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Old 16-05-2018, 12:42   #16
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

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Originally Posted by zengirl View Post
I'm up in Norfolk, Va now. Everything else on engine is good to go. I can use my engine, just not push it because it will overheat. Thanks for the input.
if you take off the hose from the impellor pump or antisiphon,turn it so it is higher than the heat exchanger and pour in vinegar,then leave it for a day or two the vinegar will dissolve salt and calcium deposits,as a temporary fix
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Old 16-05-2018, 13:11   #17
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

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Well, I finally found out where to get the parts and I had to save the money. I now have the parts and the mechanic that I had do some work on my engine was the one that told me about the recall, so I asked him how much he would charge me for the recall job and he said $500. Well, when I finally found out that it wasn't covered and had to pay, the parts were $750 alone, so I don't know why this mechanic was quoting $500 for the job.
Speaking as an automotive mechanic.....
Jobs like this always seem like a simple remove and replace to the customer but it rarely turns out that way.

Like others have mentioned, you don't know exactly what you will need until you are into the job up to your elbows. Being that the work is being done on site, no one is going to deliver any parts to him. He needs to stop working and get them himself or leave your boat apart until the parts are shipped to him, further increasing the time he spends on your boat and your inconvenience having your boat inoperable.

I would guess that the minimum amount of time he will be working on your boat is half a day if he is inclined to do the job right and not leave other problems related to this un-resolved. It will make him look even worse if he has to come back to replace a hose that should have been done at the time and has to charge you for it.

I guess the best you can do is find someone you can trust and well..... trust them. It's a hard pill to swallow I know. In my industry there are many who don't deserve that trust. I like to think I am not one of them and I take my share of loses trying to be one of the good guys.
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Old 16-05-2018, 13:31   #18
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

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Speaking as an automotive mechanic.....
Jobs like this always seem like a simple remove and replace to the customer but it rarely turns out that way.

Like others have mentioned, you don't know exactly what you will need until you are into the job up to your elbows. Being that the work is being done on site, no one is going to deliver any parts to him. He needs to stop working and get them himself or leave your boat apart until the parts are shipped to him, further increasing the time he spends on your boat and your inconvenience having your boat inoperable.
This is very insightful and also applies to house renovation/repair. The $500 quote includes his travel time to and from the boat, any time he needs to chase down additional parts and his overhead. If he's lucky and it goes quick, he makes money. When he gets up to his elbows in the job and finds a bear, he's SOL and has to git 'er done no matter what.

There's bad apples out there, sure, I just hate to see the good guys get bundled in with them.
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Old 16-05-2018, 13:48   #19
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wind River View Post
Speaking as an automotive mechanic.....
Jobs like this always seem like a simple remove and replace to the customer but it rarely turns out that way.

Like others have mentioned, you don't know exactly what you will need until you are into the job up to your elbows. Being that the work is being done on site, no one is going to deliver any parts to him. He needs to stop working and get them himself or leave your boat apart until the parts are shipped to him, further increasing the time he spends on your boat and your inconvenience having your boat inoperable.

I would guess that the minimum amount of time he will be working on your boat is half a day if he is inclined to do the job right and not leave other problems related to this un-resolved. It will make him look even worse if he has to come back to replace a hose that should have been done at the time and has to charge you for it.

I guess the best you can do is find someone you can trust and well..... trust them. It's a hard pill to swallow I know. In my industry there are many who don't deserve that trust. I like to think I am not one of them and I take my share of loses trying to be one of the good guys.
+1
If you think the mechanic is ripping you off for doing a comprehensive job, do it yourself. You will soon find out that there are many inter-reliant parts
on a marine motor and if you don't check and/or replace while you are there you are risking going back again in the not to distant future and having to kick yourself for not doing it when you were there.
Then there is Murphy; frozen studs, pitted housings etc.
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Old 16-05-2018, 13:52   #20
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

In the US, throughout industry a tube stack is commonly called a tube bundle, as in heat exchanger tube bundle. A tube sheet holds the tube bundle tubes in the proper orientation and possibly but not always connects to the heat exchanger housing itself. The ends of the heat exchanger housings are called end bells. Generally when you remove the end bell you will be looking at the tube sheet.
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Old 16-05-2018, 14:18   #21
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

You need it do this yourself in my opinion. It’s a skill like changing a fuel filter that you need to have.
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Old 16-05-2018, 14:27   #22
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

zengirl, I'm looking at what A64 wrote, post #25. I bet, if you are willing to give this a try by yourself, the guys here will talk you through it, and, having done it, it is just one more thing you can do for yourself in the future: therefore, confidence building, as well.

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Old 16-05-2018, 14:35   #23
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

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You need it do this yourself in my opinion. It’s a skill like changing a fuel filter that you need to have.
I agree.

My engine manufacturer recommends that I do it every 250 hrs to check that the tubes are not building up any deposits, and to replace the o-rings. I'm not finding and paying a mechanic to do that every time I change the oil. For someone without a mechanical background, it was intimidating the first time I took a wrench to my engine and started taking it apart, but I worked trough it, it turned out not to be that hard or technical, and at the end I had a much more comfortable relationship with my engine.

Unless there's something specific about your engine that makes it difficult, or you have some disability that means you can't wield the tools. At least consider giving it a go ... you can still call the mechanic later if you have to.
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Old 16-05-2018, 15:23   #24
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

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You need it do this yourself in my opinion. It’s a skill like changing a fuel filter that you need to have.
+1 more!

It sounds like you have more time than money to devote to this. Even if you had to buy some specialty tools you will likely save money and the experience will be invaluable. You will also find it will boost your confidence to try other repairs and maintenance you might otherwise hire out. Good luck!
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Old 16-05-2018, 15:37   #25
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

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You posted the same thing last year
Better jokes this time.
(sorry)
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Old 16-05-2018, 15:50   #26
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

Here's a link to a boat that's sailing in my neck of the woods. He took photos of the process when he cleaned his exchanger.

http://www.svstrikhedonia.com/cleani...at-exchangers/

In case you do it yourself.

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Old 16-05-2018, 18:49   #27
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

Any 1 hour job is only 1 broken bolt away from being a 3 day ordeal.
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Old 16-05-2018, 19:49   #28
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

Here's what I would do (and have done) when faced with this on my engine. I have not done this particular job, but I did remove the end "caps" on the heat exchanger to check inside and then replaced the gaskets because it had been leaking coolant. I read the manuals and engine how-to guides and then make a plan to spend a whole day pondering, reading, posting to the forums, and Googling YouTube videos. I get as far as I can with the knowledge that I will call got reinforcements if I get stuck on some issue. Usually, just calling up an expert and saying, this is what's happening usually results in some critical peice of advice that allows me to get over the hump and keep working. This not only keeps your cost low, it'll give you a huge basis of knowledge to tackle something else in the future with (hopefully) less anxiety and confidence (well, that's been MY hope anyway...I still get pretty anxious about these jobs!).
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Old 16-05-2018, 22:30   #29
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

You know what, I'm an ex motor mechanic and I still get abit nervous before some of these jobs! There's always the unknowns BUT Google is your friend and it will always work out in the end, just give it ago, you'll learn something and be more confident at the end. There's nothing that can't be fixed, don't let fear get in your way.
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Old 17-05-2018, 10:06   #30
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Re: SO I DON'T GET RIPPED OFF

Time Out! If your only problem is overheating at high revs you probably don't need a new tube stack.

Why was it recalled? Inspect it before you replace it. Is it corroded? Do you have salt water in your antifreeze? Are you loosing antifreeze or is it being watered down? If not you probably do not need to replace it.

Here is how to clean it. Get a piece of PVC pipe wider than the tube stack and a little longer. Glue a cap on one end. Put the stack in the pipe and fill it with white vinegar. Let is sit overnight or longer. Rinse it out and notice how much stuff is rinsed out and it on the bottom of the pipe. re-install. Take it out for a high speed run and observe the temperature.

This needs to be done about once a decade.

This can be done with a minimum of mechanical skills.

PS. Replace the zinc regularly.
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