If you have an electric can opener in the kitchen I would wait until Mrs C is out and......

 

I cheat. I've got an air chisel. but the metal on the filter is really thin, knock a hole with an ordinary chisel and then use tin snips. Not hard at all.

 

Well, the summit racing tool is a good bet if you have a spare $40.00 to drop.
I dropped by my marine mechanic and asked if he had such a tool and being an Authorized Volvo Penta Dealer he did, these tools come in handy for warranty claims I was told.

Big Engine shops will have this tool and for a 6 pack may open it up for you when they have a moment or two at the end of the day.

Just be careful handling the filter as the edges can be very sharp and oil in cuts can be nasty and take longer to heal.

I have had three cut open in 8 years and nothing out of the ordinary have been in mine with 130,000 kms on the clock on the 02 Ultra.

Rob

 

Well I got it opened up. I didn't see any little orange specs from the tensioners, but that isn't the most accurate method, but none the less I don't see any. Hopefully I can finish off the season and ill get them done this winter

randy

2003 RKC
33,000 Km.

 

I see by your last post that you finally told us what year, model and mileage you have. Cutting open your filter and checking for tensioner bits with that much time and age on the scoot is like putting a bandaid on a wound that is covered by a shirt. You really don't know what it looks like. If and when the tensioners do let go you won't have any advanced notice and the damage will already be done. The best way to check the tensioners is to pull the cover and do an actual visual inspection.

 

I would use a hack saw instead of a cutting wheel. The cutting wheel would sling what oil is left inside the filter everywhere.

 

I just check all that during oil changes in the few minutes it takes to clean the filter and element before reinstalling it.

 

How you like the reusable filter?

 

I purchased it on the basis of its having filtering capability that is superior to paper filters. This hinges on there being 2 common rating standards for oil filters. One is termed "Nominal" (typical for paper filters) and the other is termed "Absolute" (the standard for permanents). Absolute ratings are by far the most confidence inspiring. Best to do some Googling to get the details but meanwhile know that the 5 micron nominal rating carried by paper filters is a meaningless number in every sense of the word.

Anyhow, in more palpable terms, since switching to the permanent filter I've gotten a small but significant and consistent drop in both operating temperature and oil pressure. This tends to support other claims by the manufacturer which aren't otherwise verifiable without doing before and after Dyno testing and I haven't gone to that trouble and expense.

I'm happy with the filter and the indications I've seen that its living up to manufacturer's claims. I do like being able to inspect the guts of the thing during oil changes though so far, (happily), there hasn't been anything to see. Cleanup of the filter and element during changes consumes very little time and effort. Just prepare a small pail of soapy water along with other preparations you make prior to your oil change and the rest is a snap.

 

Thanks for that I will dig a little deeper in the well.