Silly question, but does oil flow to remote filter, then cooler, then back to pan, or the other way around? Installing remote stats.

On my filter block on the bottom of engine block, there is a line towards the transom that goes to the remote filter. The the one facing the bow is coming from the cooler.

traditionally the first thing that the oil sees after leaving the block is the filter. the thinking is to capture all the contamination before it makes anything else dirty. there is no hard and fast rule and it often gets done differently for lots of reasons but normally its filter before all else.

I have mine this way, filter hot oil first then cool the oil, then return to engine.

The oil goes thru the oil pump then the oil filter pad. Oil goes out around the outside of the filter pad into the filter and then back into the center of the filter pad into the engine. On most marine engines you have an adapter that screws onto the filter pad that you can attach hoses for a remote filter and cooler but the path is still the same. Oil out on the outside of the pad, back in thru the center.

Had an Oil Thermostat from Mercrusier that is squarish (late model HP 500 design) and mounts on the top of the bell housing has four hose connections, two on the bottom and two on the side. I did not plumb this but had it installed.

What is the correct connection for this block if you have the hottest oil flowing to coldest water?