My buddy called me from the lake the other day to say the fish were chewin real good and BTW he was havin problems with his motor. He said the boat started and ran normally. Second run, just toolin along, the alarm went off...at first he thought it was a low oil alarm. He checked the oil & it was fine. He fished awhile and when he tried to start it would only turn over. After a long ordeal getting in and trailered he brought it to a shop. A few days later they called him quoting a new powerhead at $6500 or a new motor His current motor is a '98 merc efi 200hp. They said #1 cylinder has zero compression and #3 is only 40...they think it may have been a water pump failure...He is not real happy with this shop, since they have done all his maintenance and he is religious about service...
I told him to call Frank at Inland or Mike up at C & C...$6500 seems a bit pricey to me, but I have never needed a new powerhead. He just put new tires on his trailer, carpet and electronics on his boat over the winter and then this
Check you water pump!
If you always do what you did, you will always get what you got!
Unfortunately, that is the right ball park for parts and labor at a shop.
I know that there is a guy in Galt that works out of his house. I have not used him, but I have heard good things. His name is Lyle Gossett 209-745-1833. Maybe someone else has some actual experience with him. He might be able to give you a competitive quote.
Riplip, I just had a rebuilt powerhead put on my '98 Merc EFI last April and it is running great. Did the quote your friend got include labor, or was it just for the powerhead? If the water pump went first, there will be parts and labor for that as well.
I had M & M Marine of Lincoln, CA do mine. Ask for Todd. He's really busy this time of year, but he does great work (645-9068). I got mine done for about the same price, but that included labor as well. It may be lower for your friend if he didn't throw a rod. If he did, there is an extra charge for the core which is around $1,400.
I suspect a blown head gasket, since 1 and 3 are on the same side. I'd take a real close look at the parts myself before making that call!
Oh yeah, if they do rebuild, make sure you find out what caused the problem, or it will happen again! They need to do more than "think it's the water pump"!!
It makes me wonder if it is possible to have a water pump failure and not know it? Is it true that your water pump is ok as long as the water is coming out of that little hole in the back of your engine?
He should get a 2nd opinion from a trusted mechanic with a good reputation... .they may be telling the truth but for that kind of money I would not risk it.
I would call Lyle Gossett and discuss with him the scenario etc.... I towed my rig to him from Clearlake.... had him replace impeller, do diagnostics check, tuneup, etc.... He is very fair in price and very thorough.... I watched everything he did right there and he took extreme care with all my parts, etc...I wouldnt hesitate to take my motor to him for a rebuild. He did repairs to a frends etec last year and no problems and saved him loads of cash compared to the shop that told him he needed more than he actually did...
This is just a recap of my experience, take it for what it's worth to you...
Installing the new powerhead is a pretty easy job. The big problem is analyzing the cause of the original failure. There are external bolt-on parts that do not come with the new powerhead and one or more of those components may have caused the original powerhead failure. Imagine bolting on the brand new unit and blowing it on the first outing!!!!
A good shop will do a lot more than just "bolt on" the new powerhead. They will change out the water pump, check and test all external mechanical components as they swap them to the new motor and when everything is done, they will test run the motor to adjust in all the electronics and settings (things like throttle linkeage and idle settings). Then, after everything is properly installed, adjusted and checked, they will give the motor back to the boater.
I don't know how many hours that all takes, but at the going rate for mechanic fees (around $75/hour) it would only take 27 hours to incur a labor bill over $2000 and that doesn't include the cost for any new plugs, wires, connectors, fittings, reeds, lower unit service or anything else that might be needed to properly fix that motor.
BTW - I knew a guy once who blew his powerhead. He refused to pay the "ridiculous" labor charges asked by the local shop to install the new powerhead. He and a buddy swapped the motor in his garage in a few hours one weekend. The next week he took the boat out and started the break-in process. Before he reached the first hour, the motor overheated and began losing power. Turns out, he bolted the old bad oil injection pump onto the new motor! The warranty on the new motor was voided because he didn't use a certified mechanic and he lost all his money. And, he still didn't know what caused the problem until after a certified mechanic found the faulty oil pump during the installation of the SECOND "new" powerhead. His attempt to save a few $$$ cost him DOUBLE for a new powerhead!
Do it right the first time. If you want to shop prices, get estimates from several "certified" mechanics and go with the best price. But, don't be surprised if they all charge $2000 or more! It's a big job if it's done right.
.....NaCl
Last edited by NaCl on Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
Good input Dean...certainly not suggesting a DIY kinda thing, just wondering what justifies that kind of labor costs...I have given all the reccomendations to him and he is makin phone calls!
If you always do what you did, you will always get what you got!
I had the same year and same motor go as well.....I bought the new powerhead from Merc. It should come with at least a 1 year warranty (but, yes, a certified mechanic has to do it)....also, it is about $110 an hour now for labor......I saved money by buying the power head myself and having it shipped to me in Vegas, and my mechanic was in Havasu.....saved on taxes.....I don't think you guys in Cali have that option.....my buddy just put on a new 175 Optimax and it cost him $13k+....all in all it is the nature of the beast, and just flat out sucks.....good luck.....
I'd call Eric Simon at Simon Motorsports. (760) 440-9334 or go online at simonmotorsports.com. Eric rebuilt my 225EFI into a 335HP balanced and blueprinted beast for $7500. I'm not sure what his cost would be on a 200, but at the time 1.5 years ago, I was quoted $4100 to just resleeve #1 cylinder and do complete rebuild on the powerhead. Galaxy Marine quoted me $6500 at the same time. You will not find a better built motor than Eric's. Call him and he will tell you everything you need to know. He also provides a one year warranty with his rebuilds. Justin (896J) has his motor down there right now being rebuilt. Ask him and he'll tell you how mine runs. Tell Eric that Mark in Yuba City sent you.
All this motor talk has got me scared...I'm overdue to have my boat serviced....I was reading the posts about oil pump failure...I was reading the owners manual for my 1994 200xri mercury and it said there is a motion sensor on the shaft of the oil pump and when it stops moving the pulsating tone would go off..Does every motor have that sensor?
Advertising