Need a good Mechanic I Give up

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:02 am

TX H210SS wrote:

Yes on Dino oil for break in...both VP and mercs. The VP rep recommends 75 to 100 hours instead of 25 for break in.....that was after VP had a couple engines trashed.

So Volvo Penta is in the market to sell new engines now? It can take some people 5 years to put 100hrs on a boat. That's 5 years on OEM break in dino oil that's never been changed. At that point you should just throw the engine in a dumpster because it's ruined. 25 hours is even too much but fine. An engine is broken by the time it's installed in the boat, they're run in (at WOT/Redline) at the GM factory when they're made. "Break in" period should be named "New Owner Orientation", because that's all it is but people wouldn't listen. People listen when it's called "break in" due to fear of maybe something going wrong with their new purchase. It's a time period designed to get the owner comfortable with their new boat (or car/motorcycle), how it handles and it's controls before they go acting insane with it at WOT. It's much safer at that point. You are not doing a single thing beneficial mechanically by taking it easy for the first 100 hours compared to going crazy right off the lot.

Borchik · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:33 am

Ric, your statement about all engines being run at the factory is 100% incorrect. Fact is that unless it is in a car, which gets run to leave the factory, chances are it was never run until it was installed in the boat. Most all the engines made by GM are cold cranked, spun over by an electric motor setup to make sure they spin, they never see a drop of fuel until the Merc or VP guy installs them into the boat at the FW factory and then fires them in the test tank. I know because I worked at the FW plant for a week as part of dealer training and helped with all aspects of the build. I also have friends that work at the GM plants who have confirmed that very few are run except for the occasion test engine that they pull off the line.

I do agree with you on the break in period though on the engine, they are "broke in" within a few minutes after startup. However, the outdrives still do require a break in period. The gears will get extrememly hot if you go out and run it full throttle right out of the box for extended periods of time, this could cause premature drive failure.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:52 am

To hear they are not hot fired that means they are built/treated like the replacement engine department. Cheap cheap cheap. I gave GM the benefit of the doubt that they treated the marine department a little better for the price they want for these dinosaurs. I really hate how companies these days would rather take a chance for more profit by random product testing and fixing the occasional bad one under warranty.

Then again, that's why you can get a 42" LCD TV for $500 today instead of $1500 2 years ago.

Borchik · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:57 am

Well the problem would be is that the blocks go to VP or Merc only partially complete. The marine manufacturers are the ones that complete the build, I believe all they get from the general is a modified long block, VP and Merc use their own oil pans, intakes, ect, so for them to run it they would have to complete the engine to run it and then tear it back down again.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:45 am

wow so what they're getting is a vortec longblock with either hyd or roller lifters that you can order from GM for $1800. VP/Merc charges what.... 5k?

mbirge15 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:41 am

So after sending the VDO gauges to CDI Electronics and $400, then replacing the sending unit $40, still having problems. So then I talk to someone who mentions I should try to replace the wire from sending unit to the dash. I got everything I thought I would need to run the wire I get in to the ski locker to see the wire loom and how it is ran to the engine compartment, to find the wire loom in like a squished Z with zip ties to take up the slack. I undid the ties straighten the loom and just made it into a nice loop under the floor. I go to the lake run the boat for at least two hours and NO ALARM! First time since I have owned the boat. I hope it continues and I think I am ready to run a new wire if needed but am feeling a lot better about the boat today. I had looked at the connectors and for any chafing on the wire were I could see but I had never taken the little panel in ski locker off until I was trying to find the best way to run a new wire. Thanks all for your input.

Borchik · **Posted:** Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:59 am

As I mentioned, the guages are very sensative to resistance and a pinched wire is all it takes...like I said, I have had to run more than one over the years. Glad its all working now!

mbirge15 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:03 pm

Never would have thought someone or Fourwinns would intentionally pinch the whole loom that way. Just to confirm when you run the new wire you run it direct to the sending unit from gauge? The wire on sender looks dark blue and the schematic shows it is the light blue wire from the instruments.

Borchik · **Posted:** Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:45 pm

You should run it direct from the sender to the dash, I do not remember the color of the wire though.

captkevin · **Posted:** Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:00 pm

Congrats on resolving your problems & not having to bring it to a mechanic or exorcist

www.iFourWinns.com

Need a good Mechanic I Give up

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