Post # 9 in this link below as I have said in the past and in the way past before ever posting on OSO. NO BS about what takes place with the Merc fuel filters and no BS about that I cut open filters a lot for many many years.

And like I said, I see this pad material after dissolving / coming apart including the glue - that gets caught up internally of the fuel injectors and the basket filters over time. These are from others who send me in their fuel injectors for testing all over the USA.

My own boat service customers do not get the Merc fuel filters period so they do not have this problem over time. I know better and maintain their boats thru out using, WIX, Baldwin or the more expensive Racor or even more expensive FST fuel filters., .

Anyways like I said, have posted this info a least a handful up here.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...separator.html

Interesting. Never had a problem with the Merc filters. Maybe I will cut mine open; It has 3 seasons on it!

The deal is you are trying to prevent problems and do the maintenance within recommended timeframes.

Do not take this wrong and not being a smart azz. nor directing this at you. Have to say for general info. Some people never change anything on their cars for years and they still start and run but is that good or bad ? - would anyone run motor oil or lets say a motor oil filter alone for 3 years but still changed the motor oil but not the oil filter until 3 years later ?

NOT being a smart azz but fuel filters need to be changed once per year bare min regardless of what brand filter and fuel samples taken so that one can find and FIX problems before they start is always a good thing.

Just adding - I was passing on the chit show that Merc has for filters because this filter is not the ONLY POS filter they offer. OH there is more junk filter in their offerings.

Can't compare an oil filter with a fuel filter. Oil and filter get changed twice a year. Sometimes 3 times.

I hear you but lets take a more indepth look at this, oil lasts for years and years without time on it especially in its own bottle or even filled inside an engine sitting for years unused - gas lasts if your lucky 6 months and possible up to one year with a quality fuel stabilizer - And that's even in a sealed gas container or even at the filling station. Gas starts to degrade in 30 days - that's a common fact currently.

Motor oil does not operate nor sit in a open vent system but Marine fuel systems operate and sit with open ventilation in all gas marine applications - They easily condensate moisture and or water into the fuel with E10 and even with E 0. Using E 10 or even E 5 phase separation happens when any form of water collects in the fuel and that's just sitting there. Phase separation with E 10 and water mix drops out of suspension inwhich form acids and those acids cause a form of corrosion called Aluminum Oxcide, That attacks fuel rails internally -fuel filter mounting pads and so on and even attacks the fuel injectors internally. . Also fuel filters are impregnated paper elements - so they absorb water like a sponge - if you had water in the fuel.

Do a test - take a brand new fuel water filter and fill it with water - let it sit for 10 mins - dump the water all out - then cut open the filter and see how much water the paper element has soaked up. Its a lot. That water degrades the paper element inside the filter in a very sort timeframe.

Marine fuel filters are a bare min of once per year change even if you do not use your boat.

Solid advice here plus helps with fuel related issues no matter how anyone slices that pie.

Anyways I am just reported the many issues I see and not just with one boat. I beaten the horse here pretty much, so for all take FWIW or not. Just reporting NON fake news.

BUP, frankly you seem to have a big problem with Mercury Marine. They can do no right. Everything they make is junk. You know better than them. My fuel filter stayed on for 3 seasons, yes. It is a large filter and fully capable of filtering the quantity of gas which I burned in that period. My boat is stored indoors and uncovered. Condensation in the fuel tank occurs primarily during outdoor storage when the boat is exposed to sunlight and heat and wide temperature swings. There is no reason that my boat's fuel tank would get water in it or that my fuel would go into phase separation during the 5 months that it is stored indoors. I'd be willing to bet that there is no water in it. What I will do when my new one arrives is dump the contents of the old one in a jar and let it settle and then I will cut it open and look for any signs of the defect that you allege is inside it. I will take pictures of everything and post them here within a week. If there is a piece that holds the spring which fails then mine should certainly be obvious after 3 seasons. I did order a new Mercury filter from the Amazon link. Yes, you have beaten the horse a bit too much. Mercury Racing is my engine builder and when you constantly put them down and second guess them it is a bit insulting.

*And now we will hear your usual rant about how you love Mercury because of all the money you make by correcting their shortcomings.

The deal some of their quality is great and some parts quality is very poor, their fuel filters is very poor, Their IAC set up and higher duty cycles for ECM 555 and pcm 555 apps is a poor set up as well. The GEN VII water pumps that scare up is of very poor quality & very poor design and the location of is very poor acesss. Bad design all the way around. I can go on with many more parts of poor quality but also can list some of great quality.

I Have no problems with Merc but the end user does with some of it and the costs especially the poor quality parts and especially when it shown right in front of them - because they have to pay for all of it in the long run. I try to find better parts and solutions so the end user does not have to live with what I can control with poor quality parts. The deal is as a tech who works on anything in life should not have to check the quality of parts inside and out / front to back to make its worthy of the installation.

IF anyone can post pics of an 11 month OEM Merc filter that I posted on FB - that will help you make better choices in fuel filters. I was helping you, not hurting you but you want to argue with me instead of listening to someone who knows maybe a bit more than you. And for you who worked on what maybe X amount of boats in your life time as to someone that has had more than 12 000 boats run thru the shops - I think my experience would know better what is poor quality and what is great quality is.. Thank you and good luck and please if someone can post the pics for me - it will be an eye opener for many including yourself. Again HELPING not hurting. Since you seem to think that Merc can do no wrong and is always offering superior top notch quality parts maybe look into a bit more with some detailed depth.. That's all I am saying as I my thoughts of the start of this was to help not hurt.

And to back my big mouth up here is the OEM MERC service intervals. Jeez must be Merc is wrong to as to your 3 year of using the same filter - Please scroll thru and SEE once a year fuel filters also if applicable they recommend the PCV valve change once per year in which is often missed. So if your water fuel sep filter had water in it , what can happen when it freezes ? Have seen them crack from a few owners not many but a few in 30 years timeframe - So would nt be smart thinking on a boat owners part to change a 15 to 20 dollar fuel filter and follow Merc recommendations especially when a 40 K engine is involved. Logic tells me I think that's a very wise choice - 15 buck part or 40 K engine - Hmmm what do others think and about Merc's recommendation about changing the fuel filters once per year or should everyone follow Third's advice since he knows more than Merc here ???

http://www.boatfix.com/merc/servmanl/16/16b1r2.pdf

I don't want to argue about this. I am aware of the service intervals. Actually my Mercury 525 service manual says: Every 50 hours or once a year, water separator filter - Empty any water and inspect condition of filter. Mine ended up going 3 years however. Now, as promised, I dissected it and took pics. Not a drop of water in it. There is a pad under the spring which I could not tell if it was rubber or paper. With a little persuasion it did tear and looks like a gasket material. I suppose it could fail but mine was 100% intact.

Thank you -- can we see your filter element top bottom and sides . Also the glue has all broken down that holds your pad in place and is gone according to the pics.

I have some brand new ones coming from Merc will be here Monday - I will cut them open both being untouched - brand new and would like those pics up here as well.

Also who can I send a 11 month old OEM filter pics to that I cut open about 2 days ago ? Its a real eye opener -