Boatyard charges

I am sure I could figure out how to change the engine oil, lower drive oil, and lube all of the ports. I already have the service manual. I have wondered if I would be missing something by not having a professional engine tech look at the motor. Is there more to the annual service than changing the oil?

Thanks,

Rob
 
Rob,
The service manual should cover everything that needs to be done on your engine with diagrams and details for every step. Any special tools you might need will be identified as well. If you follow the 'Maintenance Schedule' in the manual exactly, you're propably doing a better job than most mechanic shops would do. IMO
 
Jeff and Julie":1qpqakio said:
I know that all manufacturers are different, but don't some of them require that the engine be hooked up to a computer for warranty requirements?
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Jeff and Julie-

I don't know if it's a warranty requirement, but it is nice and comforting to get a four page printout of your motor's use, performance, and self-monitoring.

You can't get this with your home computer, to my knowledge,

The newer motors with Electronic Fuel Injection have computers that are every bit as sophisticated as your new car.

Here are some of the things reported to you and your mechanic from the printout (from and earlier post):

A four page printout was generated between the motor's on-board computer and the shop's diagnostic unit. Just like your car, the motor's computer has continuous monitor/control/memory functions and reports in at service time to the shop's diagnostic unit. There are multiple sensors that sense atmospheric and throttle body intake pressure, throttle position, rpm, engine timing, fuel mixture, consumption rate, water intake and circulation temperatures, battery and voltage regulator performance, oil pressure, and more. The computer also logs all the time spent operating in the various rpm ranges, so that you can see how you're using the engine. There are diagnostic codes for any problems, just like your modern automobile/truck. The print out eliminates a lot of "wondering" about your engine's condition and how you're making use of it.


Joe.
 
Lori Ann":rt8vddkh said:
I am also going to ask Master Marine ..
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Master Marine is the shop for checkered flag where I bought my Glastron. They are very nice to me and have always let me watch when they are doing stuff and always have time to answer dumb questions.

But they charged $95/hour for the factory required 20 hour service that MUST be done at an authorized volvo shop. I watched them drain the outdrive and pump in from the bottom new oil, and change the engine oil. They didn't even check the timing, or ANYTHING else. And it took them less time than it takes me to jack up my car and change the oil.

Paid $3.50 for A (1) cotter pin. $3 for propeller grease (I'm mean Come ON), $25 in "shop supplies" that I could only guess was a rag and a pack of smokes since I didn't see anything else get used. Paid $15 for a non Volvo oil filter that Napa has for $8. $40 for gear oil...$40 for motor oil..billed the book rate of 1.13 hours. I protested. They shrugged.

The total bill for 40 minutes of work was $225. I am now trying to find the fitting for pumping gear oil in at the bottom behind the prop because I REFUSE to pay this again. But I'm not complaining as they even said "come here and watch this because you're about to pay way too much money for what I'm doing and you can do it yourself"

My next test will see how they treat the massive gelcoat spider cracks that I found last week. Not very happy about that on a 4 month old ski boat.
/rant
 
I have the twin Honda 40's on my 22'. I had the C-Dory factory perform all the work for the first two years on the engines. Their work was very good and they went beyond what a normal service center would do since they know their boats and checked basically every nut, bolt and screw.

I then used a Honda/ Yamaha shop in Everett one time. Their price was almost double and the quality not as good. Since then I have been performing my own services but I have purchased parts from the shop in Everett. "thataway" stated that they didn't charge for the oil drain plug washer. The reason being is that they didn't need to because to save time most shops simply suck the oil out. This gets most of the old oil out but not the dirtiest, which is at the bottom. So this is another reason to perform your own service. Also, that cheap drain plug washer is important to change every time (at least on the Honda 40) since they get brittle and may leak with age.

McNaughty III
 
McNaughty is probably right about not pulling the drain plug--but you have to in order to change the lower units.

I went to my local Suzuki dealer and he said that as long as I documented what I did and purchased the Suzuki oil, filter etc, that it would be covered under the warantee.

True, the engines have very sophisticated computer read out. At least a fair amount of that information can be read in the NMEA protocol as you go along. I suspect an oil analysis will actually give more wear information than the computer read out--we pretty much know what operating peramiters we have run under.

I know that Jeff and I had a devil of a time finding an Evinrude dealer with a computer program to check the engine when we sold C Pelican.
I wonder if the computer analysis is a part of the "20 hour check"--not mentioned in the book.

Also there are the cheap service manuals, like we have mentioned, which will allow you to do most major items on the engines. Then there are the factory service manuals. When we were crossing oceans, we were able to get the factory service manuals, plus full gasket sets and critical parts, which we might not find in remote areas--that way , any good mechanic can work on the engines--but again we are into the age of computers and their analysis!
 
I think your marina saw you coming. I have done all of the services that you listed on my own Hondas. Messy, but not hard. Probably doesn't cost me more than $50 a season to do it. Lately, I've had a good local mechanic do the same things for not more than $150. Most all of the instructions for performing this kind of maintenance is in the regular manuals that came with the engines, though it's nice to have the factory repair manuals if you want to spend the money for them.
Kent Richmond on Hunky Dory
Bayfield, WI
 
Warren

I would contact Angie's List in Seattle and see if they have marine repair vendors on their list. Membership is inexpensive. Angie is a real lady from Indy who started her list for home repairs and related items then shared it with others. Highly recommended.

Phone: (206) 622-5479
Toll Free Phone: (866) 854-0628
SEATTLE@ANGIESLIST.COM

m2cw
 
Oil filter changes are often done on a cold motor in the shop. To completely change the oil the motor should be warm. But as a DIY guy I can drain the oil at least overnight and complete the job the next day. The shop is not going to do this. Then there is the question, did they change the filter? Because I was not at a Honda dealer I questioned if I got a new filter since they did not have any in stock when I tried to buy one from them. I neglected to mark the old filter. Also, I'm not a fan of sucking out the oil - a short cut. I replace with full synthetic mobil one. Harbor Freight has the tiny oil filter wrench for cheap.
 
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