What would you do?

[Jeep7797]

So making a long story short, I had an SBT engine installed port side 2 seasons ago. 4th of July weekend my starboard side let go so off to the dealerit went. Motor came in, was installed, and yesterday I get a call from the mechanic from down at the river to do a load test. He asks why the hatch doesn't stay closed, (clean out hatch). I happened to be about 5 minutes from there so I tell him I'll meet him down there. When I get there boat is on the ramp on the trailer. Now I always remove the clean out plugs, silicone spray them, and leave them in the tray so they don't seize in the holes. On a side note, it's not a yamaha dealership, it's a local place. I popped the hatch and no plugs to be found, he started it and it blew the hatch open and presumably the plugs are at the bottom of the river is my guess. He said he got about 100 yards out and it kept cutting out because the hatch kept getting blown open. Now my problem isn't who should have to pay for new plugs but it is without the plugs, I'm not getting cooling water to the engines right? He said 100 yards so that's a fair amount of time without cooling on a new rebuild not broken in let alone damage to the 2 yeqr old port side engine. He even said he couldn't figure out why there wasn't cooling water coming out of the pissers. He still has the boat and I haven't paid him anything beyond the deposit to buy the engine yet. I don't want to go in there demanding or upset. How bad is it? It's a 2000 ls2000 if that helps.

 

[Babin Farms]

I would make the dealer pay for the cleanout plugs and then find a different place to have the boat worked on. They obviously don't know Yamaha boats. I would think that the engine should be fine but it's hard to tell. Make sure that everything that happened is documented and keep records of anything that has to do with this situation.

 

[Jeep7797]

Absolutely, the plugs are the least of my concerns. I'm thinking scored cylinders due to heat or something else.

 

[jdkaeser]

I would think the engines would be fine as well. Make them pay for the plugs and show them how they go in when they come in. Be very nice and come at it from the position of a teaching moment. I always find you get more flies with honey. We all know the boat won't go far with the plugs out so I doubt the guy was flogging the thing and if the overheat alarms didn't come on or even if they did it is probably still okay. They still have oil in them and probably break in lube on the new motor and they do take a good bit to warm up. Have them get it running on a hose and then tell them your concerns and ask if they have a borescope, they probably do if they are rebuilding engines, and you want to look at the cylinder walls. If they are reasonable, they should be okay with that. Then do a water test with the mechanic.

 

[Jeep7797]

The borescope is a great idea. May even be worth me buying a cheap one to look before final payment and accepting the boat. I really am not looking to benefit anything from this, just don't want to screw myself. The mechanic is a pretty decent guy too. He didn't try to sugar coat or lie about anything. He's supposed to be a good jetski mechanic, just maybe never been around a jet boat.