Need RELIABLE shop. - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Christian · 07-26-2003, 07:40 AM

The boat has been sitting two weeks waiting for a mechanic to check it out. Finally gave up on the guy at the marina and found someone else to look at it. Water in #1 cylinder. Probably leaking head gasket. Now the second guy says he can't work on it!!

Does anyone know of a shop in the Boston/Quincy area that can turn this around fast. I NEED to get this boat running.

PS. Any guess on how much it's going to cost me?

Thanks from Christian and Repirts. WE GOT TO GET FISHING!!!!!!

gilligan · 07-26-2003, 01:01 PM

Danubio auto repair. he does cars and boats. dont know the # off hand but he is out of weymouth

Van · 07-26-2003, 04:49 PM

This is the worst possible time to need engine repairs, Few years ago I waited 4-5 weeks, when I had the old Johnson.

Good Luck, but I think you will run into the same problem everywhere. Everyone wants their boat fixed quickly, cause our damn season is soooooo short...

Sorry,,,,,, but I do feel your pain!!!!!

Christian · 07-26-2003, 06:10 PM

If it looks like 4 or 5 weeks, I've missed the entire season. I'll do one of two things.

1) Do it myself. It's not running now and If I can't get it going myself what have i got to lose.

2) Say to h#ll with it. Pull it out and hang a for sale sign on it and get $omething back. Go back to surfcasting.

Christian · 07-26-2003, 06:15 PM

Van,

You don't look all that old. I' 50+ and my old johnson works just fine, thank you! It's my Mercury that's the problem.

Repirts (Steve)

Van · 07-26-2003, 06:48 PM

My old johnson !!!!!!! Didn't get what you meant til I re-read my post.

Too funny.....

Try "Steve's tool works" for equipment repair.

Anyway hope it works out for you somehow.
You may just have to make it a winter project and start
fresh next season.

BigBo · 07-26-2003, 08:23 PM

Like Van says, I think you'd be jumping the gun to hang a For Sale sign on it. And even with 4-5 weeks, you're just getting into the good part of the season. And......a fresh start for next season would also be a good option. Look, you've got a real decent hull there. Excellent fishing boat and as you mentioned on the other site, $1600 or so for a new powerhead on top of what you paid for the boat; really not out of line for investment. The new powerhead would keep you going for quite some time. My vote would be; be patient and fix it right and I think you'd be a very happy boater.

likwid · 07-26-2003, 08:29 PM

more than likely headgasket
thats not really that hard to fix...

but couldn't tell ya from here if its just that or not...

NEXT2NUN · 07-26-2003, 09:03 PM

Hey guys head gaskets are simple to replace. Taking the head bolts off without breaking any is the hardest part. Scrape the surfaces clean with a razor blade. Torque the heads back down. This should be done every 2-3 years when the water pump gets replaced.

Christian · 08-05-2003, 09:18 PM

Well replaced the head gasket myself, not a big job at all. Checked compression all between 120 and 125. Looked good. BUT, It was very hard starting and when it started you could hear a distinct sharp knock of metal on metal. Not good at all. Something is rattling around in the engine. Probably broke when non compressable water entered cylinder.

So, since I am out of $$ for this year repowering even rebuilt is out of the question. So, I've decided to pull the power head, open iy up and see where I go from there.

Tonight, I removed all the cables etc. Took digital pics and notes so that I can get it back together. Hope to have it in my basement within the next week. Wish me luck.

Hope this doesn't turn into a "learning experience".

Repirts

PS. Christian's going to have to get his hands greasy too.

gilligan · 08-05-2003, 09:41 PM

call DANUBIO in WEYMOUTH. this guy is gung ho and he wont bullsh##t ya. this guy is good and has a quick turnover. if you want your boat in the water this year call him.TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.

fishsmith · 08-06-2003, 08:37 AM

Good luck with your project, if you guys can get that motor back up and running on your own, you'll get alot more out of this summer than a year of fishing Boston Harbor will ever give you. It won't be as much fun as catching a keeper, but when your on a boat when the motor dies, the summer of '03 will pay off ten fold.
Good luck and keep the updates coming.

NEXT2NUN · 08-06-2003, 07:03 PM

Hey Repirts, Told ya it wasn't that hard. If the engine wasn't making noise before you did the head gasket, it shouldn't do it after. Sounds like this is to late, but the knock might have been crossed wires. If there was cylinder damage you would have seen it when you had the heads off . Water damage to the needle bearings takes quit a while to show up. Starts as tiny pits that cut the needles. Takes at least 10 or 20 hrs before you would hear anything. Check all the wires on the coils to make sure none got unpluged or broken.

If you want to take it apart . Get a service manual, your going to need all the specs anyway. Plus you will have reference as to where everything goes. Check for a price on a bare powerhead sometimes your better off just doing that. You can get a rebuilt exchange just check ouy who its coming from. I've had good luck with most.

Most important make sure you put waterproof grease or neversieze on every bolt you put back on. Drilling out salt stuck bolts down the road is a pain in the butt. Good luck Email if you need anything.

Christian · 08-06-2003, 08:59 PM

Next2nun,

This wasn't the typical knock that I would expect from a crossed or loose plug wire. Also I checked that I had them connected correctly. The sound was much more metalic than a knock and was very irregular. Since it was stalling and backfiring, I'm wondering if a reed broke and was sucked in. I only had the one head off so I don't know what the other side looks like but the compression is good all around.

I'll probably have it off this weekend and opened up mid next week. I'll let you know what i find. If it looks serious I'll look into getting a bare head. I know a complete rebuilt head runs aroung $3000. What should I expect for a bare one?

I may be jumping the gun but how do i check compression when the power head is sitting on my bench? Turn it over by hand?

Thanks

NEXT2NUN · 08-07-2003, 04:58 PM

The irregular knock, is why I'm thinking it is not mechanical. Reeds hardly ever break unless they have been weakened by salt corrosion. Sounds like an ignition problem. I know you put new plugs in.Could one have been dropped. Did you disconnect any linkage to the throttle timing control.

You can check compression on the bench just keep the starter on the powerhead and remove all the plugs so it turns over easy, a few bolts to the bench wouldnt hurt either.

I'll check around and get back to you on the powerhead.

I had an engine on the stand last winter ready to tear apart and when I went to remove the flywheel it was loose. I had run the engine it sounded like everything inside was ready to come apart. The flywheel moved a couple of degrees if that.

Christian · 08-07-2003, 05:44 PM

Next2nun,

Thanks for the info. I'll check it out this weekend.