Never too old to &$@" up

[bytownboy]

Changing the oil on my Yanmar today, done it many times. Suck out old oil, change filter and add new oil. Start engine to circulate oil and shut it down to check level. Happen to glance at box and discover that I have installed a fuel filter!! It looks identical and fit perfectly! And I won't be 70 until year end. Oh the joys of crappy old eyes.

Question - what would have been the long term effects had I not noticed my $&@" up??

[Jd1]

LOL .... at least you noticed ! I tried changing the oil filter one time and the damn thing wouldn't fit properly (if I recall the thread bottomed out before seal contact). Got all pissed at the shop that sold me the filter. Had to drive about an hour to go back to the shop and get the right filter - I was not a happy camper. Just imagine how I felt when the counter person pointed out that I tried to use a fuel filter (I had bought both fuel and oil filters from the same shop). he only saving grace of this ordeal was that I was very polite to the counter person when I inquired about the 'wrong filter' they had given me. Sheesh, talk about feeling like a stupid old fart !!!

[Adelie]

The long term effects would depend on the relative sizes of the filter material openings and the total filter area. Given the similar sizes of the filter I would bet the total filter areas are similar. No idea about filter material openings.

If the fuel filter material openings were tighter then you would be choking oil flow a bit but doing a better job of getting the gunk out. Assuming there is a low oil pressure alarm in the system it would clog up early and start setting off the alarm regularly and you would change the oil and filter.

If the openings were somewhat wider then more really fine particles would flow thru and you would have mildly accelerated engine wear for the period the wrong filter was on.

All in all I wouldn't see it creating significant problems if it were just for 1 oil change cycle.

[newhaul]

Oil filters are in the 25 to 30 micron range whereas fuel filters are in the 3 to 5 micron range I would not leave it I would put the correct filter in there
Heck you can even get racor elements that are down to 2 microns

[buzzstar]

If the fit were proper, you might have had an insufficient flow of oil, but just think of how clean it would have been, Your fuel on the other hand.... Whatever your age you are still 10 years from middle age, which is 10 years older than whatever you are.. If you any age other than what you are you might not have discovered the error, and still be happy.

[sailorchic34]

On difference is a fuel filter will not have a bypass valve or a non-drain back valve. It will be far safer to change the filter for the proper oil filter.

I would cross reference the oil filter to a wix or mobil oil filter which will meet or exceed OEM filter (which is not made by yanmar anyway).

[Ken Z]

you might have accused the fuel dock of putting engine oil in the diesel tank when you pulled your filter, lol keep on truckin....🤔

[carlheintz]

Ha! At least you put A filter in... you remembered to change the filter when you changed the oil! On my rig I have 2 oil filters and many are the times I have changed one and totally forgotten the other one that's at the back of the engine in a very hard to reach place... until, of course, I'm done filling with new oil and ponder the fact that I only have one filter in the trash. Dang. Go get the baby diapers, this is going to be messy.

[Mithril Bham]

Off track but reminded me of when a charter guest filled using a rod holder hole on a big motor yacht. Didn't realize the problem until the bilge pump started pumping diesel into the bay. I had to clean the engine room. 50 gallons of diesel.
Your mistake was small compared to some.

[djanis]

Yep I tried to fill a rod holder. But when the deck started flooding with diesel. Took a time to clean up. The dock attendant was very nice and helped me.

[RaymondR]

You are probably not making more or worse screw-ups as you age, just more likely to be less embarrassed, and consequently, more honest about them.

[DougR]

Could have been a costly mistake....

Oil filters are designed to handle 60-70 psi or more, and fuel filters just a few psi. Most likely the fuel filter element would have collapsed inside the housing and blocked the oil flow with disasterous results.

DougR

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by djanis

Yep I tried to fill a rod holder. But when the deck started flooding with diesel. Took a time to clean up. The dock attendant was very nice and helped me.

How many gallons does a rod holder hold?

[a64pilot]

My Brother pumped gasoline into his water tank years ago.
Never, ever did get the taste and smell out of that tank, even years later.

[Barney21]

I think anyone who owns up to his " mistakes" is to be admired.
We all make them.
I ran my own construction company , one of my consultants made a major "muck up", there was no argument he just said this one is mine.!! I never used anyone else in his profession , he was a great guy.