Changing engine oil filter same time as oil?

Seaswirl89

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 17, 2021
Messages
35
I know this is common sense for a lot of vehicles but wanted to get everyone’s thoughts on here. Personally, I put about 20-30 running hours on my boat this year and I’m changing the motor oil during my winterization today but not sure if I’m goi to changing the filter at the same time?

The Sierra GM V6 filters are only $8 locally so it a small cost so may just do it anyways but it always seems to make a mess
 

JASinIL2006

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
5,670
It doesn't make much sense to me to change the oil but leave the old filter.

What sort of filter set up do you have that makes it so messy? Mine has the remote mounting so the filter is easily accessed and upside down. I just put a gallon Ziploc bag around the filter and spin it off. If I have a handful of paper towels handy, I can often get the old filter off and the new one one without getting a drop of oil in the bilge.
 

ahicks

Captain
Joined
Sep 16, 2013
Messages
3,957
It doesn't make much sense to me to change the oil but leave the old filter.

What sort of filter set up do you have that makes it so messy? Mine has the remote mounting so the filter is easily accessed and upside down. I just put a gallon Ziploc bag around the filter and spin it off. If I have a handful of paper towels handy, I can often get the old filter off and the new one one without getting a drop of oil in the bilge.
I break the filter loose, then do exactly as highlighted above. Doesn't need to be a ziplock, though they are nice and thick, but anything that doesn't leak will work fine as well.

That's an old trick that works well on about anything with a filter....
 

hugh g

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 21, 2002
Messages
225
Changing the filter every oil change is just good practice. You change your boat engine's oil filter for the same reason you do it on your vehicle.
 

Lectro88

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 24, 2020
Messages
303
I don't change any oil until I have the filter in hand.
$8.00 is fractional compared to a failure in that engine.

Good to hear you decided to do complete change rather than
partial shortcut.
It's really the best cheapest insurance.

Oil is the blood of the engine.
If one has a dirty liver its contaminating the blood.
 

PITBoat

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
286
Darn those torque converters on automatic transmissions... You only get like, half the fluid (or so) when you just drop the pan and change the filter.

I'm sort of kidding. I rarely do a land vehicle engine oil change w/o changing the filter too. Unless it's on my worn out 4.3L P/U where the oil filter sits sideways and mostly drains out too, lol.
 

H20Rat

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
5,203
Although I like to change every time, I admit I haven't always. Filters work BETTER as they are used, right up to the point it is too plugged and starts going into bypass. Marine engines run pretty clean, not much dirt, and the amount of contaminates coming from the engine itself will never plug a filter. (short of the engine eating itself alive)
 
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