Yanmar Oil Filter

[RobS]

First time I've seen this. I bought locally at a reputable Yanmar dealer so I knew it was not a re-boxed item. I called Mack Boring and confirmed it is correct. He said thier was a recent recall on a large number of the white filters.

I paid $26 at the Yanmar dealer. Out of curiosity, I called a Toyota dealer and gave them the Toyota Part No. from the filter and was quoted $22 and that it's a special order item. I then called a local Napa and was told $27 and it's a special order item.

[Mariner]

So, you could conceivably get it for marginally cheaper through Toyota, but it's probably just as easy to get it from Yanmar. At least that's how I'm reading it.

Also, I suppose you could try to get $5 knocked off the price since it doesn't have the pretty Yanmar paint on it.

[Donya]

Rob,
The 6LPA is actually a Toyota motor marinized by Yanmar. It was sold in Europe in the land cruiser in small numbers.....

[RobS]

I had just never seen the Toyota name on any OEM parts before and I know oil filters by Yanmar, Toyota, NAPA, etc had been a topic here before.

[Donya]

Toyota does not admit to building it in the US

[RobS]

So, you could conceivably get it for marginally cheaper through Toyota, but it's probably just as easy to get it from Yanmar.

I'll admit - After calling Toyota and NAPA I was glad to see I didn't get ripped off like the marine marketplace is so good at doing.

[RicM]

This has been beat to death over at Boatdiesel.com. Both filters have a bypass valve, but they engage (or disengage) at a different PSI setting. I don't remember which is which, but I seem to remember one is set for 5 PSI, the other 15. The practical question is will the warrantee be honored if you use Toyota filters? The engineering question is they were designed to different specs for a reason, what was that reason? Automotive engines work at 80% of their designed capacity for brief moments at the top of their RPM range before upshifting. Marine engines operate for hours at a time at 80% capacity, pushing out lots of torque throughout their range, water being MUCH denser than air. Both filters fit, both filter oil. Each one was designed for the use it's put to, would you really want to save $20 and loose any level of protection on a $28,000 engine?

[RobS]

I was not out to save money – if there were the same filter on the shelf next to this one I would have gladly paid more for the white paint and red logos. My surprise here was to actually see the Toyota name in the Yanmar box. I had checked boatdiesel.com last night and am comfortable that this is the identical filter, different paint, not an automotive “will-fit” filter. Some replied that their motors had been bought new with this Toyota filter on it. Also, I found information to confirm that there was a recall in the spring regarding the white genuine Yanmar filters that came in the 12-packs and that these black ones were put out to the parts dept’s as direct replacements.

As far as warranty – it came in a Yanmar box purchased locally from an authorized Yanmar dealer, not purchased from an on-line reseller. Regardless, I don’t see that I’d have any warranty applying from Yanmar at this point in time anyways.

Ric, I had a good laugh reading someone’s reply on boatdiesel regarding going to jail in reference to your post joking that if you blow your engine you better put a “Yanmar” filter on before calling for warranty service. It’s a jungle on that site.

Here’s a cut and paste from boatdiesel which you were referring to:

Just got back from a 3 day Yanmar diesel engine class and I figured I'd pass some tidbits on to you all... Most of the specific info applies to the 6LP series.

· The 6LP series was built by Yanmar for toyota to use in their Landrover vehicles in Australia, they were only used for a year (too expensive) so Yanmar got the rights back and marinized them for use in boats.
· Use only the Yanmar fuel/oil filters, the oil filter has a 15-PSI relief valve built into it, the automotive type only has a 5-PSI. The fuel filer has an additive in it to protect the fuel system that leaches overtime and must be replaced.
· Don't adjust the idle lower than 725 RPM for you fisherman, if you adjust it lower than 725 the engine will not be properly lubricated and will be damaged internally, install a trolling valve on the transmission.
· Only idle/troll for an hour then run the engine to at least 2000 RPM and go for a short 10 minute run, diesels don't like to idle, they want to run (this apples to all engines) they build up excess carbon that eventually cause all kinds of problems down the road
· Use only extended life antifreeze (the Texaco orange stuff) if you use the green stuff and the engine overheats the silicon will gel out and clog the exchangers and engine passages, usually the exchanges will have to be replaced, if the engine passages are blocked, time for new block as no one has been able to find any cleaning solution that will dissolve the silicon.
· Keep your fuel tanks full (keeps moisture/water accumulation down). And use diesel fuel NOT #2 heating oil. Use a Cetain booster; the engines were designed to run at 48. Make sure the Primary (Racor) filter has a 30-micron element in it. You will run into problems if it has a 10 or 2 micron. The secondary on the engine is a 10-micron; it needs to be replaced every year regardless as an additive in the filter is leached out to protect the fuel system, after a year the additive is exhausted.
· Use good engine lube oil (instructor liked Rotella T) (higher the price the better) and change it often. As the oil is used it becomes dirty and acidic, using synthetic is fine but the extended life you get is not really relevant since the oil still gets dirty and more importantly acidic, so you need to change it often. This is the single most important and simplest thing you can do to prolong the life of the engine.
· Keep the engine oil on the full mark, these engines are designed to "consume oil" it helps to cool them, when the oil level is allowed to fall until it is no longer consuming engine oil the engine will wear much more quickly. Yanmar's rule is the engine may consume UP TO 3 quarts of engine oil for every 100 gal of fuel burned. Do not use engine oil additives.
· Change the antifreeze every 2nd season and the engine lube oil often. The additives are spec'ed out for automotive use which are on a 20% duty cycle, a marine engine is running on a 80% duty cycle so the additives are used up much quicker and need to be replenished more often to protect the engine
· The max RPM rating is only for a 1-hour running. The engine is not designed to run at the max RPM longer, otherwise serious internal wear will start occurring
· Propeller: the instructor said he loves people who like to tinker with the props; the prop tinkers create a lot of business for his repair shop. To briefly sum up what he said using my engine as an example (you can find your info in the engine spec page in your manual): 6LP-STE max RPM is 4200 no load, this verifies that the engine is in good order and adjusted properly, next WOT under load should be 3950. They like the boat slightly under propped so it can turn up, otherwise an engine that will not turn up is always overloaded even trolling in gear and as such significant wear will occur internally due to the strain on the unit (e.g.: oil film on cylinder walls is lacking and metal to metal contact is occurring) Note: Shamrock did an excellent job matching the prop and boat with my 27 MAC, the engine and prop combo does 3950 exactly. Check it with a digital tach, your analog tach can be as much as 300 RPM off.
· If maintained and serviced the Yanmar diesel engines will last minimum of 10,000 hours, number one cause of failure is improper/no maintenance and propeller tinkering.

[RobS]

Since we're on the topic I wanted to have as much info as possible here. I just called Bob Schroer, Mack Boring's tech support person. As the short block to this motor is Japanese built as a joint venture between Toyota and Yanmar the Toyota filter pictured above is the true Japanese made OEM filter. The white/red Yanmar filters are made in the US to the same specs as the Toyota filter.

[RicM]

Rob:

I would not expect you to be scrimping on maintainence and I didn't mean to imply that you would! After all you are the guy that pointed out my tipping inconsistancies with Boston cabbies (LOL).
My intent was to bring to the discussion at large (and we know a lot more people read these posts than participate) the fact that there are minor differences in the design of the two filters, and probably for a reason. I would be surprised if the differences amounted to any big differences at all in the actual life or health of an engine, especially if only used as an occaisional substitute. I was interested to learn that there were additives in the fuel filters. I use a cetane boost additive every once and a while. I'm not religious about it, but I figure it helps when I remember it. Probably put a full treatment in before we leave on our trip.

[jleonard]

I was interested to learn that there were additives in the fuel filters

Fleetguard (Cummins) has started doing that as well. I read that it is lubricant because of USLD.

[fairtide]

I've been following the discussion about the needed cetane rating for the Yanmar engines and it seems odd that there is only one fuel (40) that is available at any fuel dispenser that I've seen. I like the ValveTech product, as it is advertised to contain all needed additives for marine use, but it is still a cetane 40 fuel.
I have had no hint of poor operation with 40 cetane diesel, though I do not push the engine to its upper limit. It is possible that the higher cetane fuel is only needed for near red-line operation where engine temperature is going to be higher than at more relaxed speeds. Any thoughts?

[RobS]

The cetane number of a diesel fuel is an indicator of its ignition quality. Diesel fuels with a higher cetane number ignite more quickly, burn more completely, produce less white smoke, caused by incomplete combustion, and produce fewer emissions. The advantages of a higher cetane number diesel fuel actually occur at starting and lower engine speeds with little or no advantage in performance at higher engine speeds. Most US diesel fuels have a cetane number of 40. Yanmar recommends fuels with a minimum cetane number of 45.

If you are concerned, you can improve the cetane number of a diesel fuel by adding a cetane improver, such as FPPF 8+ Cetane Improver, to the fuel. (see attachment)

I did add the FPPF last year when I was running my boat home from RI to NY since I knew the boat had little use and the fuel was sitting for some time. This year I have not used it. Currently I am only using Biobor JF to eliminate any microbial growth.

[jleonard]

My marina neighbor has twin Yanmar 4s at 190 hp each circa 1999.
If he doesn't use a cetane improver he gets a black smoke puff at startup and at any throttle advance even during docking.
Add the improver and it goes away.
He can turn it on and off that way.
I think Yanmars are a little fuel sensitive that's all.
The 6BTA Cummins I had never cared and I think my current 120 Lehman would burn pi$$ if it were in the tank.
It's all engine, pump, and compression ratio dependant.