Engine/transmission oil changes and filters

[fairtide]

I'm preparing for my first engine oil change as well as for a change of transmission fluid. The engine is the Yanmar 6LPA-STP (315 hp) coupled to the ZF63A tranny.
The engine/transmission manual calls for a transmission fluid change at 25 hours (new boat) with a new filter. The first engine lube change can be done at 50 hours.
I learned that the Yanmar engine oil filter is pricy compared with what I used to pay for a Fram filter for the Nissan 78hp engine that I parted with when I traded the A27 for the 28TE. I can't seem to find any information about the transmission fluid filter on Web sites that show all sorts of related items for sale.
If anyone has some source of approved but cheaper filters, please let me (and others here) know of it. Thanks.
Fair Tide on the Hudson in NY

[RicM]

If you are going to cut corners, I would not do it with the oil filters. I understand there are 3d party filters that will fit, but they are not the micron size recommended by Yanmar.

[johnmurray]

The Toyota truck engine filter Part Number 90915-30002 will fit your Yanmar engine. My mechanic says they are identical to the Yanmar filter.
It is not any cheaper however.

[RicM]

The Yanmar 315 version is $28,000 to replace. The Yanmar filter is about $30 more expensive than an automotive oil filter from Pep boys. You will use 3 filters a year if you run the boat hard. $90 times the number of years you may own this boat will be $900 maybe over the course of 10 years? Seems pretty reasonable to me. Marine engines are run MUCH harder than the corresponding car or truck versions and Yanmar didn't just make up a more expensive filter as a profit center. Penny wise and pound foolish would not be a good idea in this scenario. Use the very best oil & filter you can get your hands on.

[Veebyes2]

Good point Rick.

Think of a marine engine as spending it's entire life pushing uphill. There is no highway cruise in a higher gear. There is no coasting downhill. There is no daily use as you would a land vehicle. In a boat the water resistance is always there. The faster you want to go, the more the resistance, the tougher the life is for the engine.

I treat my 1 ton truck which pulls a 15,000# trailer 80% of the time like I do my boat. Only the best oil. Only the best filters. Change both more frequently than manual suggestion interval. Good mechanic repellant as far as I am concerned.

[chiefrcd]

Why am I always agreeing with Ric? Right on the money again. That is exactly why I use Amsoil and change all my fluids each year along with the filters and fuel filters. I am a firm beliver in synthetics and there is little else I can do except run the engine per the manufactures recommendation and keep the oil and filters changed. If I spend $200.00 a year on Amsoil and filters and racor/yanmar filters I think it's cheap insurance for such a costly engine.

[Pitou]

This is not the place to lock your wallet. Proper Preventative Maintainance is the name of the game. Don,t skimp, especially on your power plant. The filter for my ZF Tranny is tiny and simple, but $45. This spring the customer service person at ZF saw the price and choked over the phone at the cost at what he called a "simple, what should be a cheap filter" and gave me 10 bucks off. It was appreciated, but would have paid the $45. In the scheme of things fishing gear, bait, ice, more ice, rum, more rum , slip fees, etc. no big deal. Do the right thing and get the right filters and fluids.

[RicM]

I would like to take credit for great wisdom, but the sad fact is that I am self employed, with a high speed internet connection, and too much time on my hands. I simply state the obvious earlier than others because I check the forum 20 times a day! LOL!

[fairtide]

Thanks to all who reinforced what I already had a feeling would be the common response to my question about engine oil and transmission filter costs. We all know that old saying about boat ownership,"If you have to ask how much it is, you should't be in boating," or something like that.
Fair Tide