Vetus Water Strainers

[Dave 71]

I have a Vetus FTR140 strainer on a yanmar 2GM20 engine, very awkwardly located at the back of the engine compartment. I cant get the lid off and I cant see it clearly enough through the lid.

this is the filter

Vetus - Strainer Type 140 3/4" #VE FTR140/19 (vetusmarine.com)

I can get my hand on it but the lid won't budge. I think I need some sort of wrench but can't find anything suitable, I can find various water filter wrenches for other things (pools, domestic use etc) but none of them look 100% right for this. Vetus only seem to make a wrench for the larger filter with the X molded on top.

Can anyone recommend a suitable tool?

 

[andsarkit]

You could try various oil filter strap wrenches but these tend to compress the lid and might make it more difficult to remove.
Hot water on a cloth put over the lid might help.
People have made plywood keys to fit the lids. Possibly something simple like this;

When you replace it use a little silicon grease and don't do it up too tight.

 

[davierobb]

The lid has a raised Box section on top. I used plumbers pliers open wide to catch the box section. No pressure put on threaded part.

 

[andsarkit]

The lid has a raised Box section on top. I used plumbers pliers open wide to catch the box section. No pressure put on threaded part.

The one the OP linked has a different lid.

 

[Poignard]

Deleted. I'm not sure the information I gave was correct.

 

[Dave 71]

I'll try a strap wrench and a hot towel. The plywood key is a good idea, but I think I'd need to get the old one off first to make a good fit.

 

[Neeves]

Oil filter and swimming pool filter 'wrenches' come in various sizes and designs - go and check in your local Halfords or equivalent or a pool shop - taking the lid with you. You can source strap tools that evenly grip the whole lid do not point load (and it would be a very weak lid if the tool made the lid more difficult to remove.

Jonathan.

 

[Poignard]

And if you are unlucky enough to break the lid, you can get another here:

Water strainer spares | ABCstore.co.uk

 

[LittleSister]

. . . very awkwardly located at the back of the engine compartment. I cant get the lid off and I cant see it clearly enough through the lid. . .

Can anyone recommend a suitable tool?

In the time honoured Forum tradition of answering a different question to that asked, is there not a more accessible position that you could permanently relocate the strainer to? (Even, perhaps, if it involves changing to a different shaped strainer.)

If so, how about doing so before, or while, fixing the jammed lid? Then you'll find it much easier to deal with the lid problem, not to mention being able to monitor whether the strainer needs clearing in future. For the price of a couple of meters of hose life will get that little bit easier and worry free.

Even if you haven't anywhere else for the strainer to go, if other methods fail, temporarily disconnect the strainer from its hoses and mounting so you've got the thing in your hands so you can more effectively wrestle with the lid.

Whether or not you do any of that, I agree with trying the hot water method. If possible drape the cloth (ideally flannel type material) over the strainer, the pour hot water onto it. That way it will be hotter and wetter than if you were to wet the cloth before you put it into place.

 

[Dave 71]

In the time honoured Forum tradition of answering a different question to that asked, is there not a more accessible position that you could permanently relocate the strainer to? (Even, perhaps, if it involves changing to a different shaped strainer.)

If so, how about doing so before, or while, fixing the jammed lid? Then you'll find it much easier to deal with the lid problem, not to mention being able to monitor whether the strainer needs clearing in future. For the price of a couple of meters of hose life will get that little bit easier and worry free.

Even if you haven't anywhere else for the strainer to go, if other methods fail, temporarily disconnect the strainer from its hoses and mounting so you've got the thing in your hands so you can more effectively wrestle with the lid.

Whether or not you do any of that, I agree with trying the hot water method. If possible drape the cloth (ideally flannel type material) over the strainer, the pour hot water onto it. That way it will be hotter and wetter than if you were to wet the cloth before you put it into place.

I had thought I might end up replacing it, the trouble there being that I can only get to one of the mounting screws so it would be equally difficult to remove. I hadn't thought of mounting a new one in a better place, thanks.

 

[Poignard]

I had thought I might end up replacing it, the trouble there being that I can only get to one of the mounting screws so it would be equally difficult to remove. I hadn't thought of mounting a new one in a better place, thanks.

There are slots for the two mounting screws.

If you can remove one screw, you may be able to slide the filter clear of the other.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I fitted one on Cobblers in the stern locker where access was easy. I was initially concerned with the pipe runs to and fro which were about 4' each way, but it worked fine.

 

[Praxinoscope]

Judging by the regular threads on the Vetus water filter it does seem that the unscrewing of the cap is a general problem, I am trying to make a ‘spanner’ out of ply that grip the cap sufficiently but not risk damaging.
Even though I always put a smear of silicone grease on the threads and don’t screw the cap down too tight, it still seems to tighten itself over a period of use, hence the intention to make this special spanner.

 

[Supertramp]

I made a plywood tool to release my vetus strainers with blocks to fit between the raised ribs and a lever handle that can locate in various positions. Bulky but effective. Hard to release without damage otherwise.

 

[johnalison]

I have an older version Vetus strainer but the lid is not transparent, though it has a couple of tall ridges that make it easier to get hold of. My experience is that engineers love to show off their muscle by tightening things up as hard as they can. Since the filter operates with a partial vacuum it only need to be tight enough to seal it. On my old filter the cage runs down a pair of channels at the side which have to be correctly located or the cage will distort when the lid is forced down on it, something that engineers often seem unaware of, but I haven’t inspected the innards of the newer filters.

 

[Bran]

I have the same strainer and use a strap wrench with a rubber strap, works well.

 

[Paul1962]

This is what Vetus market for their FTR330 series of filter





And this is what I made up for my Antares 7 which had a Vetus FTR 1320 filter - 4mm aluminium sheet cut out to suit.

Hope this helps

 

[PetiteFleur]

I have a similar water strainer - not Vetus but Osculato ? Has a raised long raised portion on the lid, so I've made a Plywood spanner to release the lid. Also fitted much nearer to the hatch for easy access.

 

[ashtead]

Just be careful that if you decide to use some form of strap wrench you don’t break the filter off it’s fixing points ie the bracket which attaches to the bulkhead . I would try a hot wet tea towel wrapped round the top initially held with say a gardening glove or the welding type you might have for holding flares. If that does work maybe a hairdryer might warm it enough to loosen.

 

[KREW2]

View attachment 137633This is what Vetus market for their FTR330 series of filter



View attachment 137634

And this is what I made up for my Antares 7 which had a Vetus FTR 1320 filter - 4mm aluminium sheet cut out to suit.

Hope this helps

I made a small plywood one bit like a mini table tennis bat. I made it after trying mole grips which cracked the lid rendering the strainer useless.