Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

[natemoore]

My next-door neighbor used a laid-off boat mechanic to do some work on his boat. I originally hired him to replace a couple of seals in my lower unit since he had access to all those expensive tools. Not sure if he's "certified" or whatever, but he did work at a real boat repair shop.

Well, on my neighbor's boat, he either forgot to hook up the water hose that goes from the lower unit through the bell housing to the engine, or he didn't allow enough slack and it pulled off when the drive was raised or turned all the way to the stops, or he didn't use a hose clamp and it popped off due to the water pressure. Whatever the cause, the engine's over-temp alarm went off and when my neighbor got it home, he discovered the water hose hanging free.

So, now he's got a blown head gasket, water in the oil, plus all the rubber in the exhaust system was melted, including the shutter.

So, what are the lessons? If you're not going to do the work yourself (so that you know it's done correctly), use an authorized and reputable shop so that you have some legal recourse if they screw up your engine. I still think you'd be at their mercy, though.

This laid-off mechanic is the husband of one of my wife's coworkers, and they are good friends, although he and I aren't really. They come over to socialize periodically. My neighbor and I have about as good a relationship as anyone could expect to have, borrowing tools, sharing beers, looking out for each other's family and home, etc.

Awkward!

However, before I blame the mechanic, is this scenario possible? The blown head gasket caused such a severe overheating that the pressure in the cooling system made the hose pop off? It has an open cooling system, BTW.

 

[jtybt]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

lack of water is the cause.

 

[boat127]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

do you know for sure the head gasket is blown. how much water is in the oil. do you have the head off the engine

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

Mistakes happen even to the best of mechanics, all it takes is the phone to ring, a customer to walk in, etc.

 

[nofuss]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

ok the mechanic may have made a slip up. I always recommend when u have a mechanic over, work with him, it helps you to learn, and u are able to double check at the same time.
However if you hear a temperature sensor go off, especially on a boat that just had work done on it, make a check. Your friend may have noticed the hose then and saved the big problem. might have needed to call a tow in, but would have saved the time and expense, associated with this repair.
dont take the chance to try to "get home" with a temp sensor going off unless u are sure of the cause and you know that u are safe to keep going. the worst case scenario is that you could end up with an explosion, from heat and gas. not a chance worth taking, unless u are in a position to monitor the situation. I have seen a guy come in to the dock with an engine overheating, when he got out of the water we smelled gas, only to realize that he had a plastic auto type fuel filter, bracketed to his engine block with a s/steel bracket, which got hot enough to melt the filter. and he had an electrical fuel transfer pump. he came very close to destroying his boat and probably his family too. DONT take that chance.

no fuss

 

[natemoore]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

My neighbor's son actually had the boat out when the alarm went off. I think he said he shut it down, let it cool off, then restarted to get to the dock and it overheated again. He even said he clipped the wires to the alarm because he was tired of hearing the noise.

It sounds like he may have screwed up by doing this. He said that a plastic fitting that goes into the block melted off, too. That's pretty hot.

 

[natemoore]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

do you know for sure the head gasket is blown. how much water is in the oil. do you have the head off the engine

I'm just going by what my neighbor says. He hasn't removed the head yet. The oil is that milky-tan color.

 

[QC]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

when my neighbor got it home, he discovered the water hose hanging free.

What hose? This is the closest thing I see to a cause of failure, but I honestly don't know what hose we're talking about. The one attached to your house's plumbing? The stuff before that is either this or this or this, but I don't know how we know that either. Shade tree or not, how can we be blaming anybody for this with the information we have so far? Think about it, does anybody here know what caused the overheat? I see somebody says lack of water. Where'd we get that info?

Let's zero in on "root" cause of failure. It may very well be lack of water, but I don't see that as conclusive with the info I have. And lack of water could be a plastic bag picked up on the lake. Heeding the alarm can save an engine, turning one off can ruin an engine . . . seems like the consequential damage has nothing to do with this mechanic either.

 

[Don S]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

I'm not saying who caused the problem of the overheat. But it may very well have been a plastic bag picked up in the water and covering the water intakes. Wouldn't be the first time that happened.
The big problem as I see it is the one driving the boat cutting the alarm wires and keep going. 210? is where the temp alarm sounds. Well below damage to anything on the engine.
Did the mechanic change that hose that came loose? Having put on a few, I know they really don't need a clamp, they are almost impossible to put on or take off. Building up pressure can't happen, as that in itself would cause an overheat due to lack of flow. At most the system only gets 5 psi.

Accidents happen to every mechanic. But the engine damage to this boat has nothing to do with the mechanic. The alarm sounded which should have stopped the driver right then before any damage was done. But, it didn't. He kept going and messed things up.

 

[natemoore]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

What hose? This is the closest thing I see to a cause of failure, but I honestly don't know what hose we're talking about. The one attached to your house's plumbing?.

The hose right below the exhaust belows. It was connected on the transom side but hanging free on the outdrive side.

 

[natemoore]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

Gee Don, are you saying the alarm means DON'T RUN THE ENGINE until you know what is wrong and have it corrected? Imagine that...

Sorry but it remided me of a customer that had sort of the same situation (his was low oil) and told me the alarm was shrieking for 15 minutes before the engine locked up. Go figure...

So, the knucklehead son is a major player in this scenario. Do I tell my neighbor this? I'm in a pickle here. Do I tell my neighbor that he has a booger hanging out of his nose (as a true friend would), or do I let him continue to mingle at the party with the said booger?

 

[DJ]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

Don S mentioned the alarm initially goes off at 210 degrees. If you keep running it, the temp. will just climb from there.

Clipping the wires was a true bonehead move. If the neighbor does not see that as a real issue, he has bigger issues with the youngster than your involvement will fix.

 

[QC]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

If you don't bring it up the mechanic will . . .

Sorry to harp on the which hose thing. Two issues lead me to pinpoint in on that: 1) Needed clarity and 2) we get threads here about guys driving off with their muffs still attached to the house

 

[Don S]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

So, the knucklehead son is a major player in this scenario. Do I tell my neighbor this? I'm in a pickle here. Do I tell my neighbor that he has a booger hanging out of his nose (as a true friend would), or do I let him continue to mingle at the party with the said booger?

What you need to do is man-up and do the right thing, otherwise, your neighbor is going to think the mechanic blew up his engine. When actually he did nothing. We still don't know it the bellhousing was off or the hose was replaced or anything else. But the fact that the alarm wires were cut and the boat was still used is why the engine blew up. Blame that on the one that kept running the boat. Not the mechanic.
Print out this thread and let your neighbor read it. That should help him understand what happened.
It's very possible that hose was replaced years ago with an aftermarket clamp that had a steel screw and it finally rusted away and the hose came off. A case of very bad timing for the unemployed mechanic that may end up being blamed for something that he had nothing to do with.

 

[boat127]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

cutting the wires to the alarm was a big mistake. some people jsut dont have a clue.

 

[natemoore]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

It's very possible that hose was replaced years ago with an aftermarket clamp that had a steel screw and it finally rusted away and the hose came off. A case of very bad timing for the unemployed mechanic that may end up being blamed for something that he had nothing to do with.

The mechanic did in fact installed a transom service kit. This I know for sure (u-joint bellows, exhaust bellows, water tube, etc). So, if he made a mistake, that's human. Hell, I forgot to put gear lube in my lower unit before I started my engine for the first time last December. Luckily I had that bent pushrod due to the machine shop's screw up, so I didn't ruin my oil seals.

The mechanic made the alarm go off. The son ruined the engine. Agreed?

 

[natemoore]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

What you need to do is man-up and do the right thing, otherwise, your neighbor is going to think the mechanic blew up his engine.

One of the quickest ways to ruin a friendship is to criticize someone's kid. I had to downgrade a friendship to an acquaintanceship because I blew up at my son (and by proxy my son's best friend) for repeatedly tracking mud and sand into the house after admonishing them several times to remove their shoes before coming inside. Unfortunately, the mom was also in the room and she saw the vicarious butt-chewing. Things have never been the same. I can't remember the last time we drank bourbon, smoked cigars, and played Rush in the Man-Cave. Oh well, he sucked as a bass player.

I've never the the soul of tact.

 

[boat127]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

if the mechanic installed the transom service kit and that hose came off then thats is fault. but since he made a mistake and the son of your neighbour cut the wires to the alarm then maybe those two should work something out.

if i was in the mechanic i know i would own up the mistake of the hose coming off, but having the son cut the wires to the alarm and ruining the engine i would have to say that his fault and that he should have brought it back when the alarm went off so it could be fixed and make sure everything is good.

its a tough one i hope you guys get it sorted out

 

[SSSuper83]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

Honestly, you are weighing a mechanical/functional mistake against an occasional friendship at best. I know this guys your neighbor, but MAN UP and let him know the deal. If his kid was worth his salt he would have admitted to his dad he clipped the alarm and he gets crucified for it. AS WE ALL DID WHEN WHE DID SOMETHING WRONG. When I put my car into a pole when I was 17, yes, my dad almost killed me. But thems the breaks, kid. You take the punishment and move on. Maybe thats why these days kids dont really learn anything..BECAUSE THEY DONT SUFFER ANY CONSEQUENCES FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

 

[Don S]

Re: Shade-tree mechanic horror story 5.7L

if the mechanic installed the transom service kit and that hose came off then thats is fault. but since he made a mistake and the son of your neighbour cut the wires to the alarm then maybe those two should work something out

I agree, the mechanic should say sorry about that and put the hose on for free. But he should do nothing to repair the engine damage that was not his fault. He had nothing to do with that. If the kid had shut it off and got towed in as he should have, (and any reasonable person would have done) there would be nothing wrong with the engine and the whole thing would be nothing more than an inconvienience. Not an engine disaster.