Why I now do my OWN Maintenance

"Last season, after many bugs

"Last season, after many bugs suddenly started appearing, I decided to take the Boat to my Local Marina to be repaired. I asked the Owner to 1- Install new Points 2- check and set timing 3- Test run boat to see if it's better.
When I got the Boat back, it was a little better. Then I decided to change the Plugs for s#%$& and giggles.
I changed and gapped the Plugs, then went to check the timing.The timing was 15 degrees advanced too much. I re-set the timing, and the boat was perfect.
As it turns out, the Marina NEVER checked the timing, and did NOT test run the Boat. Their idea of a test run was to back the boat and trailer down the ramp, run the engine (all this while ON the trailer) , and say it's good to go. What a lying, bullshitting piece of work this guy is!!!!!

I didn't reproach him for this, as I figured he'd get all bent for me challenging him, and tell me never to darken his ramp again.
I will NEVER return to him for anything (except the ramp). Why aren't there any HONEST Marina Operators, and Mechanics around? I realize my Boat isn
t any Motor-Yacht, and that it's 40+ years old, but that shouldn't matter.
Do you have to throw massive amounts of cash out to these bozos to make them honest? not from this guy. Hope you all fair better than I did."

And car shops are different??

And car shops are different??

I never let anyone touch my stuff ether. Brought my brand new 81 trans am to the stealership to change my oil and the left the oil filter loose when when they drove it out to me i saw oil just pouring out the bottom of the car.

They gave me another brand new trans am was a month old bought from them.

"That is another reason I do a

"That is another reason I do all my own work.

Once I was running late for work, and the engine was constantly stalling. (in 1971)

Left it at a Service Station, as I was a fair way from home, and asked them to look at it.

Well, when I picked the car up, I was taken to one side and told that there was a terrible noise coming from inside the motor, and would I like them to investigate, and fix it.

I decided to tow the car home, and when I pulled the Head, one of the valves was stuck open, with a piece of broken spring washer between the valve and the seat.

I took the head, and the Carby, with a spring washer missing from under the head of one of the cover bolts, to the Service Station, to show the boss. He agreed that one of the mechanics must have dropped the washer into the carby throat when doing the work.

He wanted to do the repairs, but I decided to do it myself. At least he supplied me a replacement Gasket set.

Never went back there again, or anyone else since.

Bruce."

"I say shame on them, and you

"I say shame on them, and you should make this known locally! The trick is doing it without slander! Facts only!


Secondly, any of our gasoline marine engines should be timed for not only BASE advance, but checked for TA (total advance) as well.
TA is more important than BASE any day of the week! Even if ECM equipped, this can still be checked.
All good marine mechanics know the importance of this!

That being said; the owner does have a responsibility to ask what all WILL Be Done and what all Has Been Done before paying the bill.

Point being... part of the owness is on the customer!
Get a written work order signed by the person who wrote it.
Make sure that it is all inclusive and addresses correcting the issue following diagnnostics!
If you wish for a Quote, ask for a Quote..... otherwise you will likely get an "Estimate".
Some shops only write estimates!

."

I agree diy if you can. Befor

I agree diy if you can. Before I wised up I had my local marine dealer try to do some work on the top end of my engine. After it was done I saw dried blood on the intake. It still didn't run right even after they said it was fixed. I was able to figure out which "mechanic" worked on my boat. I snuck in the back and He pretty much admitted to me that he got frustrated working on my "older" model boat when he was use to hooking up diagnostic equipment and have the machines diagnose the troubles on newer models. That place will never see another penny out of me ever.

"It'd funny, I think these

"It'd funny, I think these people coming out of MIT think they're going to be working on NEW stuff ALL the time."

"In the college program I teac

"In the college program I teach in, (Heavy Equipment Technician) we aim at a window 5-10 years back.
We are focusing on 2000-2005 technology for the most part now.

Industry balks. They want us teaching the latest and greatest systems. Its a struggle to keep explaining why we lag...

Some older teachers want to talk about the 1970's and 1980's... but they have to let that go to deliver techs to industry... forget the history lessons. "

"When I was laid-off a while b

"When I was laid-off a while back, I WAS going to take either a Diesel Engine Mechanic Course, or a Marine Mechanic Course through the " Second Careers " thing offered here in Canada. After completing ALL the necessary procedures, I got SCREWED out of it, when I got called back to work. Nice Government we have here....."

"about 20% of our class last y

"about 20% of our class last year was 2nd careers... that figure really dropped off this semester... I hear team McGuinty has really clamped down on funding....might be just as well... we had an alarming failure rate last year... turns out school is harder than some remembered it being... sad part is, they had to pay back the $ when they didn't succeed.
Excellent program for the few that worked at it....there's 3 or 4 guys went through last year that were the perfect success stories... they are working now in a new field and loving it. province needed to do more planning to help the applicants select the right kind of training. A few of the mature students are amazing....and then a lot of guys who thought they knew everything about heavy equipment because they drove truck for 30 years. They weren't gonna listen to any teacher tell em any different... they knew it all already and just came to pick up their diploma and new high paying job....totally unemployable and disrupting class for the folks that are serious and paying big $ to be here"

"I hear ya.... The reason I ch

"I hear ya.... The reason I chose what I did was due to having engine experience, and already having quite a few of the necessary tools.I had my head in that direction, and was eager, and excited about it.
I also wanted a job that was indoors, unlike working outdoors at night for the last 8 years. I aint gettin' any younger..... And at my age, HATE the cold.
I'd sure be more honest as a Marine Mechanic than the dorks I'm complaining about."