Fill Fittings, Kits and Methods for Filling Compartments of Boat Engines With Lubricating Fluid

Abstract

Example apparatus and methods for filling the lower units of boat engines with lubricating fluid through their top/vent holes are disclosed. A disclosed fill fitting for filling a compartment of a boat engine with a fluid includes a body, a fluid passageway and a pressure relief passageway. The body having a shaped portion, the shaped portion configured to secure the body in an opening in the compartment. The fluid passageway being defined in the body configured to direct a fluid into the compartment. The pressure relief passageway being defined in the body configured to allow gasses and fluids to escape from the compartment as a fluid is flowed into the compartment via the fluid passageway.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fill fitting for filling a compartment of a boat engine with a fluid, the fill fitting comprising:
 a body having a shaped portion, the shaped portion configured to secure the body in an opening in the compartment;   a fluid passageway defined in the body configured to direct a fluid into the compartment; and   a pressure relief passageway defined in the body configured to allow gasses and fluids to escape from the compartment as a fluid is flowed into the compartment via the fluid passageway.   
     
     
         2 . The fill fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the shaped portion comprises threads to threadably secure the body in the opening. 
     
     
         3 . The fill fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the shaped portion comprises a taper configured to secure the body in the opening when the shaped portion is press fit in the opening in the compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The fill fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure relief passageway includes an opening that, when the body is secured in the opening in the compartment, opens into the opening in the compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The fill fitting of  claim 4 , wherein a cross-section of an opening of the fluid passageway is less than a cross-section of the opening of the pressure relief passageway. 
     
     
         6 . The fill fitting of  claim 1 , further comprising barbs to secure a tube to the fill fitting, wherein the fluid is provided to the fluid passageway via the tube from a pump or by gravity feed. 
     
     
         7 . The fill fitting of  claim 1 , wherein, when the body is secured in the opening in the compartment, a first end of the fluid passageway extends into the compartment, the first end of the fluid passageway extends beyond a first end of the pressure relief passageway, and a second end of the pressure relief passageway is an opening defined in the body outside the compartment. 
     
     
         8 . A fill fitting for filling a compartment of a boat engine with a fluid, the fill fitting comprising:
 a body having a shaped portion, the shaped portion configured to secure the body in an opening in the compartment;   a fluid passageway defined in the body configured to direct a fluid into the compartment; and   a pressure relief passageway defined by the body configured to allow gasses and fluids to escape from the compartment as a fluid is flowed into the compartment via the fluid passageway.   
     
     
         9 . The fill fitting of  claim 8 , wherein the shaped portion comprises:
 threads to threadably secure the fill fitting in the opening; and   flutes defined in the threads.   
     
     
         10 . The fill fitting of  claim 8 , wherein the shaped portion comprises a taper configured to secure the body in the opening when the shaped portion is press fit in the opening in the compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The fill fitting of  claim 8 , wherein the pressure relief passageway comprises a gap between the fill fitting and the opening in the compartment when the body is secured in the opening. 
     
     
         12 . The fill fitting of  claim 8 , further comprising barbs to secure a tube to the fill fitting, wherein the fluid is provided to the fluid passageway via the tube from a pump or by gravity feed. 
     
     
         13 . A kit for use in filling a compartment of a boat engine, the kit comprising:
 a fill fitting including:
 a body having a shaped portion, the shaped portion configured to secure the body in an opening in the compartment; 
 a fluid passageway defined in the body configured to direct a fluid into the compartment; and 
 a pressure relief passageway defined in or by the body configured to allow gasses and fluids to escape from the compartment as a fluid is flowed into the compartment via the fluid passageway; 
   a tube configured for coupling to the fill fitting; and   a pump configured to supply the fluid into the compartment via the tube and the fluid passageway.   
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the fill fitting further includes barbs to secure the tube to the fill fitting. 
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the shaped portion comprises threads to threadably secure the body in the opening. 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the shaped portion comprises a taper configured to secure the body in the opening when the shaped portion is press fit in the opening in the compartment. 
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein, when the body is secured in the opening in the compartment, a first end of the fluid passageway extends into the compartment, the first end of the fluid passageway extends beyond a first end of the pressure relief passageway, and a second end of the pressure relief passageway is an opening defined in the body outside the compartment. 
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the shaped portion comprises:
 threads to threadably secure the fill fitting in the opening; and   flutes defined in the threads.   
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the shaped portion comprises a taper configured to secure the body in the opening when the shaped portion is press fit in the opening in the compartment. 
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the pressure relief passageway comprises a gap between the fill fitting and the opening in the compartment when the body is secured in the opening.