Help My Buddy!

[KyleP]

So here is the crap situation... My best friend has a 2015 212X with about 250 hours on it. He has owned it about 2 years now and takes great care of it. He took it in for routine service today and they told him BOTH engines had low compression in cylinder 3 and 4.

He owes 37k or so and is trying to decide what to do? Trade it with crap motors and get low balled, replace the motors and hope it doesn’t happen again? About 9k for 2 motors installed.

Just wanted to see what you guys thought

 

[AZMark]

Runs fine, in for routine maintenance, and suddenly has two bad engines??

I think he should take it to another dealer.

 

[Julian]

This sounds fishy

 

[Troy JK]

I would get it back and do a compression check myself. If I didn’t know how, then I would find out. Compression testers can be bought at almost any auto parts stores. And what do they consider low? A 10lb variance is ok.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Have your buddy take the boat home and buy a compression tester and check the engine himself.

Unless there is a known OEM problem the odds of both engines have the same cylinders low on compression are some pretty amazing odds.

Im going to assume that these engines are not consuming oil either.

when was the last time the valves were adjusted?

 

[Dave burke]

Agree with others. This sounds highly suspicious. A few questions:

- when you say he takes good care of the boat, does this include doing regular oil changes?

- do the engines run fine?

- have they ever overheated?

- what were the compression test results? Have him get the numbers from the dealer.

- is he talking to the mechanic or some service coordinator person? I’d try and talk to the mechanic. And ask him why this is happening? It’s absolutely not normal.

All these questions are designed to try and figure out if there’s really an issue and why it is happening. But even after answering these questions, I’d still check the compression myself. Super easy to do and compression gauges are not expensive.

 

[InmyElement]

Does sound very suspicious on BOTH..I agree. Even so, then it could be the piston rings, valves, or head gasket..not a full replacement on just over 250 hr engines. Certainly if he doesn't feel confident to do the compression test himself take it to a real mechanic.

 

[Dave burke]

A couple of other thoughts:

- did he buy this new?

- did the engines ever get water in them?

I can only think of two things that might cause this - water infiltration or a blown head gasket. But in both cases, they would not run well

 

[KyleP]

Yes he does regular maintenance. Boat was running perfect all last season. He is confident he blew all water out before storing for winter.. and the boat was stored indoors! It really makes no sense to me either. This dealer is very reputable but I’m thinking he may need another opinion as well. They said it “backfired” when they started it up and that’s why they ran a compression test.

 

[KyleP]

A couple of other thoughts:

- did he buy this new?

- did the engines ever get water in them?

I can only think of two things that might cause this - water infiltration or a blown head gasket. But in both cases, they would not run well

He bought used about 2 seasons ago and never had a situation with water getting in the engines.

 

[Dave burke]

So he does regular maintenance, no overheating history, was running fine when when he stored it... this is beyond suspicious.

And my boats have often backfired when first starting up. They wouldn’t be enough to do a compression test I wouldn’t think.

As I said earlier, I’d get the specific compression numbers from the dealer and also do the test myself. If he doesn’t have the skill to do that, find a mechanic (doesn’t have to be a marine mechanic necessarily) he trusts.

 

[mrcleanr6]

If in fact the comp is a little low it could simply just a speck of rust developed on the valve seat from sitting over the winter. If he runs the boat it will eventually wear away and the #’s will come back up. Nothing to worry about.

 

[KyleP]

Update... we took the boat out and it ran PERFECT. Normal top speed, not so much as a skip. No clue what the dealer saw but this boat seems fine

 

[KyleP]

They literally told him to sell the boat because it wouldn’t run....

 

[Dave burke]

Bizarre. Maybe it was just a little winter gunk in the engines and all it needed was a good run.

I don’t think I’d go back to that dealer though.

 

[KyleP]

Bizarre. Maybe it was just a little winter gunk in the engines and all it needed was a good run.

I don’t think I’d go back to that dealer though.

Agreed!

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

They literally told him to sell the boat because it wouldn’t run....

Sell it to them ? LOL! So they could turn around and sell it in this crazy market ?

I’d still have the compression tested to put that whole issue on the shelf, and then you / he will know this dealer was trying to pull a fast one. If your test results show nothing wrong be sure and let us all know who this dealer is to keep all others away from them. What I like to call putting the mouth on them.

I hope you guys double checked the oil level and checked for leaks.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Bizarre. Maybe it was just a little winter gunk in the engines and all it needed was a good run.

I don’t think I’d go back to that dealer though.

One engine yes.... both engines no.

taken at face value the dealer is a pos.

 

[sunbyrned]

Even the cost for two motors sounds fishy. I paid 15K for one engine. It’s a 242, but still.

 

[KyleP]

Sell it to them ? LOL! So they could turn around and sell it in this crazy market ?

I’d still have the compression tested to put that whole issue on the shelf, and then you / he will know this dealer was trying to pull a fast one. If your test results show nothing wrong be sure and let us all know who this dealer is to keep all others away from them. What I like to call putting the mouth on them.

I hope you guys double checked the oil level and checked for leaks.

Marine Max in Greenville SC. Service manager was a total jerk about the whole thing. Lost my business and it wasn’t even my boat. The boat came back with a flat trailer tire, dead battery, and a misdiagnosis... that’s enough for me.