Engine/Outdrive Swapout
 

i am in the process of sending 2 boats to a merc certified mechanic to swap out a 500 efi/Bravo xr combo in a nordic heat with a Merc 525 whipple/IMCO SC Drive into a cat. the cat already has all the plumbing from a previous whipple motor, so no additional drilling. the mechanic wants the rigging to look good, so i will allow some time for filling in old holes and new plumbing. Same motor mounts, etc...

my question is...how many hour should a certified mechanic charge for a job like this? any insight would be helpful!:flag:

Do it right and allow enough time to rig it and test it

My guess would be 15 hrs min and possibly as high as 30 hrs.
Too many variables with 2 boats involved.

110 bucks an hour

Thanks Griff...that's kind of what i was thinking. so i got my first bill on pulling motors and rigging the 500EFI. 30 hours...and he said the SC could be double! my sucker light must be on my forehead!

Is he doing it one handed???

Pulling 2 engines and 2 drives should be 8 hrs max.
Reinstall 1 engine and 1 drive and clean up rigging. 8 more hours should be plenty.

For years I have wanted boat shops to standardize pricing. The variability and sticker shock when the bill comes is nauseating.

$1,800-$2,500 tops!:readinghelp:

Don't forget to add time for broken bolts, to clean electrical connections, change impellers, plugs, whatever, lube linkages, clean and grease splines, liquid electrical paint/dielectric grease connections, install floor/seat coverings, clean bilge, the extra guy helping remove hatch and align engine, filling stripped wood screws, the drive to the lake, launching, running, and returning to shop, looking up, ordering, checking in parts, running computer checks, set timing, fix all the crap the last hack did, and ?????
With that I'd say:
remove prop, drain drive, pull drive-30 minutes
clean bellhousing area, bellows, input/output splines, bolt corrosion-1 hour
grease everything, reinstall, fill drive-1 hour
cover/protect body/seats-1/2 hour
remove hatch with 2 people-15 minutes X2 = 1/2 hour
ready engine for removal-1.5 hours
remove engine with 2 people-1/2 hour X2 = 1 hour
clean bilge-1 hour
change plugs, cap, rotor, wires, impeller-2 hours
clean/fix misc-1 hour
reinstall engine with helper-45 minutes X2 = 1.5 hours
finish reinstalling engine, adjusting linkages-3 hours
reinstall hatch with 2 people-1/2 hour X2 = 1hour
test run engine at shop-1 hour
drive to lake, launch, park, run, retrieve, drive back-3 hours
looking up, ordering parts-1 hour
17-20 hours in about ideal conditions/same engine going back in-not too much corrosion, no broken bolts, grounds, etc, boat has fuel, owner told you about special switch under dash to start engine, trailer wiring doesn't need a special bayou connector and has air in the tires, ????

Thanks everyone. I truly feel like I can't be mr. Nice guy and just trust a merc platinum dealer. Sucks!

Remove drive, 10mins, install drive 15mins, remove engine 1 to 1 1/2 hours, double it all, etc. done it.

Don't forget
 

The owner and his buddy rigged a few things in less than 12 beers and oh did he tell you about the electrical gremlins?

thanks Buckknekkid! i got my final bill and it was 69 hours times $125/hr = $8,625 plus $2,000 in parts. and it's still not running correctly. i have a stall out issue that needs to be fixed. and he's going to charge more for that.

After reading all your comments, i'm mad as hell and i think im going to take some legal action. ill keep you posted!

Thanks Maiden!

This will help in my legal action!

These threads pop up from time to time.....

On the one hand, time can really get away from you if
You're dealing with rusted bolts, etc......

On the other hand I am not a merc trained mechanic and can singlehandedly have my drives off, crane set up, hatch off, and both motors sitting on my garage floor before lunch, and can drop them back in just as quickly with zero help from anyone....

These threads always make me think - 69 hours is almost two straight work weeks. 8-5, M-F. Seems like a LOT could be accomplished if your only job was working on a boat for two weeks

There were no rusted bolts, or anything difficult about this job...in fact both motors were in the respected boats a couple of years at most, and no salt water...I'm a fair person but this makes me mad!

69 hours would be fine if he was charging 10 bucks an hour.
At 125 an hour he should be top shelve. I'm an amateur and I pulled both mine in about 5 hours not hurrying.

Thanks. I hope that any mechanics that read this will respond with their thoughts and let me know they are mechanics, so I can use this in a court of law. I don't want anyone else to be ripped off by this unscrupulous mechanic!

Thanks to anyone that is willing to help!

Crook..

All of the labor should have laid out prior to him working on the boats. Any additional charges should have needed your written approval.

You signed the service order and gave him a blank check. You have no recourse.

What makes you think I signed a service order? I went on his word that I would be taken care of. He was recommended by Dustin Whipple, so I put my trust in him. Only after getting the final bill and I started asking around, did I realize he has a reputation for doing this to customers. They call him "one and done".

You are right about one thing...the labor should have been laid out prior to starting...I did ask him a couple of times to estimate, but he said he won't know until he pulled it apart...

He is correct.. In California you would have the right to a estimate that would have required a revised estimate prior to the work being completed. It appears you agreed to a time and material agreement as a custom fabricator may have you sign .

It's awkward for some people but next time ask for a estimate prior to starting big ticket items that have possible new found items along the way. Hopefully your shop will check the boat as a courtesy and just have you participate in parts from here on.

Thanks guys. Again I did ask for an estimate and never got one, just the comment that they can't give an estimate until they dig into it. The more I think about it, the more it doesn't make sense! Why can't a platinum certified merc mechanic that's been doing this for 20 years or more give a estimate? And like you said in Ca. I have the right to get a written estimate.

I guess the courts will decide...