ATECO Engines My Experience
07-12-2014, 08:25 AM
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ATECO Engines My Experience
I purposely waited about 18 months before posting this. I wanted to run the engine through most the 24 month warranty that ATECO offers. I must say, it was a tough decision deciding what engine builder to use when you drop 25k. My decision to use ATECO was based on two things. The first being that I had heard some good things about them and the warranty they offer. Second, the fact that they were somewhat close to me (4-Hours).
I spoke with the owner Bill several times about my options and expectations regarding repowering my boat. In the end, I decided on a N/A 540 that would push 700 to 750 HP. Like everyone else…I told Bill that I wanted the most power I could get but still stay reliable as I usually have my family on board. A perfect example was this past weekend where I basically idled across the lake for 45 minutes to see the fireworks.
To make a long story short, ATECO delivered their product as promised. I would like to point out a few things that made my experience working with them POSITIVE.
-In the beginning, Bill worked with both my local marine(Protech) and I regarding the install and was more than helpful.
-After receiving the engine and installing it a small problem was discovered. Bill jumped in his truck and drove 4 hours and addressed it. Bill even provided me with his personal cell number and to this day always answers and is willing to answer questions that I have.
-I have not had to make a single adjustment to the engine and I have complete confidence in it. This was a concern for me before building. I didn’t want something that I had to mess with every weekend as Im not a mechanic and I value the time I get to spend at the lake.
-The motor exceeded my expectations and Bill but my boat in the 80s as promised.
Just to be clear, Im not a personal friend of anyone at ATECO. I am a customer that purchased a product and was pleased with the product and services that I received. I felt it was important to share my experience with the members here at Offshore Only.
I spoke with the owner Bill several times about my options and expectations regarding repowering my boat. In the end, I decided on a N/A 540 that would push 700 to 750 HP. Like everyone else…I told Bill that I wanted the most power I could get but still stay reliable as I usually have my family on board. A perfect example was this past weekend where I basically idled across the lake for 45 minutes to see the fireworks.
To make a long story short, ATECO delivered their product as promised. I would like to point out a few things that made my experience working with them POSITIVE.
-In the beginning, Bill worked with both my local marine(Protech) and I regarding the install and was more than helpful.
-After receiving the engine and installing it a small problem was discovered. Bill jumped in his truck and drove 4 hours and addressed it. Bill even provided me with his personal cell number and to this day always answers and is willing to answer questions that I have.
-I have not had to make a single adjustment to the engine and I have complete confidence in it. This was a concern for me before building. I didn’t want something that I had to mess with every weekend as Im not a mechanic and I value the time I get to spend at the lake.
-The motor exceeded my expectations and Bill but my boat in the 80s as promised.
Just to be clear, Im not a personal friend of anyone at ATECO. I am a customer that purchased a product and was pleased with the product and services that I received. I felt it was important to share my experience with the members here at Offshore Only.
07-12-2014, 09:10 AM
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Glad to hear positive results for a change on oso.
about 10 years ago, I had Bill freshen a set of heads for me. I was in a big rush to get the boat running for the weekend plans I had coming up. I forget the entire details about what I was doing with the engine at that time, but to sum it up, upon fire up and initial ride to get on plane, the timing chain jumped. My pistons got to know the valves real good. I called Bill that monday morning, and told him how "I F'd up" and should have put a new timing chain on it. I brought the heads up there and Bill took care of the bent valves in no time, and only charged me for the new valves, which he also passed his discount on to me on those. He got them done right away, and I got back on the water.
At that time, he knew I had the $hitty old merc 3" log manifolds on my vintage 454 400's. We both agreed they were hurting performance. Buying an aftermarket exhaust wasnt in the cards for me back then. He had just removed his performance exhaust off his personal scarab in favor of some CMI headers. He ended up GIVING me, his complete old exhaust system. They were the big old Merc high perf manifolds with the 4.5"" elbows and what not, and all the 4.5'' tailpipes and everything. I was tickled to get that exhaust at that time.
Prior to that he rebuilt a 540 engine for me, that some other builder really f'd up building. He took a little longer to get that done for me, which I did ***** about at that time. But in hindsight, knowing what I know now about engine building, etc, it wasnt bad at all. He had the engine in his hands last week of may, and it was back in my boat 1st week of august. Not lightning fast, but nothing like some of the horror stories you read about here, where it takes 6 months, a year, or even longer with some of these builders. The engine ran fantastic when he was done with it and didnt have any issues whatsoever.
Either way, good stuff.
about 10 years ago, I had Bill freshen a set of heads for me. I was in a big rush to get the boat running for the weekend plans I had coming up. I forget the entire details about what I was doing with the engine at that time, but to sum it up, upon fire up and initial ride to get on plane, the timing chain jumped. My pistons got to know the valves real good. I called Bill that monday morning, and told him how "I F'd up" and should have put a new timing chain on it. I brought the heads up there and Bill took care of the bent valves in no time, and only charged me for the new valves, which he also passed his discount on to me on those. He got them done right away, and I got back on the water.
At that time, he knew I had the $hitty old merc 3" log manifolds on my vintage 454 400's. We both agreed they were hurting performance. Buying an aftermarket exhaust wasnt in the cards for me back then. He had just removed his performance exhaust off his personal scarab in favor of some CMI headers. He ended up GIVING me, his complete old exhaust system. They were the big old Merc high perf manifolds with the 4.5"" elbows and what not, and all the 4.5'' tailpipes and everything. I was tickled to get that exhaust at that time.
Prior to that he rebuilt a 540 engine for me, that some other builder really f'd up building. He took a little longer to get that done for me, which I did ***** about at that time. But in hindsight, knowing what I know now about engine building, etc, it wasnt bad at all. He had the engine in his hands last week of may, and it was back in my boat 1st week of august. Not lightning fast, but nothing like some of the horror stories you read about here, where it takes 6 months, a year, or even longer with some of these builders. The engine ran fantastic when he was done with it and didnt have any issues whatsoever.
Either way, good stuff.
07-12-2014, 09:48 AM
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I had Ateco (Bill) dyno my engines and even though I assembled the engines myself Bill treated me as he had built the engines and was very helpful. I would recommend him to anyone in the market looking to repower.
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