Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

[Burro237]

I have a 9 year old boat, that recently started taking on water. After a bellow/ gimbal bearing service and replacement, it was still leaking. The mechanic who did the bellow service told me that he droped it in the water afterwards...and no leak. Then I took it out the next day...still leaking. Took it back to him. He said that he put it in the water again, and this time he could tell that the water was coming in from the transom, where the outdrive connects to the boat. He told me that the transom seal might be bad, or that the bolts on the transom plates might not be tight, or that the outdrive might have shifted if it struck something, he didn't know. He said he would need to pull the engine, just to see what the problem was...$900 for the engine pull only...before even starting on repairs.

Called another mechanic. He said there is no use to pull the motor. He said if water has got past the transom seal, then the wood has gotten wet, and is therefore ruined. He said that without completely rebuilding the transom, it could never be right. Instead he recommended putting 5200 sealant around the outside of the outdrive...@ $200. He said its a common problem and thats what they usually do instead of trying to fix it. He said it will last for years.

Which one of them is being straight?

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

both of them and niether of them,

First mechanic never mentioned the very real possibility that the transom could be gone, and instead gave you the best case scenario.

Second mechanic never mentioned the best case scenario and only mentioned the worst case, HOWEVER the second mechanic could be hedging his bet somewhat and therefore gave you the worst case scenario, or he could see a nice fat work ticket looming.

You have to find out if the transom is good or bad, water intrusion does lead to a rotten transom but if this situation just started then there is no need to replace the entire transom, simply let the transom dry out and fix the leak.

Clear as mud?

 

[saumon]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

Which one of them is being straight?

Probably both, the only difference beeing that the first offer you to find and fix the cause of the leak while the other propose a band-aid solution.

Personnally, I doubt that covering the perimeter with putty on a waterlogged rotten transom will last for "years". That could be done in an emergency, i.e. you're in a fishing trip in a remote area for a week, but it's not a long-term solution. If, like he said, that's what they usually do instead of fixing it, I'd stay away form it!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

Just because a transom gets wet does not mean it is ruined . . . So, Mechanic #2 gets the boot.

Mechanic #1 gets the boot for not being able to see past the tip of his nose.

Do you have a third mechanic?

 

[saumon]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

With that said, I'd dismiss the first mechanic. $900 to lift the engine out is crazy expensive unless you have a really strange set up and the engine can't be lifted up and out. On a really bad day and everything working agianst me that's less than an hours shop time. I usually figure closer to a half hour.

Pretty typical of a mechanic, usually at a dealership, who doesn't want to work on an "old" rig so he made a quote at an astronomical price...If the customer decline, fine and if he accept at that price, it's even better!

 

[Burro237]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

Just because a transom gets wet does not mean it is ruined . . . So, Mechanic #2 gets the boot.

Mechanic #1 gets the boot for not being able to see past the tip of his nose.

Do you have a third mechanic?

Not yet, but I will be calling around. I just wanted some educated advice on the price of it. Both mechanics said that lifting the engine was 10 - 12 labor hours, to disconnect and reconnect everything.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

All the replies above sound pretty close to what I was going to type. Both are right, just looking at it in different ways. One wants to fix and the other cover it up. You need to fix the problem AND find out if the transom is rotten or just wet. If wet, it needs to dry, not have the moisture sealed in. Then the leak fixed.

So, where do you go from here? Find a cheaper mechanic to do what the first one said, and while apart look for rot.

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

Not yet, but I will be calling around. I just wanted some educated advice on the price of it. Both mechanics said that lifting the engine was 10 - 12 labor hours, to disconnect and reconnect everything.

A US Navy warship can change out it's GE LM-2500's in about that time if REALLY necessary...seems a little "high".

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

10-12 hours labor seems high for removal and installation. . . Even if they have 2 people working on it. I would think more in the 8 hour range total . . . 2 people x2 hours each way.

 

[Wind dog]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

Screw both of them, You want something done right, do it your self, with help from iboats!

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

Screw both of them, You want something done right, do it your self, with help from iboats!

yep.
What brand engine? I would try a new gasket on the trim hydraulic manifold first if Merc (the risk is about $6). Then explore deeper.

5200 around the transom shield is not going to fix anything.

You need to pull the engine, then re-launch the boat and lay in the bilge on your face for an hour to see where the water is coming in.
On mine this summer it was the seal on my exhaust Y pipe. There's half a dozen places water can come in on a Mercruiser (not sure what brand OP has). There's no way to know they are all dry unless you lay in there.
Engine out, in and aligned was about 6 hours working alone. Two day job in total as I had to do some rigging for the lift, some bilge tidying and parts shopping and inspected everything in there carefully.

 

[Burro237]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

I'm certainly in a delemma. For one thing, I don't know how much I trust mechanic # 1. I went to him and told him that I had a mystery leak in the boat. My cable bellow had a huge hole in it, so I was pretty sure that was it. I paid him $200 for a transom service kit, the typical kit that includes the gimbal bearing, the exhaust and shift cable boots, etc. Then I paid him $500 labor to put it in. I told him to call me before he put the lower unit back on, just so I could see what he did. Well, I get a call a few weeks later saying that my boat was ready, and that he replaced everything except the gimbal bearing, because the one that was in there "looked and felt" brand new. He never called me so that I could look at it before he put it all back together. He said that he lake tested it and the leak was fixed. I took it out the next day, and still had the same problem. I brought it back, and he did not seem to confident that he had done the job right. So he offered to take it out again, and slowly lower it into the water, to see at what point it began to leak. And thats how he determined that the water was coming in from around the outdrive. Again, I'm not so sure, which is why I called mechanic # 2.

If this was a $50,000 boat, I would be all for pulling the engine spending $4000-$5000 rebuilding the transom if needed. But $4000 - 5000 is almost what I paid for the boat. I kind of see what mechanic # 2 is saying. If he just sealed it up, would that cause more damage? or would it stop the damage from progressing any further? If sealing it up gets me a few years out of it before having to pull the engine, then that may be an option. Also, if he put some sealant around the outdrive, and the leak stops, then I know for certain that that is where it is coming from. As opposed to pulling the engine, only to find that it doesnt fix the problem.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

Also, if he put some sealant around the outdrive, and the leak stops, then I know for certain that that is where it is coming from. As opposed to pulling the engine, only to find that it doesnt fix the problem.

the guy's hallucinating...
smearing goop around the outside of the transom shield is useless.. a waste of time and a waste of good sealant.

If you, or the so called mechanic, had ever seen the shield out of a boat and see how it connects, you'd quickly see why the outside perimeter is only a small part of where it would leak if the transom was soft.

next time you have a leaking tire, try putting silicone around the hub cap... that would be the equivalent of what the guy is suggesting

 

[Bondo]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

I'm certainly in a delemma. For one thing, I don't know how much I trust mechanic # 1. I went to him and told him that I had a mystery leak in the boat. My cable bellow had a huge hole in it, so I was pretty sure that was it. I paid him $200 for a transom service kit, the typical kit that includes the gimbal bearing, the exhaust and shift cable boots, etc. Then I paid him $500 labor to put it in. I told him to call me before he put the lower unit back on, just so I could see what he did. Well, I get a call a few weeks later saying that my boat was ready, and that he replaced everything except the gimbal bearing, because the one that was in there "looked and felt" brand new. He never called me so that I could look at it before he put it all back together. He said that he lake tested it and the leak was fixed. I took it out the next day, and still had the same problem. I brought it back, and he did not seem to confident that he had done the job right. So he offered to take it out again, and slowly lower it into the water, to see at what point it began to leak. And thats how he determined that the water was coming in from around the outdrive. Again, I'm not so sure, which is why I called mechanic # 2.

If this was a $50,000 boat, I would be all for pulling the engine spending $4000-$5000 rebuilding the transom if needed. But $4000 - 5000 is almost what I paid for the boat. I kind of see what mechanic # 2 is saying. If he just sealed it up, would that cause more damage? or would it stop the damage from progressing any further? If sealing it up gets me a few years out of it before having to pull the engine, then that may be an option. Also, if he put some sealant around the outdrive, and the leak stops, then I know for certain that that is where it is coming from. As opposed to pulling the engine, only to find that it doesnt fix the problem.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... I rather doubt That request would be honored Anywhere,...
Even at those labor rates, I see that as an Unreasonable request...
'n if the gimbel bearin' is Good,.... Why change it...

The only sin I see Mechanic #1 is maybe guilty of is not tellin' ya Now, that the transom is Gone....

Mechanic #2 is a fruitcake if he thinks gluin' it up will last for Years,....

Yer already outa Time,... It's obviously movin' with the thrust, 'n motions of the drive,...
That's why it didn't leak, then it does,...
The transom bolts don't loosen, the transom rots away...

$50,000.00 boat or not,... What vintage,..?? What motor, 'n Drive,..??

Dependin' on the motor, 'n drive,... Yes,... More damage Will occur, 'n it'll get alot more expensive...

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

Running a bead of 3M 5200 around the drive shouldn't cost $200, Home Depot sells a tube of it for $10 and it would take all of 10 minutes to do it, 15 if you wanted a real nice job. Though, that's a "band-aid for a broken leg" type of repair...

How mechanically inclined are you, at the mercies of the local mechanic or can you pull the engine and dunk the boat like HS suggested?

 

[shrew]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

Let's say worst case scenario, water has intruded to the point where the transom is starting to rot, as proposed by mech. #2. His suggestion is to use some 5200. That alone would make me never go back to him. The first mechanic is doing the right thing. Find the leak and assess any potential damage. Then discuss findings and potential next actions. There's no sense in listing every possible thing it might be. Get in there and see what it is, not what it might be, and go from there.

 

[saumon]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

the guy's hallucinating...
smearing goop around the outside of the transom shield is useless.. a waste of time and a waste of good sealant.

If you, or the so called mechanic, had ever seen the shield out of a boat and see how it connects, you'd quickly see why the outside perimeter is only a small part of where it would leak if the transom was soft.

next time you have a leaking tire, try putting silicone around the hub cap... that would be the equivalent of what the guy is suggesting

What he said. Reality check: I know you wish and hope it could be a $200 fix but it isn't gonna happen. Great opportunity for a winter project. Take it as a learning experience. A lot of us have been there...and you'll receive a ton of help from this forum members if you ask.

 

[Don S]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

I would sure love to know what those two mechanics actually said, and could have heard the actual conversation. Because I know most techs actually know you don't seal around a transom shield to stop a leak. But some of those auto mechanics that hang out a shingle thinking it's easy might say it.

Was that original $900 engine pull to pull the engine, put the drive back on and put it in the water and look for the leak? That's a lot more than just pulling the engine. Or instead of a "quote" he said it might cost up to $900 to find what is leaking?

Did the second mechanic say something like "others have put a bead around the transom shield to stop the leak" and then go on to say it's not a good idea.

We don't even know what kind of boat it is, what size, or anything about it. But there sure are a lot of people with the answer of who should be fired and how much it should cost, without knowing or having a clue with what boat, what engine, what drive or anything else about your boat. They sure have better crystal balls than I do.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

one blind mechanic at the front of an elephant says its a tree trunk. the other blind mechanic at the back of the elephant says its a rope. both are right, both are wrong.

you can pull the motor out of your boat yourself and put it back in under 10 hours including building a gantry to do it.

if you understand righty-tighty and lefty-loosy and can follow directions from fellow iboaters, you can do it yourself. however before any of us can help:

what kind of boat
what kind of drive
what kind of motor

now on to the transom. motor in, or motor out. you will need to drill some test holes. if the wood shavings are light and dry - your good. if the wood shavings are dark and wet - you need to repair your transom.

 

[JEBar]

Re: Boat Repair; two mechanics with wildly different recommendations. Which one?

add me to the group of folks who believe having a third mechanic take a look would be a wise move .... the approaches of the two that you have outlined causes me some concern .... another possible alternative might be to take it to a dealer or independent who guarantees their work

Jim