bad luck on our part. Would have been a very simple preventative fix if I took the time to go thru the boat before taking it out but who would have thought. Have most of the mess cleaned up lost some life jackets and ropes that got saturated but I can live with it. The shop is even wiring me some $ to cover new oil and some of my time which I did not expect.


Actually these days that is pretty amazing. Where are you located, I may want to try them out if I need something!
 

JASinIL2006

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
5,524
Thanks for all the replies. I did call the boat shop that did the work in the fall and they took full responsibility. The mechanic that was on the work order had been fired awhile ago im assuming for other things like this. Really bad luck on our part. Would have been a very simple preventative fix if I took the time to go thru the boat before taking it out but who would have thought. Have most of the mess cleaned up lost some life jackets and ropes that got saturated but I can live with it. The shop is even wiring me some $ to cover new oil and some of my time which I did not expect.

I'd be going on Yelp, Facebook and other social media to give that owner a big thumbs-up. That is the sort of response that should be recognized!
 
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