*THE HULL TRUTH is the world's largest FREE network for the discussion of Boating & Fishing. Whether you're researching a new boat, or are a seasoned Captain, you'll find The Hull Truth Boating & Fishing Message Forum contains a wealth of information from Boaters and Sportfishermen around the world.
Welcome to the updated THT!
If you are having trouble signing in, please email feedback@thehulltruth.com with your username and we will help you. We thank you for your patience as we help you access the new site!
Random Quote: If anything is going to happen...It will happen out there. Captain Ron Ricco
If your engine is having an issue that ahsn't been encountered up to now, Merc. may be using your engine to find the problem. If they are telling the dealer to change parts, clean parts, and run it again; I would say they are trying to find the problem because they don't know what it is. If your cam shaft has pitting from rust and it hasn't been changed, I would like to believe they don't want to do anything major until they find the problem. Then, you get a new power head and they know what issues need correcting.
BUT, your local shop might just be changing parts and not getting Merc. involved because they think they can handle it. They may be telling you the Merc. said to change parts and give it another test run and are really doing that on their own. I would NOT think Merc. would hold you up 4 weeks trying to find a problem.
If the powerhead gets changed, there won't be a water intrusion issue with the new powerhead unless there is a defect in the blocks, which I don't think there is. For water to get into the oil, something is cracked or a gasket has failed. There's no other way for water to get where the oil goes.
If you pump your oil out of the top, you would still see milky oil at some point if there is any in there. If you are not getting all the oil out, the sludge will stay at the bottom and accumulate.
How many hours do you have on the engine?
I would do as Glen suggested and get someone else to look at it or YOU should get in touch with someone at Merc. and let them know what is going on, just in case they don't.
New powerhead. They are going to spend more money on trying to identify a problem that could be any number of things. Do these motors have replacable cam bearings? If not, then its done. I would think they would be better off (and surley you would be happier) just replacing the powerhead. They can take your old one and backtrack the problem.
__________________ Click the banners below to see our products:
Intresting, they sure took due care with your first motors issue and now want to play silly little games with what is a serious problem with this powerhead.
With your dealer claiming case was closed by rep but they would do a follow up is great. Time for just one pleasant customer service phone call requesting some direct answers in timely manner. If that does don't get things in the right direction, a letter of intent from a Attorney might have a effect.
Bro you are not alone. I have met several people this year charter captains and tournament fishermen alike who have been having problems with their Verados. Good new is in all instances that I'm aware of Mercury fixed under warranty free of charge.
You say you remove the oil from the top, not the bottom, there in lies an ENORMOUS problem! You cannot suck the oil out of these engines through the dip stick because you will not get all of the oil out, hence the big sludge problem. "
Guys in no way do I want to derail or be disrespectful to the original poster. However this is something that I have never seen before and as a boater who keeps his boat in the water for hundreds of hours- this point should be discussed in more than passing.
Does it say this in the manual? Yikes.
You say you remove the oil from the top, not the bottom, there in lies an ENORMOUS problem! You cannot suck the oil out of these engines through the dip stick because you will not get all of the oil out, hence the big sludge problem. "
Guys in no way do I want to derail or be disrespectful to the original poster. However this is something that I have never seen before and as a boater who keeps his boat in the water for hundreds of hours- this point should be discussed in more than passing.
Does it say this in the manual? Yikes.
Thats how my dad changed his oil in his inboard for over 20 years. If you use the right oil you should not have any sludge.
Glen--- Sorry, I don't think I need a second opinion. I saw the emulsion and low oil pressure(1st post), then Meeks has confirmed the water intrusion twice, plus low oil pressure along with clay particles(probably salt /minerals) clogging up the oil drain and screen, and Mercury has confirmed the cam-shaft has rust. Mercury also sent the oil to a lab, but I do not know the results.
I know you are a 100% Verado fan, but my dealer is not the problem, it is Mercury(most likely the communication problem is the Mercury rep does not respond to Meeks in a timely manner or follow up). Yes, I have read your board, which I appreciate, but Mercury is having this problem.
Furthermore, I have called the number you provided(Meeks also provided same number) twice.
Pooldoo73---I think you maybe on the right tract, that Mercury is using me to find the problem, but if so, Tailwalker has made a excellent suggestion and that has not been done. There was no smoke before this happened and engine has 350 hours.
Alii kain---My dealer did not claim case closed, it was Mercury hot line that Glen refernces above.
Thank you for all your suggestions. I still have confidence that Mercury will do the right thing, but we are going on 6 weeks is ridicilous, not to mention that August/September is our best fishing months in the gulf.
Marty - as a contributor to the club, my efforts are to you 1st and then to Mercury - I have sent this entire thread up to my friends at merc and will get an answer for you...Powerheads are not in short supply, and with one call the dealer here in ft laud can replace one if necessary. I too, feel there is some sort of comm problem between the dealer, the rep and merc corp. Stay tuned, I will see what I can find out...
Bro you are not alone. I have met several people this year charter captains and tournament fishermen alike who have been having problems with their Verados. Good new is in all instances that I'm aware of Mercury fixed under warranty free of charge.
Fishcop - I don't think that is good news. It implies either shoddy build at the factory, i.e. a crappy factory, or a bunch of warranty repaired Verados waiting to have other problems, i.e. a crappy engine design.
I have no way of knowing but I suspect the Verado isn’t having any more or less problems than any other engine manfr under the same circumstances.
It sounds to me like Meeks has worked this issue the best they can. Unfortunately, it can be painfull dealing with a large company like Mercury. I agree, usually communication is the culprit or they simply do not value thier customers after the sale when things happen that cost them money! There are certain expectations you have as a consumer and your post purchase experience will dictate your buying habits in the future.
__________________ 161 AquaSport Power Cat / Merc. 9o
"50,000 battered women and I'm still eating mine sushi style!!"
It sounds to me like Meeks has worked this issue the best they can. Unfortunately, it can be painfull dealing with a large company like Mercury. I agree, usually communication is the culprit or they simply do not value thier customers after the sale when things happen that cost them money! There are certain expectations you have as a consumer and your post purchase experience will dictate your buying habits in the future.
I must intervene here, Mercury is one of the easiest companies around to deal with both with service and warranty items. It never ceases to amaze me what they are willing to fix and/or cover, sometimes out of warranty! They have the best customer service in the outboard industry by far. I think they just want to make sure that this problem will not happen again that is why the process is taking longer. I applaud you for your patience as well sir!
As for the oil draining situation, there is a sump inside the engine that cannot be drained via the dip stick. This sump holds 4 quarts of oil if I am not mistaken and as such, that amount of oil is never completely removed and there is always old oil in the engine. Please make sure that anyone who has their oil changed, does so by draining it from the drain plug down by the gearcase!
I don’t know; six weeks of not having the problem fixed … ??? Seems to me well beyond reasonable for anyone that knows what they are doing. There’s the rub, knows what they are doing. On the other hand, no one could take six weeks to not fix a problem unless the customer allowed those six weeks (and more?).
Since Merc closed the call it seem possible there is a communication problem between the working dealer and Merc. Maybe Merc isn’t getting the info she needs, when she needs it. I have no way of knowing, just speculating based on the posts from ‘bp fishin’.
I've had two problems with my motors and both were fixed in less than a week...fist was a recall on fuel cell, second was a lower end replacement...as a tournament fisherman I understand the frustration with the situation and hope its resolved immediately...However, I find it hard to believe that Mercury would hold you up for six weeks...
I just got a call from Nick(same person I talked to yesterday with Mercury "hot line"). He told me he talked to his supervisor after we talked and got the ball moving, so it looks like standard procudure worked again, even though it was slow.
Mercury will be replacing the powerhead and oil pump. Not sure when it will arrive, but it is coming by truck from the factory, so hopefully, I'll be in the water by next weekend.
Thank you all(especially THT) for your help and suggestions.
I just got a call from Nick(same person I talked to yesterday with Mercury "hot line"). He told me he talked to his supervisor after we talked and got the ball moving, so it looks like standard procudure worked again, even though it was slow.
Mercury will be replacing the powerhead and oil pump. Not sure when it will arrive, but it is coming by truck from the factory, so hopefully, I'll be in the water by next weekend.
Thank you all(especially THT) for your help and suggestions.
Man, that's good news!! good luck! keep us in the loop!!
I have heard from a mechanic that he had many complaints on the verados do to the supercharger rusting. any truth to that?
Impossible....supercharger is double teflon coated running in delrin bearings...the most they do is develop some normal clatter....was the mechanic a verado certified technician? I doubt it...
I just got a call from Nick(same person I talked to yesterday with Mercury "hot line"). He told me he talked to his supervisor after we talked and got the ball moving, so it looks like standard procudure worked again, even though it was slow.
Mercury will be replacing the powerhead and oil pump. Not sure when it will arrive, but it is coming by truck from the factory, so hopefully, I'll be in the water by next weekend.
Thank you all(especially THT) for your help and suggestions.
Good to read that. Hope you are back on the water ASAP.
__________________ Move along, nothing to see here.
Re: 2nd Verado failure (costs tournament) 
THT sponsor
