I screwed up!!

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: I screwed up!!

Also to the marine mechanics in the crowd would you or would you not remove parts 6, 5 and 4 prior to sending a lower unit to a welding shop where you can be sure it will be turned upside down in the process of repairing the skeg? ....

Ya floggin' a dead horse Steve....
 

artificialreef

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 21, 2009
Messages
504
Re: I screwed up!!

Steve, sorry for your troubles. I agree with you on the "ill get to it wednesday" and a call on friday results in a sorry we havent had a chance to get to it yet. In my profession that doesnt fly. Chris, please lighten up on this poor feller. He just took a bad financial ding and i think most on this forum cant afford to have mechanics do their work. This is sort of a dyi site. You have always been very kind to me with assistance. Steve, to be neutral about this. Think of it this way. The mech is not encountering this particular situation everyday. In a perfect world, yes that would have been caught but...most of what he is doing is everyday maintenance. As far as monetary reparations from the shop is concerned. You dont have a skeg to s.. i mean leg to stand on. (couldnt resist, but i feel for you friend) You are hosed. I am sorry for that. From what i have gleaned here i think you need to always pressure test your drive when it is split.
 

Steve302

Seaman
Joined
Dec 15, 2010
Messages
60
Re: I screwed up!!

Steve, sorry for your troubles. I agree with you on the "ill get to it wednesday" and a call on friday results in a sorry we havent had a chance to get to it yet. In my profession that doesnt fly. Chris, please lighten up on this poor feller. He just took a bad financial ding and i think most on this forum cant afford to have mechanics do their work. This is sort of a dyi site. You have always been very kind to me with assistance. Steve, to be neutral about this. Think of it this way. The mech is not encountering this particular situation everyday. In a perfect world, yes that would have been caught but...most of what he is doing is everyday maintenance. As far as monetary reparations from the shop is concerned. You dont have a skeg to s.. i mean leg to stand on. (couldnt resist, but i feel for you friend) You are hosed. I am sorry for that. From what i have gleaned here i think you need to always pressure test your drive when it is split.

Thank you for understanding. I have had a hard time accepting that one day my drive was perfect and the next it is not because of something I missed. I am usually very meticulous about everything I do that is why in my business I am the one who gets requested back and it really bothers me that I made this mistake as I have always been able to figure thinks out and have good results doing things for myself but this time it bit me in the ***** lol.

As I said I just wanted an opinion from others. I have made no mention to the marina about whos fault it was as I DO feel responsible.

The only thing that they have done that has aggravated me is not doing things when they say they will do them. i'm not bullying my way in by any means. I was told as soon as my lower unit came back they would put it on right away. well somehow that turned into two weeks of waiting so i attempted it myself and got this result. I brought it in the next day and was told they would take it apart the next day when i simply asked when. I made no demands and went as far as to say i'm not so much in a rush for it to get fixed as i am curious to know what damage I have caused. As far as money goes i'm sure either way its going to hurt i'm just hopefull the damage does not extend past the lower as that is affordable and can be chalked up to a learning experience where the upper is crazy expensive and will mean no vacation this winter haha.

Again I apologise if the way I worded things portrayed the marina as the evil villains. They are good guys I just wish they'd get to it when they say the will.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: I screwed up!!

Steve, sorry for your troubles. I agree with you on the "ill get to it wednesday" and a call on friday results in a sorry we havent had a chance to get to it yet. In my profession that doesnt fly. Chris, please lighten up on this poor feller. He just took a bad financial ding and i think most on this forum cant afford to have mechanics do their work. This is sort of a dyi site. You have always been very kind to me with assistance. Steve, to be neutral about this. Think of it this way. The mech is not encountering this particular situation everyday. In a perfect world, yes that would have been caught but...most of what he is doing is everyday maintenance. As far as monetary reparations from the shop is concerned. You dont have a skeg to s.. i mean leg to stand on. (couldnt resist, but i feel for you friend) You are hosed. I am sorry for that. From what i have gleaned here i think you need to always pressure test your drive when it is split.

As I read through the initial post, I saw a finger being pointed squarely at the mechanic, grossly unfairly. That got my goat. As an ex shop owner and the chief mechanic I had this happen all the time... As I state, it was a contributing factor to me getting out of the business. I may have been harsh, but that's what some people need, financial ding or not.

Just one thing. A pressure test may not have shown this problem up. The gears would not force themselves apart (and lead to the destruction that's occurred) until the power came on. I also suspect the '5 minute run' was a little longer than that, and probably at a high throttle setting.... Just guessing, but....

Chris.......
 

Steve302

Seaman
Joined
Dec 15, 2010
Messages
60
Re: I screwed up!!

As I read through the initial post, I saw a finger being pointed squarely at the mechanic, grossly unfairly. That got my goat. As an ex shop owner and the chief mechanic I had this happen all the time... As I state, it was a contributing factor to me getting out of the business. I may have been harsh, but that's what some people need, financial ding or not.

Just one thing. A pressure test may not have shown this problem up. The gears would not force themselves apart (and lead to the destruction that's occurred) until the power came on. I also suspect the '5 minute run' was a little longer than that, and probably at a high throttle setting.... Just guessing, but....

Chris.......

The run would of been no more then 5 or 6 minutes. and at no higher then about half to 3/4 throttle. boat just started to come on plain after about 3 minutes idling around the ramp checking engine compartment and bilge as it was the first run of the year when it began to develop the whine I have talked about. It did sit at the ramp in the water for about 5 minutes before I cast off as I was in no rush due to it being 9:30 in the evening there was no one waiting at the ramp. after the whine started I slowed right down to an idle got it back to the ramp which was only a coupe hundred feet away and shut it down. loaded the boat with the motor off to try to avoid causing anymore damage.
 

500dollar744ti

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 23, 2012
Messages
691
Re: I screwed up!!

You could handle the situation yourself, find a good used outdrive, replace it yourself, don't make the same mistake again and keep on going.

I can almost guarantee it's going to cost an arm and a leg to have the mechanic rebuild your current unit, they aren't going to tell you it can be magically fixed for $200.

The Marina is not going to troll ebay and craigslist for you looking to find the best deal but you can do it. A complete good, used, Bravo 1 can be had for $1000 - $1500, you just have to put in the legwork to find it.
 
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