Expensive (for me) mistake
08-10-2013 | 01:37 PM
#31
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Posts: 6,306
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From: Between A Womans Leggs in IL
I purchased my boat, 1989 Welcraft Eclipse 216 with a little 5.0 Merc with a Alpha drive, 3 seasons ago from a friend of mine. It has been a great boat which has provided my family and friends many weekends of fun on the water the first few years with minimal cost. This year however was a little different. When I started it up on the hose in the driveway in the spring it sounded horrible... the result, a hole in the bellows had caused significant damage over the winter months. So, after having the gimbal bearing, shift cable, U-joints, bellows, water pump in the outdrive replaced it was back in my possession for $1600.
Last Sunday I loaded up the family and friends for a day on the water tubing (My fourth time this season). Once the boat was launched I dragged the first pair of kids three miles down the lake without issue. Shut the boat down and swam for 30 minutes or so before loading the next pair of kids up on the tube. When they were ready I fired the boat up and hit the stick. The boat seemed sluggish and was lacking power so I backed off after about 30 seconds and looked down at my guages and noticed I had ZERO oil pressure. I opened the sunpad and some smoke was coming out of the compartment. The risers were hot as hell so I figured the water pump that I had just replaced had failed (at this point "warranty" was running through my head) as I climbed in and out of the engine compartment I dropped a socket into the bilge in front of the engine. I reached into the water that had collected in there (my bilge is filthy so the water appeared blackish) and when I did I found 2-3" of oil!!
We got towed 3 miles back to the launch by an incredibly kind couple who watched the Marine Patrol drive right by us wtihin 40 yards and didnt even slow down despite us waving our arms, open hatch, and sounding the airhorn!
So Tuesday I dropped the boat off at Ocean Performance in Old Saybrook wtih Bill and waited for the verdict. Bill called me that afternoon to tell me that the the oil filter had rotted through in a small spot but they replaced the filter and oil and the boat was running in the yard and sounded ok!! I asked that he take it our for a little ride to be sure. He cautioned me that it may blow up if they do and I told him that its gonna blow regardless of whos running it so he might as well take it out.
Bill called me yesterday to tell me that as soon as he tried to come up on plane the engine began to loose oil pressure again and that motor was offically toast!
There are two kickers to this story... One, is that I had the oil and the filter in the garage and was going to change it on Saturday in the driveway but it was raining so I figured I'd wait until Tuesday as I had taken it off from work. The other kicker if you will is that I hadn't changed the oil the first two seasons that I had the boat because I didnt realize that an oil filter could rot through and my thought process was a car can go 3-5k miles without an oil change and there is no way the boat did that kind of mileage so whats the rush? I now know what the rush is....
I am offically out for the season...
Last Sunday I loaded up the family and friends for a day on the water tubing (My fourth time this season). Once the boat was launched I dragged the first pair of kids three miles down the lake without issue. Shut the boat down and swam for 30 minutes or so before loading the next pair of kids up on the tube. When they were ready I fired the boat up and hit the stick. The boat seemed sluggish and was lacking power so I backed off after about 30 seconds and looked down at my guages and noticed I had ZERO oil pressure. I opened the sunpad and some smoke was coming out of the compartment. The risers were hot as hell so I figured the water pump that I had just replaced had failed (at this point "warranty" was running through my head) as I climbed in and out of the engine compartment I dropped a socket into the bilge in front of the engine. I reached into the water that had collected in there (my bilge is filthy so the water appeared blackish) and when I did I found 2-3" of oil!!
We got towed 3 miles back to the launch by an incredibly kind couple who watched the Marine Patrol drive right by us wtihin 40 yards and didnt even slow down despite us waving our arms, open hatch, and sounding the airhorn!
So Tuesday I dropped the boat off at Ocean Performance in Old Saybrook wtih Bill and waited for the verdict. Bill called me that afternoon to tell me that the the oil filter had rotted through in a small spot but they replaced the filter and oil and the boat was running in the yard and sounded ok!! I asked that he take it our for a little ride to be sure. He cautioned me that it may blow up if they do and I told him that its gonna blow regardless of whos running it so he might as well take it out.
Bill called me yesterday to tell me that as soon as he tried to come up on plane the engine began to loose oil pressure again and that motor was offically toast!
There are two kickers to this story... One, is that I had the oil and the filter in the garage and was going to change it on Saturday in the driveway but it was raining so I figured I'd wait until Tuesday as I had taken it off from work. The other kicker if you will is that I hadn't changed the oil the first two seasons that I had the boat because I didnt realize that an oil filter could rot through and my thought process was a car can go 3-5k miles without an oil change and there is no way the boat did that kind of mileage so whats the rush? I now know what the rush is....
I am offically out for the season...
08-10-2013 | 02:49 PM
#33
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 136
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From: Joplin<MO
If the budget is tight,really tight....I would get out of boating..... BOAT Break Out Another Thousand....
08-10-2013 | 04:47 PM
#34
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 571
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From: Greenbrier , Arkansas
A 305 or 350 either one should bolt up the same . If u want to up to a 350 as long as there from the same gen all the accesories and intake from your old motor should bolt right to the new 1 . I think the 3900 someone said is without a core charge .
08-12-2013 | 12:31 AM
#36
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,461
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From: Ontario, OH
If money is really tight, look on craigslist for a used 305 to finish out the season and rebuild over winter. I just bought a 305 for my truck fully dressed for $150, nobody wants the 305's so they practically give them away.
You should be able to have your existing engine machined and rebuilt over the winter for 1000 bucks or so, provided you (or your buddy) does the assembly.
You should be able to have your existing engine machined and rebuilt over the winter for 1000 bucks or so, provided you (or your buddy) does the assembly.
08-21-2015 | 07:13 AM
#37
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 233
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From: Connecticut
She's home!
Well after taking a year off after my stupid mistake in August of 2013 I finally got the boat back and running. Last year a buddy and I built and installed a new-to-me 355 with a mild cam, new trim-pump, bilge pump, and starter. I also took the time to check the transom and found it to be nice and dry. I then ripped the carpet that was in the bilge out (Why mfrs ever thought this was a good idea is beyond me) and the floor in the bilge (which was also good) was then coated with a few layers of fiberglass and painted with bilge paint to really clean things up.
This year I left the boat with a small local marine service called Hornet Custom Marine in Bristol CT. Jason and Dave are top notch. Both used to work for Hornet Boats and are Mercruiser Certified mechanics. I HIGHLY suggest these guys if anyone in central CT is looking for service on there boat. She fires up in less than one rotation of the engine (Something she never did before) and looks great IMO. I hope to splash her for the first time in almost two years this weekend that is if the forecast changes. Wouldn't you know it, we have had gorgeous weekends for as long as I can remember this summer and now that I have the boat back it is supposed to rain.. I'll get more pics of her if anyone is interested when the rain stops.
http://www.offshoreonly.com/gallery/...e-t-3&cat=3117
This year I left the boat with a small local marine service called Hornet Custom Marine in Bristol CT. Jason and Dave are top notch. Both used to work for Hornet Boats and are Mercruiser Certified mechanics. I HIGHLY suggest these guys if anyone in central CT is looking for service on there boat. She fires up in less than one rotation of the engine (Something she never did before) and looks great IMO. I hope to splash her for the first time in almost two years this weekend that is if the forecast changes. Wouldn't you know it, we have had gorgeous weekends for as long as I can remember this summer and now that I have the boat back it is supposed to rain.. I'll get more pics of her if anyone is interested when the rain stops.
http://www.offshoreonly.com/gallery/...e-t-3&cat=3117
Last edited by mysweetone; 08-21-2015 at 07:19 AM.
08-21-2015 | 07:48 AM
#38
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 358
Likes: 2
From: Minneapolis, Mn
I'm surpised no one has says it but 1600 for a bellow job seems very high, unless I'm missing something
Like others have said scrap the 305 and upgrade to the 350 the difference is worth it. Pulling an engine is really pretty easy and if you have a friend that is a Chevy Mechinca it should be a walk in the park for him. Good winter project.
Like others have said scrap the 305 and upgrade to the 350 the difference is worth it. Pulling an engine is really pretty easy and if you have a friend that is a Chevy Mechinca it should be a walk in the park for him. Good winter project.
08-21-2015 | 08:58 AM
#40
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 358
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From: Minneapolis, Mn
Thats an 8-900 dollar job around here. My point is it might not hurt to get a second quote from a different dealership. If they are charging 1600 for your drive repairs then they will be high on the motor replacment as well.
I'm all for doing my own work(thats all I can afford) but I'm a lucky one and know what I'm doing. If you dont sometimes getting 2 or 3 quotes you can narrow it down pretty quickly who is doing the price hikes.
Just my 2 cents
I'm all for doing my own work(thats all I can afford) but I'm a lucky one and know what I'm doing. If you dont sometimes getting 2 or 3 quotes you can narrow it down pretty quickly who is doing the price hikes.
Just my 2 cents
