Feeling Boned and didn't even enjoy it.

[Hallett285]

Well I took the boat in for the yearly service. I was told it needed a new water pump housing $600 for factory or $420 for the stainless. $1200 later it's done and off and running. Mechanic friend says he thought it was miss firing. Seemed ok to me. Well we then had a miss hap with the shifter young kid playing while sitting at Pirates. Had a problem and took it in just to have the drive checked out everything good and a couple more hundred. Take the boat out again and it takes for ever to get out of the water. Call and get the boat back into the shop. Dropped the boat off told them I was going to have lunch with my daughter and I would be back. Just over $500 this time and he tells me it needed spark plugs and two wires. It seems to me that in the couple of other times it was in the shop when running it they should of heard the miss fire. Seems a bit high to me, plug wires $99.00ea and plugs roughly $18.00ea. I see the wires on line for the set between $100 and $200. All done without Vaseline.......... Is this pricing normal?????????:yikes:yikes:yikes

Thanks, Steve

 

[t&y]

99 per wire? Are they custom length or something "Marine" special? That seems a bit marked up to me.

The other question I would have is how many hours on the boat and why did it need plugs? I'm assuming its not a carbed engine, so why are the plugs going bad?

 

[FreeBird236]

Seems a little high to me. I do know that when one of the plugs went bad in my 496 it was intermittent, only happened on the water. That plug price is about the norm at the shops, even though you can probably get them for about ten bucks apiece yourself. The wire price seems outrageous, don't know about anything else.

I use Robbie at Elite, great mechanic and a little more reasonable than most.:thumbup:

 

[Deja_Vu]

I feel your pain. Not sure what is "normal" .

For me the usual annual service is around $900. I have an old school carbed 454.
This year I was especially lucky to need an impeller housing, the trim rams rebuilt, and new batteries.

Total bill just a smidge over $2k

Now my trim indicator is not functioning... but this year we will have to live without it.

 

[waterhorse]

$100.00 each for a plug wire is a bit steep, unless I'm not understanding some special exotic marine/resistor/suppression type dealio.
Sometimes the ignition misfires will only show when the engine is under a load and not be apparent when running on the trailer.

 

[hav19]

Does the bill actually say Ignition Wire or could it be an Ignition Coil? $99 is more inline with an Ignition Coil - $18 each for the plugs is about right.....

 

[millhouse961]

I know a lot of guys like the convenience of just dropping the boat off for service, but everything you have described here are all really easy tasks to do yourself at home and wayyyyy cheaper. I'm not a super mechanical guy and I have done all of these things by myself with no issues. Nothing against someone that would rather not be bothered, Im just not made of money so If I can take the cost of an annual service from $900 to about $120 by spending a couple hours doing it myself, that is well worth it.

 

[Racey]

Lemme Guess. 496HO? I absolutely hate that motor, it is the worst thing to work on in Merc's whole lineup. Plugs are a bitch to get to and get the wires to make a positive snap. Water pump is a POS as you have found out. Good call on ditching it and going stainless. Expensive ass iridium tipped plugs, a sign the ignition is weak. It can be hard to tell a misfire just idling on the trailer unless it is egregious. Especially if he wasn't specifically looking for one, so i wouldn't put that off as the mechanic's fault the first time.

I just really don't like those motors. Yeah they have good track record of running, but they are the absolute worst to work on.

Prices don't seem that outta wack. Not sure on that plug wire though....

 

[ramos45]

I know a lot of guys like the convenience of just dropping the boat off for service, but everything you have described here are all really easy tasks to do yourself at home and wayyyyy cheaper. I'm not a super mechanical guy and I have done all of these things by myself with no issues. Nothing against someone that would rather not be bothered, Im just not made of money so If I can take the cost of an annual service from $900 to about $120 by spending a couple hours doing it myself, that is well worth it.

Completely agree. I have used the same ebay vender for impeller, impeller housings, distributor cap and wires for over 5 years now. Plugs I get from Rockauto but in a pinch local autopart stores have them for double the cost. Belts I buy local autoparts store and keep spare belts in the boat. Coils, for a carbed 454 I use autopart store or Amazon. Alternator, dbelectrical. I've been running one for 3 years no issues and have a second on the shelf for when the stock one goes on the other engine.

Enough about me....just wanted to relay some of my cost-cutting measures for maintaining my weekend get-a-ways.

 

[Hallett285]

99 per wire? Are they custom length or something "Marine" special? That seems a bit marked up to me.

The other question I would have is how many hours on the boat and why did it need plugs? I'm assuming its not a carbed engine, so why are the plugs going bad?

Yes it was $198.00 for the 2 wires. Mercury Marine for the 496ho. 206 hours on the motor. One of the plugs I was shown the tip was gone. I'm assuming it was

because one of the wires I was shown had gone to the wire from rubbing so maybe shorting out..

 

[Deja_Vu]

I know a lot of guys like the convenience of just dropping the boat off for service, but everything you have described here are all really easy tasks to do yourself at home and wayyyyy cheaper. I'm not a super mechanical guy and I have done all of these things by myself with no issues. Nothing against someone that would rather not be bothered, Im just not made of money so If I can take the cost of an annual service from $900 to about $120 by spending a couple hours doing it myself, that is well worth it.

Are you taking your own drive off? Thats not something I want to mess with.

 

[Big B Hova]

Flat tops marine service in Havasu is extremely fair. 99$ a plug wireally sounds crazy........super crazy

 

[Hallett285]

$100.00 each for a plug wire is a bit steep, unless I'm not understanding some special exotic marine/resistor/suppression type dealio.
Sometimes the ignition misfires will only show when the engine is under a load and not be apparent when running on the trailer.

Yeah I was thinking the same on the wires, but what do you do?
Must be from just running it on the trailer and not hearing it. Makes me feel better. When on the water then loaded of must have made the difference.

Thanks

 

[millhouse961]

Are you taking your own drive off? Thats not something I want to mess with.

I have taken the drive off once with the help of a friend and it was easier than I thought (after you drain all the drive fluid). But I did not take it apart to service it, that i will leave to a professional

 

[Hallett285]

Does the bill actually say Ignition Wire or could it be an Ignition Coil? $99 is more inline with an Ignition Coil - $18 each for the plugs is about right.....

I asked and that was the wires only. :yikes

 

[Hallett285]

I know a lot of guys like the convenience of just dropping the boat off for service, but everything you have described here are all really easy tasks to do yourself at home and wayyyyy cheaper. I'm not a super mechanical guy and I have done all of these things by myself with no issues. Nothing against someone that would rather not be bothered, Im just not made of money so If I can take the cost of an annual service from $900 to about $120 by spending a couple hours doing it myself, that is well worth it.

Sounds like maybe the way to go. I'm sure I can do it. Just maybe bring it home in the off season and take the time and just do it. Yeah not made of money either.

 

[HALLETT BOY]

Those are Kustom wires ...

 

[dribble]

Does the bill actually say Ignition Wire or could it be an Ignition Coil? $99 is more inline with an Ignition Coil - $18 each for the plugs is about right.....

Plugs are the same as the automotive plugs, I paid $3.50 each at Autozone.

 

[FreeBird236]

Yes it was $198.00 for the 2 wires. Mercury Marine for the 496ho. 206 hours on the motor. One of the plugs I was shown the tip was gone. I'm assuming it was

because one of the wires I was shown had gone to the wire from rubbing so maybe shorting out..

FWIW. I hear on the 496 the plugs will start having problems between 90 and 120 hrs. on average. I had my problems around 105hrs. and it sure wasn't from running hard, but probably harder than if it was in a truck.

 

[Meaney77]

Maybe I missed it but do you care to mention what shop so we can avoid?

 

[BDMar]

I can't comment on the other issues or pricing but as far as the plug wire price goes.... as hard as it is to believe, a single plug wire for the 496 retail price is $112.00 each.

They are different than the automotive ones and specific to "coil per cylinder" engines.

 

[BDMar]

Plugs are the same as the automotive plugs, I paid $3.50 each at Autozone.

If you can buy iridium plugs for $3.50, buy all you can get.

NGK TR55IX is the proper plug for that engine.

 

[RiverDave]

Maybe I missed it but do you care to mention what shop so we can avoid?

I can't comment on the other issues or pricing but as far as the plug wire price goes.... as hard as it is to believe, a single plug wire for the 496 retail price is $112.00 each.

Now maybe it makes more sense why I frown upon people just blasting shops on here.. You read the first post and you are thinking "man this guy got taken for a ride". 10 comments later about spark plug wired and then another shop posts up the actual price only to find out the guy got a 12.00 discount on them.

 

[Hallett285]

I can't comment on the other issues or pricing but as far as the plug wire price goes.... as hard as it is to believe, a single plug wire for the 496 retail price is $112.00 each.

They are different than the automotive ones and specific to "coil per cylinder" engines.

Thank you for letting me know......

 

[Hallett285]

If you can buy iridium plugs for $3.50, buy all you can get.

NGK TR55IX is the proper plug for that engine.

I actually figured plugs were about the going rate.

So at $3.50ea could you pick me up another set...

 

[Hallett285]

Now maybe it makes more sense why I frown upon people just blasting shops on here.. You read the first post and you are thinking "man this guy got taken for a ride". 10 comments later about spark plug wired and then another shop posts up the actual price only to find out the guy got a 12.00 discount on them.

That's exactly why no names were mentioned. That's why I was here asking and to only find out it all seems to be legit.

Expensive as hell..... but I guess you got to pay to play..........

Thanks to all that took the time to respond....

 

[mjc]

Are you taking your own drive off? Thats not something I want to mess with.

i take my drive off every other year to check splines and lube it up. I got an alignment tool off Ebay for about 50$. It is real easy to do and the gasket set is about 10$.

 

[GRADS]

10 comments later about spark plug wired and then another shop posts up the actual price only to find out the guy got a 12.00 discount on them.

$13.00

 

[ghansen]

It's a 496 Chevrolet Truck Motor. I bought the plugs from the Chevrolet dealer for $8 a piece and my mechanic installed them. The factory plugs are Delco.

 

[Deja_Vu]

i take my drive off every other year to check splines and lube it up. I got an alignment tool off Ebay for about 50$. It is real easy to do and the gasket set is about 10$.

Thanks...I will have to look for a youtube how to on this one.

I'd like to take a look at my splines...I've been told they are worn.

 

[BDMar]

Thank you for letting me know......

You're welcome.

 

[mjc]

Thanks...I will have to look for a youtube how to on this one.

I'd like to take a look at my splines...I've been told they are worn.

My last boat I lost 2 couplers from lack of lube and don't want it to happen again. Where are you at I would be happy to show you if you are nearby.

 

[guest hs]

Here are Mercury prices right of my Electric Parts Catalog.

 

[Wombat]

Well I took the boat in for the yearly service. I was told it needed a new water pump housing $600 for factory or $420 for the stainless. $1200 later it's done and off and running. Mechanic friend says he thought it was miss firing. Seemed ok to me. Well we then had a miss hap with the shifter young kid playing while sitting at Pirates. Had a problem and took it in just to have the drive checked out everything good and a couple more hundred. Take the boat out again and it takes for ever to get out of the water. Call and get the boat back into the shop. Dropped the boat off told them I was going to have lunch with my daughter and I would be back. Just over $500 this time and he tells me it needed spark plugs and two wires. It seems to me that in the couple of other times it was in the shop when running it they should of heard the miss fire. Seems a bit high to me, plug wires $99.00ea and plugs roughly $18.00ea. I see the wires on line for the set between $100 and $200. All done without Vaseline.......... Is this pricing normal?????????:yikes:yikes:yikes

Thanks, Steve

This why l do the majority of the work (90%) myself. I can relate to this when dealing with (to clarify, not all but the majority) Marina boat mechanics, when l was putting in a set of new Livorsi controls in my Fastlane 40 .

l did about 95% of the work in fact all the prick had to do was connect the throttle cables (the new ones were in place and ready) to the throttle bodies and adjust, a very simple procedure

I told the wanker everything was done other then this (ran out of time on a Sunday afternoon) last procedure and he still TRIED to give me a bill for $900 bucks. After discussing this within 2" from his nose he saw the error in his ways and dropped it to $250.

This is the same guy who quoted me $5000 to take off 2 sets of original Mercury cast iron headers off my 502's and replace with a new set of CMI's l brought from Teaque's, naturally l declined his offer and told him to shove it up his arse.

A mate and l did it in half a day and all he wanted was a sit down lunch and a case of Crownies beer.
I'am no tight arse but l have a pretty good idea when somebody is trying to rip me off.
Most not all boat mechanics think, if he can afford a big boat he can afford a big invoice.

Again to clarify, some boat mechanics are genuine hard working guys trying to do the best for their customers at a fair price which l have absolutely have no issues with. It's the ones who see it as a right of passage to charge what ever they want, especially the ones based at boat marinas. They are the ones who give the decent and fair mechanics a bad name.
A lot can be said about the definition of BOAT = Bring On Another Thousand :yikes
Thank God, my Myco trailer has finally landed in Australia today.arty:

 

[Cray Paper]

I asked and that was the wires only. :yikes

Should have asked for the rest of the set.

Changing plugs and wires are simple with single engine boats. Pulling a drive isn't that big of a deal either, just have a buddy around to help or shim up a carpet dolly and have a place to lean / secure it. It's not rocket science, just need to think about it before you start diving in.

 

[Cray Paper]

Most parts on non blue or above Merc engines are stock GM stuff. Water pumps, starters?, distributors, ignition parts etc. are the same as the automotive stuff GM dealers sell. Don't pay more for the black paint and a M sticker. GM engineered the engines and if they didn't they created the spec for the outsourced part. Merc is a great company, but the meat and potatoes of their business is based on the back of GM engineering.

 

[BDMar]

Most parts on non blue or above Merc engines are stock GM stuff. Water pumps, starters?, distributors, ignition parts etc. are the same as the automotive stuff GM dealers sell. Don't pay more for the black paint and a M sticker. GM engineered the engines and if they didn't they created the spec for the outsourced part. Merc is a great company, but the meat and potatoes of their business is based on the back of GM engineering.

This is 100% incorrect. ALL Merc electronic parts, blue or black, are not the same as automotive stuff. They are Coast Guard certified and are made in a way that eliminates any chance of spark during operation. Even the water pumps use different materials for the impellers and bushings to reduce corrosion.
Sorry if I seem a little harsh, but an automotive starter or alternator will "spark" and if there are fuel vapors in the bilge it becomes a deadly combination. Please don't advise people to use automotive parts on their marine engines.

 

[nowski]

This is 100% incorrect. ALL Merc electronic parts, blue or black, are not the same as automotive stuff. They are Coast Guard certified and are made in a way that eliminates any chance of spark during operation. Even the water pumps use different materials for the impellers and bushings to reduce corrosion.
Sorry if I seem a little harsh, but an automotive starter or alternator will "spark" and if there are fuel vapors in the bilge it becomes a deadly combination. Please don't advise people to use automotive parts on their marine engines.

I was once told if your going to put a automotive carburetor on a boat and have a fire your insurance company may not pay the claim because it wasn't a marine carburetor. The reason missing "J" tube...

 

[Hallett285]

Should have asked for the rest of the set.


Changing plugs and wires are simple with single engine boats. Pulling a drive isn't that big of a deal either, just have a buddy around to help or shim up a carpet dolly and have a place to lean / secure it. It's not rocket science, just need to think about it before you start diving in.

That's what I thought originally. Till I saw that was the going price per wire.



Maybe at the end of season bring it home and go for it.....

 

[Racey]

This is 100% incorrect. ALL Merc electronic parts, blue or black, are not the same as automotive stuff. They are Coast Guard certified and are made in a way that eliminates any chance of spark during operation. Even the water pumps use different materials for the impellers and bushings to reduce corrosion.
Sorry if I seem a little harsh, but an automotive starter or alternator will "spark" and if there are fuel vapors in the bilge it becomes a deadly combination. Please don't advise people to use automotive parts on their marine engines.

100% correct here :thumbup:

Insurance will tell you to pound sand if there is non marine distributor, alternator, starter, etc, all of that stuff has to be marine sealed to not allow sparks to ignite fumes in the engine compartment.

Lol i can't believe those plug wires are that focking expensive..... that is insane. I can't remember, does the 496 use a different coil than the mototron ones that are on 525 efi's?

 

[BDMar]

100% correct here :thumbup:
I can't remember, does the 496 use a different coil than the mototron ones that are on 525 efi's?

Completely different coil. The 525 uses a 4 coil "waste spark" system.

 

[rivermobster]

I can't comment on the other issues or pricing but as far as the plug wire price goes.... as hard as it is to believe, a single plug wire for the 496 retail price is $112.00 each.

They are different than the automotive ones and specific to "coil per cylinder" engines.

And this boys and girls, is why we don't buy factory crate engines for our boats!!! LOL

A custom builder (such as this guy right here ^^^), can save you a ton of money, and get you the best bang for your buck. :thumbup:

 

[Racey]

Completely different coil. The 525 uses a 4 coil "waste spark" system.

That explains the iridium plugs on the 496, weak coils, so they need everything they can get resistance wise to get a spark.