My brand new engine just blew up.

[Rascal]

That's a real shame...

[Smoky Mountain]

Good luck with this.

I'm not sure why they don't already have a new motor on and out running it?

I would think being in the Atlanta market you would have a motor in 24 hours, installed in another 24 and on the water??

You may never know what happened exactly as depending on what happened, human error during the build, part failure etc it make take awhile for the forensic analysis.

I would surmise it as a fluke and as many have said, good that it happened when it was with the Dealer than with you.

These types of cases are where you should get to see the "under promise and over deliver" axiom in action by both Mercury Marine and your Dealer.

How is that towing with the Enclave working out? I would think that it would handle the flats but at the ramp it might struggle?? Is it AWD?

[pote]

I'm betting Merc said 'Dont touch it' and shipped it out fast before pictures of it started showing up all over the internet. Spin control...

[JDB]

It is extremely unlikely that the engine blew when they put it in gear.
Most likely it was at the torque peak (highest cylinder pressure) or at the rpm peak (highest load on the rod bolts etc.)

None of the boat dealers to my knowledge respect or adhere to proper break-in procedures specified by the engine Manufacturer.

When I ordered the new bennington / Yamaha 300 last year I specified to the sales person / owner that I did not want the boat "prop tested" without having the engine properly broken-in per the Yamaha owners manual. She agreed that it would be handled that way or not water tested at all without my presence.
As I was about to go pick up the new boat I had a conversation with the bennie rep - (daniel hahn) concerning several things I had ordered on the boat that didn't get installed or were wrong and he (in an attempt to convince me how great the boat was) started telling me how great the boat ran when the dealer lake tested it. Needless to say, that was the final straw for me and my special order boat became their new inventory.
http://www.whittleboats.com/Boat-Search ... ction=view

A Pontoon puts extreme loads on an engine and if you think its OK for the dealer to do a prop test on your boat after nothing more than warming up the engine then you might as well tell the car dealer to run your new car at top speed on the highway as soon as the engine gets warm - if not sooner

Ultimately we will end up with manufacturers building engines with looser than ideal piston to wall clearances and excessive bearing clearances so that they can "survive" the improper break-ins of the Careless and Ignorant dealers. Of course this will all be at OUR expense and at the expense of a quieter engine with longer life.

Sorry for the Rant but with the price of boats and especially engines these days it just enfuriates me that boat dealers and Mfg's just accept careless break-in procedures in the name of "pushing another unit out the door".

Sorry about your bad fortune Gramps and I hope they treat you right on the deal. That new 150 is the best looking engine Merc has ever built IMO.

JDB

[GregF]

If they are willing to chug around at slow/idle speed for the first hour, Yamaha says you can do short bursts of WOT for the next 9 hours but I doubt a dealer has that kind of patience. I was at 2 before I ever got to WOT but I did start running up and down the range after an hour.

I agree, I bet the dealer smacked that motor to the firewall as soon as he cleared the dock area and puked out a rod.

[gramps]

Thanks everyone for the support. The dealer said that it should be in today, and it had better be in.
I'm tired of hearing excuses, my next calls will be to Mercury and then to my Lawyer. I don't like paying $350.00 per month for my well with nothing in it.

[JDB]

Mine says 2 Hrs before WOT and I would happily pay the mechanic 2 hrs. to do it right but most likely it would Still be done the way the TECH / MECHANIC / SHOP FOREMAN wanted to do it.

[JDB]

I agree, I bet the dealer smacked that motor to the firewall as soon as he cleared the dock area and puked out a rod.

At Idle, there's just not enough inertia to perforate the block. When something goes wrong at idle the engine simply stops running. Someone's not telling the truth but I suspect the ECU (engine computer) has the run data stored in it.

[Bamaman]

I'll sure be glad when Mercury solves your problem.

I think the 5 year engine warranty has been extended to 5/31/12 sales.

[gramps]

I pick up the boat this Wed. ( I hope ) I'll take pictures when I get her.

[dockholiday]

Did Merc ever give a definitive cause of the problem?

doc

[gramps]

Doc, I'll ask the dealer when I pick her up.