www.iFourWinns.com

I have a Kohler 4kw Genset in my 97 Vista 278 and for the life of me cannot get the oil filter off!!

First off, its in an almost impossible area to reach but I was able to. THEN there is a plug for, what appears to be, an oil cooler in the way. If I loosen the plug, I loose all of my coolant.

Anybody else with a 278 Vista the same era with a genset that can point me in the right direction? I called Kohler and they wouldnt offer any phone assistance.

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

I am not following you! "what appears to be, an oil cooler in the way. If I loosen the plug, I loose all of my coolant." That should be oil than?? I don't have a genset, so the "oil cooler" is from it, yes?

I would use a filter wrench that caps the bottom of it, in those indentations at the bottom. All else fail, drive a large screwdrive 1" below were it spins on. You don't won't to hit the nipple!

Just to update this thread, I could NOT get to the oil filter on my Kohler generator (factory installed) on my 97 278 Vista.

Turns out I needed a specialty oil filter wrench that had 3 "claws" that rotated. Came right off.

Draining and filling the oil was a major PITA as it doesnt have a dipstick that I can find, I drained it through the rubber drain hose with my vacuum pump (easy) and refilled it through the same hose with a small funnel (PITA and took 1 hour to get 1.4 quarts in!)

Hooked up water to the genny, started right up!

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

Stab it with a screwdriver. Works everytime.

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

The yellow cap unscrews and thats the dipstick on the 5kW Kohler.

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

That red filter would be a great target for a nicely placed phillips head! I had a problem taking out a filter once and after I did take it off it was saved for a day out on the range where it was promptly filled with 40 S&W which made me so happy gazing at the little bastard looking like swiss cheese. Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead!