2007 Excal 330 fuel Pre-Filter Service Kit replacement?

[nhbouch]

Looking for some advice/suggestions, I'm struggling to replace the fuel pre-filter (PRE FILTER SERVICE KIT#: RP077014) The manual has a good depiction/picture of where it is, but I'm not sure how this part is serviced. It appears to be a threaded component, however, I can't seem to move it.

Manual Pic below with as the part needing replacement & 2 camera pics with different angles

Question: Pics with the red arrows - Is this a threaded part? Am I turning the wrong component? Mine doesn't seem to wanna budge - or it's seized - or I'm turning the wrong part.

I've never replaced this part (started doing my own winterization 2yrs ago - not sure if the dealer replaced when they were doing the work....so it could be going on 2+ yrs since being replaced. No issues with fuel system - just doing normal maintenance

Thanks for any input/suggestions

Boat is now in winter storage - so I may try to go prior to the snow, but may not get to this till the spring.

[Scooter G]

nhbouch, did you take a look at the following post by chance? May be helpful, maybe not...

https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/f...-a-fuel-filter

I saw a youtube video out there also - Search "service fuel pre-filter nautique"

[nhbouch]

Thanks Scooter G - I did look thru that post - it shows the primary fuel filter change, and I have done that successfully.

And thanks for the youtube video suggestion - I had previously searched and found 2 videos that show different style pre-fuel filter changes, not the same style/type that I have unfortunately.

[Scooter G]

Well dern it all.
Someone will chime in that's already bled out their knuckles on this one, with a here's how to do it, and how not to do it, lol.
It sure looks like it unsrews, but better safe than sorry...

[jpwhit]

i've never disassembled this particular one, but have done similar ones. I would remove the low pressure pump assembly from the boat and put the large flats at the top of that filter assembly in a bench vice. I'm talking about the large flats in your second picture near where the filter attaches to the low pressure pump assembly. Then I would put a six point deep socket or a box end wrench on the bottom of the filter assembly to unscrew it. It'll take a good bit of force to break the seal on such a large o-ring. I wouldn't try to do that with the assembly mounted to the engine.

[JayG80]

I replaced 2007 pre filter for the first time last Summer. It was very difficult to unscrew due to original engine paint covering the filter housing. I can’t recall what wrench I used but recall it giving loose when the threads broke free. Ended up with deep cuts across the top side of my middle 3 fingers that required butterfly bandages and probably should have had stitches.

That week, ordered covers for the tails of every visible hose clamp tail.

CLAMP-AID Marine Bilge Blower Black Hose Clamp end Guards, Boat Motor Accessories. for 1/2" Wide Bands. Package of 20. Color: Black

Amazon link https://a.co/d/b4KyHyt

Next time I uncover the boat, I’ll look at it to refresh my mind. From memory, I removed the inlet hose and placed its end in a jar. Used an end wrench on the flats of the housing. I don’t think it took a socket or I would have used a breaker bar. I wonder if you can run a razor blade through the paint where the filter housing faces mate?

[Scooter G]

I think someone above mentioned bloody knuckles, hmm. Bummer.
I like the clamp covers JayG80, great idea, functional and looks good.
Razor blade sounds like a good idea also, doesn't take much paint to freeze a union tight.

[nhbouch]

Thanks for the replies. jpwhit - that was a suggestion from a friend of mine - remove the whole assembly and get it on the bench with good lighting / plenty of room to work on it - and not smash knuckles as Scooter G and JayG80 has experience with.

Was hoping to not have to go that route seems - I'll update the post if I get to it this weekend - or in the spring.

Thanks all.

[H2O]

Remove inlet hose from the canister, then use a wrench to unscrew the bottom portion of the canister. Somewhere on PN I described how to replace the entire prefilter canister nonsense with a simple, easily replaceable Nautique fuel line filter used on many Nautique boats.