bulletbob

I told him the compression was ok... He simply said, it would cost more to fix than its worth, and come get it.. As I wrote I don't think he ever really looked at it.. maybe for a minute or two, decided it wasn't worth his time to diagnose it.. I can't say why really.. You are right it doesn't add up When I brought it up to him, I explained everything in detail about what it was doing, told him to call with an estimate , unless it was something simple and was going to cost under $250 or so... Its just water under the bridge now, but he and the other shops have lost a potential customer.. As I said, I am now in my mid 60's and was starting to do less of this sort of thing, pulling motors apart.. I will simply do it myself as I always have, or just buy a decent used motor.. Really bad experiences at the last 3 marine engine shops, all reputable.. Could just be bad luck, but I will never again take the chance.. bob

I don't think he wanted to work on it to be honest... he had a lot of other work, big cruisers, total refits etc, and I simply think he never looked at my motor... After waiting from Mid March to mid June, and calling him several times and him saying" we'll look at it soon", he called and said, "come get it, its not worth fixing".. He wanted a bigger pay day than that little motor was going to provide.. When he saw how disgusted I was , he said something about " well you only wanted to spend $200".. I NEVER once said that.. I said to call with an estimate if its going to be over $200.. I told him more than once, I would even have him replace the powerhead if it needed it.. All he had to do when I called about taking the boat 100 miles to his shop was say he didn't want small jobs, or was too busy etc.. DON'T make me drive 2 1/2 hours each way, wait for 3 damn months, and never even look at the motor.. thats what he did.. I told him how disappointed I was, and that I expected so much better, based on all the glowing recommendations i had gotten.. He didn't have much of an answer really, because that was the truth.. He simply should not have had me come all the way up there... The motor looks "well used" to be honest, lived a tough life, but still runs strong.. he probably is used to much cleaner newer, nicer stuff through his shop.... Maybe thats why he said it wasn't worth fixing, but in that case he should have refused the job in the first place, and not had me wait 3 months and miss the entire spring/early summer...bob

I knew it was fuel related, but as I stated, I am a 4 stroke tech, not 2 stroke so much.. I really have no idea what the proper pressure is on an older 2 stroke fuel pump, nor what to use to check it.. maybe ts a plain old vacuum gauge that i used 40 years ago on carbureted engines on cars, not sure.. I had already cleaned the carb and adjusted the floats etc.. Could have also been a bad float or something.. I wanted it done correctly, and was willing to pay a fair price.. I actually had NO problem with the $320 bill, IF I got good value, and a proper repair.. 2 spark plugs, 2 fuel hose ends, 1 $15 fuel valve and an hours labor isn;t worth $320.. Not only that, I specifically told shop #2 to CALL if the bill was going to be over $200.. They did not... My problem is that the motor was not fixed for the $320, and not the price so much, and the fact that any decent marine mechanic should be ashamed if a customer could repair an engine that they could not... Lesson learned.. Next time, I'll just throw parts at until its fixed.. Cheaper by far that way... Hell, a clean used powerhead with good compression for my outboard can be had all day on ebay for $250, I checked... Same thing happens to people with car repairs each and every day.. Techs need to show some pride in their craft, and make SURE their repairs are done right... bob

Thats a well thought out answer, and I can understand.. However it seems these 90's OMC 2 stroke motors are still everywhere, I see a lot of them still in use out there, and both shops in question had older very experienced people there,, These are well established, well respected businesses.. Thats why i am so disgusted. Remember shop #1 told me the motor was shot, come get it, its not worth fixing... Really?.. Doesn't seem like thats a very good evaluation, when its running strong after a simple $12 fuel pump replacement. done in my driveway.. bob

Yes the Selocs do suck.. Lots of good info these days on youtube as well. i have all the tools needed pretty much. just not the time/energy, but I have decided thats no longer an excuse. bob

No, I masked nothing.. it was just a bad fuel pump... I am a retired auto technician and i was a damn good one, Computers, fuel injection, automotive electronics etc. Not a 2 stroke expert however, strictly 4 stoke kind of guy ., However at 65, and with 2 very active grandkids that i watch sometimes 5-6 days a week, I have been tending to "leave it to the experts" more as i grow older. This last fiasco has taught me to NEVER under any circumstance trust the "experts", even those that are highly recommended.. I'll just do it myself.. It was a very simple repair that should have been found quickly by shop #1.. The fact that TWO shops couldn't fix such a simple problem is shocking to me. Plus changing lower unit oil hat was just changed, and changing plugs that had nothing to do with the high speed cutting out is telling me that someone was simply padding the bill.. On top of that, AFTER I paid $320 for diagnostic time, AND "repairs", I am told "We can water test it for $150".. WHAT?... As stated, I will never again trust any place to fix anything.. I have always done so myself, and should have kept on doing what I always did.. Even buying factory tools you only use once is better than paying that kind of money AND almost 4 months time, for a repair that did not happen.. FOUR damn months, $320 to shop #2, and $75 gas driving 400 miles total back and forth to shop#1,and these 2 reputable shops could not figure out a weak fuel pump on an old Johnson 28?.. I simply took a day when the kids weren't here, got a few tools out, and had it fixed within an hour, for $12.. Never again.. Sorry for the rant, I am just pretty bitter, as I lost all of April/May and June with no boat, when I started getting it taken care of in Mid march... It is what it is.. Like I should have done in the first place, and always have done since i was a kid, I'll do it myself , and if I can't I'll just buy another... bob

My motor is an early 90's 28 HP Johnson.. Took it in mid March to a very highly regarded repair shop that I was directed to right here on these pages.. Its a 2 1/2 hour drive -100 miles each way from me.. Called a few times starting late April regarding status of the repair........ "we'll get to it, we'll get to it"... Fast forward to mid June.. Finally got a call.. Come get your boat, the motor is shot.. Not worth fixing... Furious ,I again drove the 100 miles each way, The motor was never even looked at, I am certain... Brought it to highly qualified OMC dealer, decades of experience, much closer to me... They called 2 week later.. motors done come and get it.. $320... Here is what $320 bought me.. 2 new spark plugs that it did not need, motor was running ok at low speed, and started fine.. NOT a bad plug problem Maintainance valve kit [$14 online], 2 fuel line connector ends -one at 6 gal tank, one at motor.. 1 pint lower unit lube that i just changed last year when I replaced water pump, had less than 5 hours.. anyway,Took boat to lake, same problem,, dying at speed... When I called them, the "reputable dealer", said they could lake test the boat... for an additional $150, and then repair it correctly, ... maybe... disgusted at the ineptitude and what I consider price gouging, me, the know nothing do it yourselfer, had it repaired properly in 5 minutes with a $12 cheapo ebay fuel pump.. Motor now runs 100%. with a $12 part installed by a guy with only modest knowledge of 2 strokes... How these people can hold their heads up and consider themselves good business owners and technicians is beyond me,,, This goes hand in hand with a Merc dealer a few years ago that charged me $325 to install a water pump impeller in a merc 9.8.. NEVER as long as i live will i EVER again say, that I'm "getting too old,too tired too busy" to deal with outboard repairs... each time I have tried has been a disaster, Next time, if i can't find or fix the problem myself, I'll just buy a used outboard ...

If anyone catches a few Crappie or perch locally, they don't share any specifics ever here, - for whatever reason.. However, they limit out on 10-15 pound Browns/Rainbows/Salmon, you'll get lure type/color/depths/speed/temperature/ water clarity/rigger ball design/flea and weed reports, and GPS numbers... Never understood it.. When I want good eating fresh water fish, I go to clear water lakes with a few worms under a bobber and catch big sunnies.. Every bit as good eating as crappie, fight a lot harder , and no one keeps secrets about them.. they are just there and readily available... bob

Is it just me or does the wind on all the finger lakes blow ONLY due north or due south, despite what direction the wind is blowing inland? I have been on Cayuga ,Seneca,Skaneateles, Owasco Lakes dozens of times getting blown up or down the lake, but on the shoreline 100 feet from the waters edge the flags were barely moving.. In 28 years fishing these lakes, I don't think I ever remember even once getting blown ACROSS these lakes either east or west.. Only north or south.. Pretty unusual.. In the ocean the winds will due east or west at times, more commonly they quarter from SW ,NE, or NW....bob

Go to Sheldrake Point .. Deep water is right there and its free.. Not a ramp there per se, but hard ground right to lakes edge.. i used to launch big heavy glass boats with no issue.. its a very nice area to dump a kayak in, and its free, and the lakers are stones throw from where you launch.. At the state park, it would be an hours paddle one way to get into water deep enough for lakers... bob

Remote steer/ Long shaft.. Can't use a tiller... Need a decent outboard for a 14 foot grumman with side console and steering wheel.. Has a 28 Johnson SPL on it now but its getting tired.. Not looking to spend a fortune as the boat is 40 years old, and is simply not worth spending a lot of money on... I can certainly pay a fair price for a decent motor... Will need controls unless its an OMC... If anyone has a motor I can use, i would love to talk about it, and settle on a price!... bob