Conference vicki::boats

    See note 556.4 for Whitney's in Leominster then give Rick Wilson
    in Milford, NH., (673-3840) a call to see if he has time to do the
    work.  
    Wayne

       Thanks Wayne, gave Whitney's a call and they can't help me.  Says
    the motor is to old.  Rick never called me back.  My wife said "Have
    it fixed".  Looks like I'll be back in the water within a week or two.
    
    Thanks again
    Bill

    Rick seems to be away this week.  Also he 'tends' to work on engines of
    less than 25 HP. That MAY have changed but last year that was his
    policy.
    
    Jeff

    It just seems like alot of money to spend on a '72 engine when someone
    must have used parts available.  I've never heard of anybody not being
    able to get a part from Whitney's "because it was too old".  I thought
    that that was his specialty.  I think he does more OMC's than Mercury.
    Rick must be up at Lake Winny enjoying his summer away from DEC.  It's
    not like him to not call you back.  I don't know where you went in
    Amherst, NH. (Wilderness Marine?  Rick works there part time)  I would
    make some more calls to as many Mercury dealers that I could find. 
    With all the problems that outboard motor owners are having with seized
    pistons, somebody should have an older scrap motor with a serviceable
    distributor on it.  Just seems like alot of money to me.
    Wayne

    Old parts are Whitney's specialty.  Your right about the OMC stuff.  He
    is not a big one on Merc's.  Sometimes if you really want something bad
    enough you have to go up there.  He has piles of stuff.  If its not a 
    bigger ticket item, and he is not sure that he has it, he will not say
    hang on a minute while I go look. 
    
    Wayne

    
    screw the dealers, call Mercury.....   you arn't the only one
    
    with a 72 motor...   i'm sure they can tell you where to find
    
    parts.....  or send them..
    
    JIm

    I would at least call Fay's Boatyard in Guilford, NH. (Sorry, don't
    know the number).  they have been in business for years and by the
    looks of their yard, they resisted the urge to throw anything away
    so far and might have what you need.  Also, you may want to find out if
    the distributor on the 115 HP was used on any of the other models back
    then.  Example: sometimes a 90 HP outboard and a 115 HP outboard may
    differ only by carbs size, etc., but the distributors might be the
    same.  I can't stress this enough, if you don't know the condition of
    the rest of that engine, you would be foolish to sink $600 into just
    the distributor.  There must be a reason why you paid less than that
    amount for a complete boat, motor, and trailer.
    Wayne

      
    
    i couldn't agree more with Wayne, $600 is too much for that yr.
    
    engine.
    
    JIm

    I know I am new to boating, but...
    
    Why on earth would a distributor cost $400 and labor $200?
    
    Whats involved in the labor?  I would imagine pulling the flywheel off
    to get access to the distributor, and then remove and replace.  How
    long can that take a professional to do?
    
    Check the WantAdvertiser.  There is a boat parts section.  Call someone
    selling a bunch of outboards, they probably work on them and may have
    the part you need.
    
    Mark

    
    >       <<< Note 1081.9 by BUSY::CLEMENT "Smells like Nirvana" >>>
    >
    >I know I am new to boating, but...
    >
    >Why on earth would a distributor cost $400 and labor $200?
    
    	Easy one! Cuz the distibutor has a very descriptive, high-cost
    word associated with it.....
    
    
    
    			MARINE
    
    Rick

    Hey rick you beat me too it.
    
    JIm

Fays Boat Yard (603) 293-8000

They just shipped the intake manifold for my 292 Interceptor yesterday. :^)
I talked with Bob in parts, seemed like a real nice guy.

Gregg

        Thanks for all the info guys.
    
        Wayne, it's a small world, Rick just called me.  He is working at
    Wilderness Marine three night a week, and he will be the one fixing
    the engine.
    
        He said that I wasn't getting the shaft, he said the going price
    for a new distributor is $400, and four hours labor, hance $200.  He
    said the distributor shaft BROKE.  Only God knows how.  There are
    bushing around the shaft and on one side they were completly gone, wore
    out the bearings and thus broke the shaft.
    
        I'll pay the $600, because that I can afford, 9 grand for another
    boat, I can't.  The boat is still in good shape for being mid 60's and 
    the motor is a 72.  Will pull two adult skiers out of the water.
    
        Whitney's just said in exact word, "Nope, don't have it, motors to
    old", and hung up.  I've read a lot of people here in notes comment on
    Whitney's as being so great, no thanks, or maybe the guy just had the
    perverable hair across his butt.
    
    Thanks again guys.
    Bill 

        Just to keep everyone posted on my distributor.  It took 1 to 2 
    weeks for the distributor to come in.  There was a part missing, and
    it had to be backordered, another 2 to 3 weeks.  
    
        I finally got the boat back.  Put it in the water, started right
    up.  Half way across the lake the motor died.  Couldn't get it started.
    Now I'm paddleing an 18' tri hull across the lake to my house.  Took it
    out of the water and back to the dealer.
    
        He say's "It's kind of scarey, when I boat goes out one day and 
    comes back the next".  No s--t.
    
        They worked on the motor for three straight days.  Calls me up and 
    says, "Bill, I've got bad news, the new distributor is no good, we'll
    have to order another one.  It should be in within three days".  I then
    asked him if this one will be in within three days, how come it took
    three weeks for the first one.  No answer, except the kind that goes
    around the bush.
    
        Anyway I got the boat back last Friday (17th).  I asked them if
    they would give to me in writing that the boat is running fine, because
    I'm going to bring it home and WINTERIZE it.  Of course he said no.
    I put it in the water Sunday and GUESS WHAT, IT STILL DOESN'T WORK.
    Top speed 15MPH, not quite right for a 115 unless it,s trying to move
    the Gueen Mary.
    
        Needless to say it's going BACK to the shop tommorrow.  I don't
    know about any of you out there, but I WILL NEVER bring my boat back
    to Wilderness Marine.
    
        Maybe I'll get it back in time for ice fishing. :>)
        

    Is Rick W. working on your motor or somebody else?
    Wayne

        I have no idea who's working on it, at first I was under the
    impression Rick was the one working on it but I guess not.  When
    I showed the kid working on it, what I thought the problem was, he
    stated "Gee I don't really know", dah.
        Their closed today, but tommorow I'll be right back, I'm starting
    to get p---ed.
    
        I'll check and see if Rick is still there.

I was over to Wilderness marine last night and was talking with Rick (Wilson)
about the 115. It appears that both Matt (a long time marine mechanic) and Rick
had been working on this motor.

Rick mentioned that they have way more time into this boat than they are 
billing or being paid for. They really seem to have bent over backwards to
get this engine running right but that it has more problems than just the 
original broken distributor shaft. 

#3 cylinder is damaged (melted?) due to a carberator problem known to exists
for several (3?) years (running lean?). The number 3 piston was replaced 
several years ago at a different shop for the same problem but the cause of 
the failure was never corrected. 

Since they are not located on a lake they only do a run-up with the muffs
on and then tank test the motor before returning it to the customer.

Bill, you may wish to authorize them to drive the boat down to Brookline 
and test it in actual conditions before returning the boat to you (assuming
they will be doing anymore repair work). This might run you a few manhours
of labor charges but might well be worth it. That's a pretty big barge to be
paddling around the lake.

A sad suituation all around.

Doug.