www.iFourWinns.com

Spoken like a true 298 Vista owner who has ventured to change the oil. All I have to say is whoever designed those engines with the oil filters positioned the way they are ought to be shot. WTF were they thinking?

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

Actually, he is only $35 an hour but out of the kindness of my heart, I pay him $40 an hour (+ tip). The cheap ones are out there but they are all independent and I am sure lack any insurance.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

One thing I learned quickly on my 298 is how to get over any apprehension I had about climbing on, over, and around the engines and bending, twisting, reaching in positions that my body doesn't normally go...and are often pretty damn uncomfortable. I've also learned that most tasks are done by feel vs. by sight. I changed 16 spark plugs yesterday and I don't believe I laid eyes on a single one in the process of changing them. Oil filters are the same way...get a visual on them and then position yourself in some weird position, reach down there, and hope you get the right angle to get the right leverage to get the filters off.

On a related note....damn, I'm sore today! All that twisting, reaching, contorting, left me hurting when I woke up this morning.

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'01 Vista 298

I feel your pain Winedown, I feel like I need to be contortionist to work on my engines. I don't know how the guys with go-fast boats with big blocks and narrow beam do their maintenance. I didn't realize that the remote oil filters were not standard but I am sure thankful that my boat came with them!

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2004 Vista 298
Twin 5.7L Volvo Penta GXi-E

What were they thinking when they designed those engines with the oil filters located there??

Well way back in 1955 they (Chervrolet) was thinking, we are designing a nice lightweight and compact V-8 for our nice new 1955 Chevrolet and they had no idea, that the engine would be used in cars, trucks, hot rods, boats etc for over 50 years. The oil filter location is fine in a car, and the marinizer, in this case Volvo, should make a remote mount standard when it's obvious that you can't get to it.....

I look over any vehicle I am going to buy, with an eye for how easy it is to get at things...if the oil filter is buried, I don't buy it...since I AM the mechanic...

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

As far as I know all the Volvo-powered 230/240's since 2004 have had the remote kit come standard.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

The kit was standard on both my '04 225 and '04 268. VP had an issue with some of the hoses on some years though.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

I guess that is why they refer to my engine(s) as "an old Chevy block". If it ain't broke, don't fix it (but hire a tech to change your oil if it is in a boat).

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

And although we can complain about them, they are adapted car engines after all, and very low tech ones at that. BUT, that's why repowering an inboard, esp a Chevy small block powered one, is so inexpensive, compared to an outboard. If Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW or Volvo made the engine in our I/Os you can bet it would cost at least twice as much to repower the boat. So long live the Chevy small block.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II