How long for service

[jarata]

I brought my boat in for an appointment 3 weeks ago to get tuned up, and they had to fix a crack in the block and wiring for trailer it still isnt ready.I dont want to be a pain to them but its like they arent in any hurry.Do others have this problem

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: How long for service

In the spring, a long wait is not unexpected. It's their busiest time of the year and if you are not a regular customer, you could expect to wait even longer than folks that purchased boats from them or have all their service work done by them. Give them a call and just ask how it's goin' and when they might get yours done. Be firm, but nice..

 

[Fireman431]

Re: How long for service

Sounds strange. Every year I get serviced within 2 days. Lower unit gear lube change, replace the impeller, new plugs, compression test, fuel/water seperator, etc. Find a new mechanic.

 

[dodgeramsst2003]

Re: How long for service

You said they had to fix a crack in the block? 3 weeks is not a long time to wait for something like that. To give you and idea of a long wait, I had a jet-ski engine rebuilt in 97 that took about 12 weeks. Remember, if they are working on the block, most likely they have pulled it to get better access ( or out of necessity). They are also probably backlogged as most marine service departments are. Hang in there, I know its tough to have to wait, but its the price we pay to boat.

Chris

 

[ziggy]

Re: How long for service

sorry, i'm a pessimist. so how are the fixing a crack in the block. with a new one? that's the only way to be sure your right. any other repair and i'd bulk at giving it back to ya too. don't want ya to find out i took yer bread and ya still leak. worse yet, ya leak to the inside. then yer sol for sure. that said, it is the busy time of year for the dealers, everyones boat is broke today as it's memorial day. if ya want it done today, ya need to do it yerself..........

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: How long for service

Makes me glad i do all my own service and repair..

 

[Coors]

Re: How long for service

What Ziggy said; cracked block fixable?
Only on borrowed time. and wasted money.

 

[bhammer]

Re: How long for service

We don't know if the block is going to be replaced or repaired. the OP did say repair so that leads us to believe... But, I have to say that any legit marine service facility should / would know better than to try and fix a cracked block. If they don't, I'd be looking for another legit service company.

I have fixed cracked blocks before. had one in a 5hp honda engine that was on a go cart and once in a tractor. They held until I got rid of them but I just couldn't think about doing that on a marine engine.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: How long for service

Fireman431 , you are a regular customer, what you have done each year, i can teach a high school kid to do for $6.00 an hour, after school. repairing a block take a lot more skill and experience. also waiting for parts. years ago i had to wait 9 weeks for a power pack that was back ordered.

unfortunately, this is the time of year these guy make there money, they are going to turn out what they can first. the more technical is going to wait till a slack time.

why do people wait till April and May, to service there boats. do it in January, when the mechs are twiddling their thumbs.

 

[jarata]

Re: How long for service

I would think it depends on how severe the crack is and not to make a blanket statement that it cant be fixed

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: How long for service

you are correct. but it is still a bandaid. why did the block crack is more important. so the real problem can be fixed.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: How long for service

Jarata, be patient. You picked the worst possible time to get it worked on. What led you to take it in for a tune-up? A cracked block is pretty big. If you can do the work yourself or have a friend to do it, sure you can fix a cracked block on the cheap. I would never, ever pay someone to do it, as other have said, it's a bandaid covering a larger issue. I ran a Mercruiser 165 for years that had three sleeves in it (at separate times) that ran till I sold it. Of course I told the new owner about it and that's when I found out that boats have two water pumps. Oh...the days of ignorance....

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: How long for service

inboard outboards have 2 water pumps.

 

[bhammer]

Re: How long for service

I would think it depends on how severe the crack is and not to make a blanket statement that it cant be fixed

Can it be reapired, sure. Should it... This is where we will get into a long debate about it and I am sure someone will chime in with what oil to use as well. I for one do not think that a cracked marine block should be repaired. A car, tractor or moped, sure I'd do it in a heart beat as you can easily pull over. You may not sink the boat, but you could be stuck at the worst possible time becuase of a failure. Just my .02 worth....

 

[bomar76]

Re: How long for service

"how severe the crack is" is a lot like "how pregnant is she"

You state this like there is some minor form of a cracked block.

 

[JoLin]

Re: How long for service

Fireman431 , you are a regular customer, what you have done each year, i can teach a high school kid to do for $6.00 an hour, after school. repairing a block take a lot more skill and experience. also waiting for parts. years ago i had to wait 9 weeks for a power pack that was back ordered.

unfortunately, this is the time of year these guy make there money, they are going to turn out what they can first. the more technical is going to wait till a slack time.

why do people wait till April and May, to service there boats. do it in January, when the mechs are twiddling their thumbs.

Tashasdaddy, some of us live in the North country and need to winterize our motors. Due to cold weather, we don't get to take them and the boats out of mothballs until April or May (do you work outside on your boat when temps are in the 30's and 40's?). That's when the problems show up, and we get to wait in line with everybody else. It was the end of April up here before it got warm enough for me to do anything outside.

 

[tommays]

Re: How long for service

I live on COLD Long Island and NEVER put the boat away BROKEN in the first place it always goes to bed fully serviced

There is nothing worse than letting WATER sit in a drive bellows all winter or inside the drive


I have a friend at Bay Marine that services almost 600 boats over the winter If everybody waited till spring they would not get in the water till august


My sailboat has already been in the water 5 weeks

 

[JoLin]

Re: How long for service

Tommays,

I didn't put my motor away "broken" either, but it was broken when I de-winterized it a few days ago. I've just about narrowed it down to a bad power pack, but stuff does happen despite people's best efforts. It's nice that you've been lucky enough to find your rig in the same condition in the Spring as it was the previous Fall. Congratulations.