I have to give props to Lakeland even though I have had better boating weekends than this last weekend.
Saturday 11:00am....launch...meet up with Rocky and getting ready to make a run down to the Copper and ride the white caps...port motor is not idling great; figured it was cold since it had been sitting for 4 months......get to the bouys...motor is really low on power and won't rev...limp back figuring fouled plugs but wanted to make sure...so on the trailer to Lakeland....Gil and Team at Lakeland drop what they are doing check/change plugs...do compression check and everything checks out except one cylinder bank is colder than the other....check thermostat and find small pebble holding it open with triggers a rich condition....Get that taken care of and have them change the plugs in the starboard motor as well and while checking diags on other engine, find by listening to motor like a Ferrari mechanic small oil bleeder line pinched/cut.....traced/replaced and back to the ramp..... Drop back in around 3:00...and boats purrs like the day I took possesion...made a couple runs and it ran great...
Sunday 10:00am...launch...run to Steamboat, run to backside of the Island...all gauges check out, running on back side of the island at around 45 (I am teaching the wife to drive at this point out in the wide part of the lake), I have her turn around....start to hear loud knock in the motor that gets worse really quick...turn it off...and then limp in..
Monday 8:00am...call Lakeland...speak to Ritchey, he is bummed to hear about it and asks if I can bring it right in...drop it off an hour later. They looked at it yesterday and it locked up...not sure what it is...but the motor has only 59 hours on it and is 6 months out of warranty...last time before the weekend that it had been run was October (which was when Warranty expired)....Ritchie tried to talk to Merc today about helping out, they Ok'd him to tear it down and find out what broke..(given the situation), so hopefully Merc will step up...either way Ritchey and Lakeland have stepped up at this point. Kudos to them...just wanted to pass along my experience...