motor

iTrader: (3)

Dollar amounts and labor rates vary by region .I'd rather pay 1,000.00 labor with no drama than 300.00 and it be a cluster puck ...Not wanting to argue ..Just my observation

Gh700xx

I agree the whole shade tree to shop price should never be compared. My father worked on them for over 40 years I grew up helping him and still do some work to this day. I can tell you now that 7-9 hours is not out of line esp if you have one guy doing it. even with two sometimes it can turn into a job if something unexpected turns up such as bolts steering something galling etc. Life happens and to those that THINK they can do it better than anyone else and faster then by all means hop to it and lets see it on your own from tool break out to tool wipe down. the CORRECT way and with a clean enough to return to the customer boat when done. If everything goes well and its cheaper great if not then sometimes even 8-9 hours is not enough. All depends on boat, boat condition, tools, hatches, etc ...

BUP

iTrader: (9)

It really does not matter how fast you can do it as the fact of the matter is - it all goes off of book labor times in the marine industry - just the same as for the auto repair industry. No difference. They both have there book times for repairs.

Labor book time to R & R an outdrive is 1 to 1.5

Regardless if you do it in 2 mins or 2 weeks. labor book time is 6 hrs for R & R outdrive and motor without any repairs nor interior removal. This is the norm for average size boats, single engine apps that are OEM stock & rigged.

9 hours to R & R an engine from a twin app and repair the parts that is needed is really being super fair. Especially if interior removal is needed.

Anyone that thinks they can do all of this in 3 hours you better sign up for a job with the top marine shop in the nation.

Most shops will pull the motor completely out and put in on a engine stand to look further for potential problems as it is in both parties interest ie: starter, corrosion issues, impeller, water circ pump leaking and so on - its a whole lot easier while the engine is out to find other problems. Also while the drive is off - check - U-joints, splines, gimbal bearing and so on.

Most shops will not work on a motor while it is hanging in the engine compartment especially on twin apps - one is liability for the employees and liability for the boat / motor itself also safety & insurance issues come into play for many businesses.

Somewhat as to how a shop will handle their repairs. Plus keep this in mind everything going smoothly in which never happens while working on boats

They have to completely set up and tool set up, pull the drive, possible amount of interior to be removed, unhook all components, nuts, bolts and everything on the motor side. pull motor completely out, set the engine in a stand securely - remove all engine coupler components, install new one and proper torque it to spec, then grease the coupler at zerk , look for other problem areas, install motor back in the boat, tighten engine mount bolts, jump out of the boat check engine alignment, possible readjust engine for proper alignment, grease gimbal bearing, reinstall all connections, components and hardware to the engine - double / triple check all work done in the engine compartment, Fill power steering fluid to full, clean up the fluid that leak, next install new outdrive gasket kit for installing drive back on, grease splines, install drive, possible add gear lube to drive bottle because some came out from the dribble valve while R & R drive, next run the motor on water hose or test tank, shift the drive FWD & REV then if everything is OK reinstall all interior, then clean up your mess on the boat, engine, interior and drive.

you can do all of this in 3 hours properly - You would easily be hired by any marine shop with no questions asked.

Gh700xx

^^^ exactly my point man was just trying to not have to type that much. lol

gmgearhead454

Perfectly said! And anyone who ACTUALLY works in a shop knows this. I bet all these people that think a boat engine R & R should only take 3 hours would be *****ing to a completely different tune if they were working in a flat rate shop and only got paid 3 hours to do all that work! Workin on boats SUCK! PERIOD! Ain't like pulling a motor out of a car where everything is right in front of you... Every time you forget or need another tool you are climbing out of a cramped ass engine compartment, climbing up and down ladders, trying not to **** up a custom interior job, hanging upside down half the time, everything weighs a damn ton, and I can go on and on... oh and let's not forget, if a $1,000 repair bill is gonna drive you nuts, then you probably shouldn't own a $100,000+ toy that you can't fix yourself

AJ POWERPLAY

iTrader: (1)

I think the biggest crooks are Mercury... price gouging our eye balls out. If they didn't inflate thinks 1000% maybe we'd have money for labor...

Tinkerer

Personally I would rather work on boats. most things aren't covered in grease or crammed somewhere that a wrench won't fit. And I do know the cost of running a business. (I own an HVAC business) But I also know what greed is. Just like they said the book price for R & R of a bravo drive is 1 to 1 1/2 hours. That is a joke. I am not a trained Marine mechanic that should know what tools he needs to do a given job. I an the one that has to keep going back to the tool box for the right size wrench. I can drain the drive, remove it, check the gimbal bearing, check the bellows and exposed cables, check alignment, grease the shift linkage and splines, check alignment and reinstall the drive and refill it in less than an hour and a half. And on my SCARAB I pull the engines with the exhaust ( Lightning ) still on.

buck35

But you're back to working on your own stuff, mark it,scratch it , miss some thing , oh well I'll get it fix it later, but if you paid for it you're gonna be pizzed big time. Thats the difference, someone is going to pay for phukin up my weekend!

Gh700xx

I'm sorry to rain on your parade but HVAC and boats and cars are completely different and in NO WAY comparable to each other as far as labor rates ease or difficulty of work etc.... As for the labor time etc that you are complaining about you have to make a PROFIT somewhere. Just cause you can do the job in less than the time slotted does not mean that's all you charge if ya want to do more than make a living and just keep the lights on. If you can do the work with no hang ups or mess ups etc in the allowed time then every minute extra goes to your bottom line and helps pay for something or someone in the shop or biz. You probably have a given rate for given HVAC jobs I imagine. If you don't want to pay it and or can do it yourself then quit your *****ing and do it and leave the rest of them alone. Everyone's gotta make a living and make some money and make a living somehow.

BUP

iTrader: (9)

Man handle a Bravo III for a couple of hours everyday plus do not put a scratch on it or drag the skeg, then see how much you like working boats down the road. Man its so easy and in a dream world you think everything will go so smooth but it never does. When you do this everyday boat after boat you will see the lite. Book time is what you will charge no matter how short of a period it takes you.and, a lot of jobs you will wish the book time rates were higher because a 2 hour book time now has taken you 4 hours for the repair. .

here is a good example especially on twin engine app deep V boat, Port starter is out but its only a guess because you have to test it, so after testing it, yes you verified it is toast, we all know it does not take long to change a starter - what in the perfect world 20 mins tops to replace the starter, who has ever R & R a starter on a twin side by side engine app in 20 mins. You are most likely going to charge 3 hours bare min. for that alone.plus 30 mins of diagnostic time. . .