Fuel water Separators ,Why not universal fit?????

crazy charlie

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
5,501
I have always had the oil filter style of fuel/water separator on each and every one of my boats.
Quite a few are interchangeable however WHY make them different .They are all about the same size and they all do the same thing.So why did I just buy "fits Mercruiser and Mercury" Quicksilver separator only to discover that it only fits 6 cyl Mercruiser. Why not just make them all the same?? I have used the same filter on my Evinrude,Yamaha outboards and Mercruiser
228 , Mercruiser 5.7 .Mercruiser 5.0........all the same separator.Im scratching my head over this one. Im gonna compare and try spinning it on anyway.Charlie
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
49,574
There are about a dozen different filter heads/threads out there
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,852
Mercury OB, MerCruiser and Yamaha (all small thread) interchange. OMC OBs use the larger thread. Since I have one Merc OB and one Johnny OB, I installed a Merc one on my Johnny OB, so I only needed to buy one kind of filter for both kinds of motors.

To add to your rant, Mercury OB, MerCruiser and OMC use the same gear lube pump fittings and gaskets. Yamaha needs an adaptor for the pump fitting. Luckily these adaptors come with universal pumps, as my neighbors are all buying Yammies..
 

crazy charlie

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
5,501
Mercury OB, MerCruiser and Yamaha (all small thread) interchange. OMC OBs use the larger thread. Since I have one Merc OB and one Johnny OB, I installed a Merc one on my Johnny OB, so I only needed to buy one kind of filter for both kinds of motors.

To add to your rant, Mercury OB, MerCruiser and OMC use the same gear lube pump fittings and gaskets. Yamaha needs an adaptor for the pump fitting. Luckily these adaptors come with universal pumps, as my neighbors are all buying Yammies..
Yep,i currently have all 3 Evinrude,Yamaha,and a pair of mercruisers and all use the same one.I am just scratching my head hoping theses filters I bought fit .They are for Mercruiser but upon further investigation I discovered the filters are for 6 cyl Mercruiser.Charlie
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,958
Yep,i currently have all 3 Evinrude,Yamaha,and a pair of mercruisers and all use the same one.I am just scratching my head hoping theses filters I bought fit .They are for Mercruiser but upon further investigation I discovered the filters are for 6 cyl Mercruiser.Charlie
Ayuh,..... Which 6 cylinder Mercruiser Charlie,..??

I've only found 2 different sizes fuel filters for I/Os over the years,.....
Mercruiser, 'n OMC / Volvo,.....

My '94 4.3l LX uses the standard Merc I/O fuel filter, Napa 3225, or 3226(shorter),.....
 

crazy charlie

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
5,501
Ayuh,..... Which 6 cylinder Mercruiser Charlie,..??

I've only found 2 different sizes fuel filters for I/Os over the years,.....
Mercruiser, 'n OMC / Volvo,.....

My '94 4.3l LX uses the standard Merc I/O fuel filter, Napa 3225, or 3226(shorter),.....
The box reads Mercruiser 1.6 Vazer 4 cal and 3.0 mpi stern drive.Charlie
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,958
The box reads Mercruiser 1.6 Vazer 4 cal and 3.0 mpi stern drive.Charlie
Ayuh,..... That's one of those Merc's own in-line 4 cylinder motors,.....
Probably why it takes an oddball filter, like many of the electronic newer motors,....
Never seen one myself,.....
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
49,574
the vazer was still-born. it was a chev cavalier 2 liter turned on its side. the heat exchanger leaked horribly . only a few actually made it to market before the class-action lawsuit against mercrusier.
 

crazy charlie

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
5,501
Unfortunately even though it is the same size filter the thread hole is larger so it aint gonna fit.Makes no sense to me, why the heck should they be different?? Charlie
 
Top