Why not to buy Mercury

[snagged in outlet 3]

 

 

7 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

I'm gonna pull the plug on Optimax's, effective this year.  I like happy customers and after unending study and assumed successful repairs I have determined that I can't keep Optimax owners happy and know beyond a shadow of doubt that the engine will run a full day+ after leaving my shop.  

Continuing to attempt fixing the unfixable will do nothing but ruin my reputation and cause people to not trust me.   It's a poorly designed engine in the aspect that it is impossible for me, or anybody else, to properly diagnose 80% of the time, and then when I DO FINALLY figure it out (or THINK I have it figured out)....parts are either unavailable or rediculously priced.   So other than regular service that is unrelated to the fuel/air/oil injection systems, folks are just gonna have to take them to their favorite Mercury dealer so they can cuss and be disappointed at THEM instead of ME.    

I have enough "good motors" to work on that I don't have to work on those impossible pieces of crap if I don't want to..... And I don't want to.

I'm not just picking on Mercury either, Yamaha HPDI's are getting kicked to the curb also.  😋

Hey Wrench,  

would it be advisable to trade in my 2018 merc 60/40 jet while its still under warranty for an Etec?  I just don’t want any hassle down the road.  

[fishinwrench]

4 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

 

 

Hey Wrench,  

would it be advisable to trade in my 2018 merc 60/40 jet while its still under warranty for an Etec?  I just don’t want any hassle down the road.  

I "advised you" not to buy it in the first place.  🙄

But since you did anyway then my  SUPERCEDED ADVICE (since we're playing the Mercury game here) is to run it until it no longer makes you glad to have it, and then scrap it and get another motor.   

It isn't worth any more with warranty than it will be afterwards. And who knows, it might serve you just fine for quite a few more years. Some do.  

Etec:s don't 100% guarantee zero troubles...if they did I'd be living in a van down by the river.  But even though there are far fewer Evinrude dealers around here than there are Merc dealers you can always get an Evinrude fixed up quicker and cheaper.  Even the old dogs made back when you were in diapers.

  😎

[snagged in outlet 3]

Check.  Run it till it stops and kick it off the back.  

[BilletHead]

14 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Check.  Run it till it stops and kick it off the back.  

            Let me know were it sinks. I may be needing spare parts ,

  BilletHead

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

56 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

            Let me know were it sinks. I may be needing spare parts ,

  BilletHead

 

Just below the cable at Taney

[bfishn]

1 hour ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Check.  Run it till it stops and kick it off the back.  

We grin at that, but that's exactly how we did it when I was much younger fishing the Grand River in north Mo. We'd buy an old 3-5HP from Bad Bob Breeden for $25 and run it till it dropped. Shuck it off in the first deep hole, float back to our truck, and run to town hoping to find Bad Bob in a pleasant frame of mind (drunk). $25 later we'd be on our way back to the river. Wish I had some of those antiques today, there were some cool old Scott Atwaters, a Goodyear, some Evinrudes, and a no-name or two that I recall. Bob never had a Mercury. We always kept a coat hanger handy for a plentiful supply of shear pins.

[BilletHead]

            

25 minutes ago, bfishn said:

We grin at that, but that's exactly how we did it when I was much younger fishing the Grand River in north Mo. We'd buy an old 3-5HP from Bad Bob Breeden for $25 and run it till it dropped. Shuck it off in the first deep hole, float back to our truck, and run to town hoping to find Bad Bob in a pleasant frame of mind (drunk). $25 later we'd be on our way back to the river. Wish I had some of those antiques today, there were some cool old Scott Atwaters, Evinrudes, and a no-name or two that I recall. Bob never had a Mercury. We always kept a coat hanger handy for a plentiful supply of shear pins.

                First time I fished Taney it was in a 10 lowe with a 3 HP Neptune outboard. For reverse you just turned the motor around . Second time same boat but we upgraded and borrowed a 4 HP Martin. Same deal on reverse! I am thinking it would of been 1978 or 79. The BilletHeads have come a long ways since then. 

  BilletHead

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, BilletHead said:

            

                First time I fished Taney it was in a 10 lowe with a 3 HP Neptune outboard. For reverse you just turned the motor around . Second time same boat but we upgraded and borrowed a 4 HP Martin. Same deal on reverse! I am thinking it would of been 1978 or 79. The BilletHeads have come a long ways since then. 

  BilletHead

😁

In the mid 70's we had a 16' Ouachita Jon with a Merc 200 (20hp).  It was a hard starting SOB and my grandpa had this hyperactive border collie type dog, named Carl, that when he went to jerking on and cussing that motor the dog would think he was fighting with it and lose his ever-lovin' mind.  He'd yank on the motor 4-5 times....then kick and cuss the dog. Over and over until finally it came to life. 

Dad got tired of the engine starting ordeal and had a steering console installed and a brand new Johnson 35 electric start.   Man was she a sweetheart....and that sucker would flat SCOOT!

Carl lived a much happier life after that.  

[fishinwrench]

This dude looks like he could yank on an outboard long enough to freak a dog out.  

"The Brunswick Corporation promoted Christopher Drees, the former president of marine parts and accessories, to president of the company. 

Drees replaces John Pfeifer who chose to leave the company to pursue other opportunities."

 

The guy once in charge of PARTS is now president of the whole company.   

I rest my case.  🤣

[snagged in outlet 3]

4 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

This dude looks like he could yank on an outboard long enough to freak a dog out.  

Looks like he already has😆