32 replies to this topic

[jackdaw]

Pulled Blue J last night. It was below freezing and looked to drop more. I planned on winterizing the diesel by pouring -100F anti-freeze into the water strainer bucket while running the motor, but could NOT get the damn cover off. Tried every trick I could think of. Warmed it up, tapped on it, used a belt to add torque. Finally I relented and broke the cover, and poured thru the hole. I'll need a new cover, but at least I'm not worried about the motor.



Anything else I could have tried to get it open?

Looking at the partlist for the MD2010 motor, the strainer does not look like the original speced part. Maybe Beneteau used others that they had on hand?

http://www.marinepar...800-26-207.aspx

[Ishmael]

Pulled Blue J last night. It was below freezing and looked to drop more. I planned on winterizing the diesel by pouring -100F anti-freeze into the water strainer bucket while running the motor, but could NOT get the damn cover off. Tried every trick I could think of. Warmed it up, tapped on it, used a belt to add torque. Finally I relented and broke the cover, and poured thru the hole. I'll need a new cover, but at least I'm not worried about the motor.



Anything else I could have tried to get it open?

Looking at the partlist for the MD2010 motor, the strainer does not look like the original speced part. Maybe Beneteau used others that they had on hand?

http://www.marinepar...800-26-207.aspx

12" pipe wrench should have done it. Wrap the cover in rubber to give some protection and heave.

[bmiller]

Anything else I could have tried to get it open?

Twisted it left instead of right?

[rodauthor]

A couple well placed pipe wrenches . .but I see the BFH did it instead

[Soñadora]

yeah, I'm thinking pipe wrenches too, but what you did worked perfectly. Way I look at it, if they wouldn't have wanted you to use Plan B, they wouldn't have made the top breakable.

Time marches on. That's in the past now. No need to worry about it until the bears come out.

[SailAR]

What about just take off the engine side hose and pouring the antifreeze through a funnel into the hose to winterize the engine. Looks like the strainer would empty out through the open thru hull? No need for violence. =P

[jackdaw]

I tried to grab two of the top ridges with loosely gripped vise grips.... tried turning until they cracked. The plastic seemed very brittle. Age? The part is 15 years old. Then I just mashed a hole in it. You right sons, spring project now. Got all the measurements.. We got off the lake JIT. Had to break thru some ice to get to the crane.

[jackdaw]

What about just take off the engine side hose and pouring the antifreeze through a funnel into the hose to winterize the engine. Looks like the strainer would empty out through the open thru hull? No need for violence. =P

That WAS Plan A. In the pix you can see the hose clamps are already loosened and down. But I tried the vice grips thing one more time, and it cracked.

But I figured someday I'm going to need to get in there. Better to take care of it now.

[SemiSalt]

I guess it depends a lot on what you have access to on your particular boat. I pull the hose off the seacock.

However, an experienced friend of mine suggests installing a tee fitting with a valve, extra bit of hose, and whatever other bits and pieces are required so that all there is to do is stick an end of hose into the antifreeze bottle and flipping the valve.

[Fleetwood]

I often need to use an oil filter wrench to get mine off. Always put a bit of vasolene on the O-ring and threads.

[SailAR]

Try something like this for a replacement: http://www.forespar....thru-hull.shtml

No violence, BFH or large wrenches required.

[Ishmael]

Try something like this for a replacement: http://www.forespar....thru-hull.shtml

No violence, BFH or large wrenches required.

Where's the fun in that?

[Balder]

When I was a pool contractor we used a big strap wrench to remove plastic lids from pump strainers, chlorinators ets. Someone referenced an oil filter wrench. It's a bi one with a rubber strap. I now consider it an indispensable tool.

[Ishmael]

When I was a pool contractor we used a big strap wrench to remove plastic lids from pump strainers, chlorinators ets. Someone referenced an oil filter wrench. It's a bi one with a rubber strap. I now consider it an indispensable tool.

They rot quickly and will explode unexpectedly just when you need it most, at least the crappy Canadian Tire versions I used. Is there a good strap wrench?

[Tim042]

But seriously, once it's welded together like that, it isn't likely to budge, the cold weather probably didn't help. Whoever put it on before probably overtightened it, once he did that the outcome was inevitable.

[floating dutchman]

"If it doesn't work force it, if it breaks it needed replacing anyway"

I would have tried something like a square drive screw driver that has a flat end and just tapped with a hammer (accualy, I'd use my pliers) it to unscrew in various places, getting harder and harder untill it eather came undone or broke. Accualy works quite well for stuff like this.

[Trendsetter]

I have never been a fan if that style strainer, for just this reason and as noted above someone put it on to tight last time and didn't lube it, think like an oil filter put on to tight and or dry good luck for the next guy!

I would replace the entire unit and hoses given the age with new stuff not just a new lid. What if you had to get in there underway? Your now dead in the water. Get a groco style strainer and be done. It costs a little more but well worth it.

However if you must get a new lid, providing you can ever get the old one off, it is more then likely a vetus part.

[Moonduster]

That flavor strainer is well known for being impossible to open if not opened and lubed regularly - think monthly.

I think it has to do with the shape of the threads - but in the end, it's probably because they're too easy to over tighten.

[austin1972]

Always, always take a bit of motor oil to the threads and seal before installing.
Cheap trick. Just rub it around with your finger.

Works on my machines anyways.

[sailSAK]

I guess it depends a lot on what you have access to on your particular boat. I pull the hose off the seacock.

However, an experienced friend of mine suggests installing a tee fitting with a valve, extra bit of hose, and whatever other bits and pieces are required so that all there is to do is stick an end of hose into the antifreeze bottle and flipping the valve.

I have a hard plumbed antifreeze tank. It tees into the sea water circuit ant runs to/from the engine, galley sink and head. When I pull in I just shut the sea water valve, open the antifreeze valve and run the engine until winterized. Head and galley sink work in a similar fashion. With a little thought and a few gallons antifreeze this makes winterizing little more complicated than a normal shutdown. Works for me because I tend to use the boat a lot more uring winter months. Probabably too complicated for the single season sailors but if you use your boat at all in the cold months it is a godsend.

[steele]

I agree that it is better to bust it open now rather than deal with it on the water. Even in you could get it open with a few extra tools and 30 mins of work, would you want to do it next time bouncing around in 3 feet of chop against a lee shore? The goco style has a lid that you can use tool on to get it open. Mine has never jammed.

A similar problem is my racor fuel filter with the plastic bowl. Everytime I change it out getting the plastic bowl off the diesel soaked slipery disposable filter is a chore and I am amazed I do not break it. I keep a spare on hand for the day I do, or just to allow a quicker change if I have to do it in a rush at sea.

[Maine Sail]

It is a lot easier to remove the hose from the seacock, extend it with a male/male barb and extra length of hose and stuff it into a 5 gal bucket of AF... I do this 25-40 times every fall and it takes but a couple of minutes...

If it were my boat that piece of plastic would be replaced with a Perko 0493 series or Groco bronze strainer. Seen too many plastic strainers cracked...

Also when I see warnings like this on a competitors plastic raw water strainer.....

Winterizing Instructions:

"Close seacocks, drain the strainer completely. Do
not add anti-freeze compounds, they will cause
deterioration of the plastic, causing it to crack."

Certainly gives one time to pause.....

[SemiSalt]

If it were my boat that piece of plastic would be replaced with a Perko 0493 series or Groco bronze strainer. Seen too many plastic strainers cracked...

The strainer on my boat is bronze (or some other alloy containing copper because the corrosion is green). Every time I tighten down the wing nuts enough to stop it leaking, I'm afraid something is going to break.

[Tucky]

I often need to use an oil filter wrench to get mine off. Always put a bit of vasolene on the O-ring and threads.

My understanding is that vaseline and rubber don't like each other- there are a number of non-petroleum greases made for the job that will do it better. I don't think this is one of those "don't put batteries on concrete" tales, but I ain't no expert.

[Ishmael]

I often need to use an oil filter wrench to get mine off. Always put a bit of vasolene on the O-ring and threads.

My understanding is that vaseline and rubber don't like each other- there are a number of non-petroleum greases made for the job that will do it better. I don't think this is one of those "don't put batteries on concrete" tales, but I ain't no expert.

I always use a teflon or silicone grease to lube rubber. Just in case.

[SailAR]

Bottom line is that they don't work well. replace with something that does, before you find yourself drifting around on a windless day with crap clogging the strainer and no good way to get raw water to the engine.

[hard aground]

It is a lot easier to remove the hose from the seacock, extend it with a male/male barb and extra length of hose and stuff it into a 5 gal bucket of AF... I do this 25-40 times every fall and it takes but a couple of minutes...

I only do it once in the fall, but I was waiting to see if anyone else winterized like this too.

[Becalmed]

Looks like a small Vetus strainer, they sell spare lids and o-rings for them. You don't need to torque the thing on, just hand snug since it should be mounted just above the waterline. I have to open mine several times a year to clear the basket and it is never a problem with a bit of teflon grease. For quick winterizing, take a look at adding a Groco SSC (safety sea cock) adapter. You can use the engine seawater pump as an emergency bilge pump, and it comes with a hose bib adapter so you can stick the hose right into the plumbing anti-freeze jugs to pickle the system. Also nice for flushing some fresh water through the heat exchanger if you leave the boat for a while.

[jackdaw]

Looks like a small Vetus strainer, they sell spare lids and o-rings for them. You don't need to torque the thing on, just hand snug since it should be mounted just above the waterline. I have to open mine several times a year to clear the basket and it is never a problem with a bit of teflon grease. For quick winterizing, take a look at adding a Groco SSC (safety sea cock) adapter. You can use the engine seawater pump as an emergency bilge pump, and it comes with a hose bib adapter so you can stick the hose right into the plumbing anti-freeze jugs to pickle the system. Also nice for flushing some fresh water through the heat exchanger if you leave the boat for a while.

Great call, the lid is on-line for US$20. Glad it not a VP part, 20 bucks does not get you much at all.

[Salazar]

Looks like a small Vetus strainer, they sell spare lids and o-rings for them. You don't need to torque the thing on, just hand snug since it should be mounted just above the waterline. I have to open mine several times a year to clear the basket and it is never a problem with a bit of teflon grease. For quick winterizing, take a look at adding a Groco SSC (safety sea cock) adapter. You can use the engine seawater pump as an emergency bilge pump, and it comes with a hose bib adapter so you can stick the hose right into the plumbing anti-freeze jugs to pickle the system. Also nice for flushing some fresh water through the heat exchanger if you leave the boat for a while.

Great call, the lid is on-line for US$20. Glad it not a VP part, 20 bucks does not get you much at all.

Make sure to order the right size. I have two different sizes of these Vetus Strainers on our boat with different diameter lids (one for engine cooling, one for the A/C). As someone mentioned above, both of mine are set on the boat's centerline, just above the waterline. They do the job just fine.

[Balder]

All my tools are back home, and I am in HK so I can't show you the exact strap wrenches we had. I was using them for 4 years servicing commercial pools and spas, probably the only conditions close to marine use. (Chlorine is something more corrosive than SW) Note that they have reinforced rubber straps, something like the composition of a v-belt. Very strong, very grippy, and they don't soak up water or chemicals.

Attached Files

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•  2-piece-soft-grip-strap-wrench-set-95631-p.jpg   80.64K   6 downloads

[Tom Ray]

I once made a strap wrench out of a couple of pieces of wood and an old bike inner tube. Worked on a 6" PVC coupler for the grove irrigation system. Balder's are way cooler.

[Fleetwood]

My strap wrench plugs into my socket wrench ratchet handle;works well.
Vasolene will react with natural & butyl rubbers but should be OK with higher-quality ones such as neoprene, viton & silicones.
Cheap strainers probably have cheap o-rings............