New Mercury 525 efi, BAD!!!!

[hallett 260]

So I bite the bullet and pay for a Merc. 525efi. I get the motor brand new only to find out, before the motor is even in the boat, there is water in cylinder #4. Ok, its under warranty, they should give me a new one, right? No!!! :mad: I now need to send it back to Mercury Racing for them to work on it. They are going to repair the bad motor and send it back to me. The process has already taken 2 weeks, now I have to send it back have them repair it and send it back. I am guessing another 3-4 weeks. So much for Mercury Racing!!!
Now Merc. racing tells me water sitting in a cylinder for several months does not hurt anything :confused: and they will just put new heads on the motor and everything will be fine. Is this true? I know it can't be good.
Zach

[RiverDave]

How did water get in the cylinder?
RD

[Speedin' Ian]

Now Merc. racing tells me water sitting in a cylinder for several months does not hurt anything and they will just put new heads on the motor and everything will be fine. Is this true? I know it can't be good.
That depends, if it sat for a long time, than it may have caused some serious rust which would eventually cause pitting in the cylinder. If that is the case then they will most likely bore .030 over and rebuild, keep in mind I have limited experience with building motors so hopefully someone will chime in and add their opinions. I know for the money you spent I would be disappointed with your experiences.

[hallett 260]

They don't know how water got into the cylinder until they tear it apart. They told me a seat of some sort must have cracked and slowly let water in.?.? I can tell you the water has been in there for at least a month.

[OutCole'd]

I don't blame you. I'd be pissed. If I paid for a brand new motor, I would expect a brand new motor, not something that had to shipped back and reworked.

[cdog]

For the price of thoses engine they should ship you a new one as soon as they recieve yours and verify the warranty. Start going over heads. Call, Call Call. Everyday!

[It's Only Money]

A thought comes to mind........
If the motor was brand new, then wouldn't it have been in a crate? When the crate was opened the water was already in the cylinder? Doesn't Mercury Racing ship the motor in a waterproof bagged crate or sealed in some manner? I'm having trouble understanding how water could have gotten inside the cylinder if the crate was intake. It would seem to me that casual water can't enter an EFI motor very easily unless it came through the headers/exhaust. I would think this would be sealed at the factory for shipment. I would also expect that the closed cooling system on this motor would be empty upon arrival.
OR...
Did the motor come from a reseller or "extra" from a boat builder that MAY have been used?
Someone on here must have received a new motor from Mercury or Mercury Racing and can confirm how they are packaged and shipped.

[Beer-30]

Tell em to forget it.
Have em put in a Mag or HO, spend $6K to RayLar it, be money ahead and run just as good.

[cdog]

A thought comes to mind........
If the motor was brand new, then wouldn't it have been in a crate? When the crate was opened the water was already in the cylinder? Doesn't Mercury Racing ship the motor in a waterproof bagged crate or sealed in some manner? I'm having trouble understanding how water could have gotten inside the cylinder if the crate was intake. It would seem to me that casual water can't enter an EFI motor very easily unless it came through the headers/exhaust. I would think this would be sealed at the factory for shipment. I would also expect that the closed cooling system on this motor would be empty upon arrival.
OR...
Did the motor come from a reseller or "extra" from a boat builder that MAY have been used?
Someone on here must have received a new motor from Mercury or Mercury Racing and can confirm how they are packaged and shipped.
I've seen them in the crate over at shockwave with antifreeze in the overflow so i'd assume they come with fluids. I am sure by the looks of them that they bench test and dyno run them to assure qualitly. He said water. Well if there was a cracked head he'd have antifreeze in the cylinder. Otherwise it could have been some reversion when testing with water jacked headers. Hard to tell but it's not right and if it came from merc that way i'd demand a new one.

[Magic34]

Kick, scream, shout, do whatever it takes, but you should have a new motor. Your builder should be fighting for you as well. Have you taken delivery of the boat? If not, hold funding until you get a new motor, or if you do use the motor they fix and return to you, make them put a 5 year warranty on it at no charge. If they are so sure of the fix, then they will put a warranty to go with it.
Actually, I'd keep that motor IF I could get that warranty at no charge.

[TPI]

I'm Confused........................Why would someone take the spark plugs out of a brand new engine and look inside the cylinders? Is there more to the story? Maybe I missed something, I am going to read this again.
OK, I read it again........It starts with "THERE WAS WATER IN THE CYLINDERS BEFORE IT WAS IN THE BOAT". I have taken delivery of a dozen 525's, and I have never thought to pull a spark plug and look inside. This is where i'm lost. Also, they do come with all of the fluids intact. It is an aluminum headed motor, so if the seat fell out or cracked(not likely) it still wouldnt explain the water? It is filled with antifreeze. Hmm.........Need more information please.

[hallett 260]

Heres the details:
The motor is brand new. All of the seals are the heads, plastic on the intake...etc
The motor is for a repower in my Hallett deck. The engine was being installed at Paul Pfaff when they had to remove one of the headers to get to the motor mount on the starboard side. (it is very tight on that side because of the walkthrough). In the process, they broke the spark plug. When they went to replace it, water with antifreeze came out of the cylinder. ( Call it lucky, or what... I don't know). I take it to M&K marine to have it looked at. They do all the testing and the cylinder checks out ok, with the exception of the antifreeze. Now it is on its way back to Mercury for repairs. NOT replacement!!!
The other thing that has me mad is the time it is going to take to get it fixed. It has already been 2 weeks and now we are talking another 3-4 before I get it back. I then need to install it again...etc. I will be lucky to be out by the 4th.
I think that is a good idea to ask for a 5 year warranty. I will try to work that in. I think that is the least they could do if they give me that motor back.
Zach
.

[rivrbrat]

Motors are shipped in cardboard boxes that are not impervious to weather, as a matter of fact my motor sat outside during a number of the winter storms. if it had water in it when opened i would not except it period. we pay to much money on these boats to be covering for the builder.

[Jrocket]

Who or where did you buy the motor from?

[hallett 260]

It's water from the closed cooling system, so the packing and shipping has nothing to do with it. It has to be something in the heads for coolant to enter the cylinder.

[Beer-30]

It's water from the closed cooling system, so the packing and shipping has nothing to do with it. It has to be something in the heads for coolant to enter the cylinder.
...or the intake. Someone screwed up a gasket somewhere! Or, if they use seasoned blocks (used), someone may have missed a cylinder wall hairline crack during the magnaflux?

[It's Only Money]

Interesting.....make sure to keep us informed as to how this comes out.

[C-2]

Wow, this sucks. I'd be madder than hell (not that you aren't). :mad: :mad:

[Kilrtoy]

Oh hell no... I would refuse to accept a broken NEW motor....
Replace the whole thing is the ONLY ANSWER that is correct

[hallett 260]

It's unbelievable they plan on giving me that motor back!!! We'll see what happens.
They said to me that they just could not just "Throw away a new motor". So I guess I get their throw away!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
JRocket, it was bought from DCB by Advantage Marine. Maybe you already have heard some of this.

[Dave C]

This is typical Merc B.S..... don't put up with this sh*t from them! :hammerhea
If this is they type of treatment that you get when you pay good money for their overpriced POS then I would tell them to stick it up their arse!!!
You should tell them to either replace it entirely or take their leaky pile of dung and stick it up their arse!!!
water in a brand new motor... that is a serious lack of quality control!!!!! :hammerhea
I'm not surprise you are getting the run around either. I swear I would never in a million years buy another one of their motors.
fawkers, this kinda B.S. makes me mad! :mad:
I've talked to Pfaff before and I think your money would be better spent with them.

[Dave C]

so they f-ck up the build and all of a sudden that becomes your problem?. No, F*ck that... if they f*ck it up, its their problem, not yours.
I would tell them I don't give a f*ck what they do with their brand new leaky ass POS motor... it ain't going in my boat. :220v:
Now that is typical Merc BS too. :argue:
Thats some funny sh*t there. Did you tell that to them? I would!... "what am I the dumping ground for your junk" and then listen to the silence on the other end of the line.
They said to me that they just could not just "Throw away a new motor". So I guess I get their throw away!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
BTW,it probably has a crack somewhere to let lots of water in. I bet you 50/50 chance of them fixing it right the first time! So if they don't fix it right the first time, you will take it out, hydrolock it and out it comes again after it ruins your weekend...... leaks that big typically require quite a few parts being tested and thrown away.

[Essex502]

It's unbelievable they plan on giving me that motor back!!! We'll see what happens.
They said to me that they just could not just "Throw away a new motor". So I guess I get their throw away!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
JRocket, it was bought from DCB by Advantage Marine. Maybe you already have heard some of this.
Lemme' get this straight...
The motor was shipped to DCB from Mercury. DCB was the original buyer. Then it was sold to Advantage Marine for sale to you. It was somehow shipped to Pfaff to do the actual install? Is this the route?
Just wanted to follow the path as I ordered a new HP525 for our new boat through the builder.

[NOTALENT]

Motors are shipped in cardboard boxes that are not impervious to weather, as a matter of fact my motor sat outside during a number of the winter storms. if it had water in it when opened i would not except it period. we pay to much money on these boats to be covering for the builder.
nope. It should be shipped in either a plastic crate water proof wrapped in plastic with plugs for the exhaust ports etc.. if not the plastic crate thena wooden crate still wrapped in a heavy duty plastic to where water can not enter...at least thats how we do it..and were one of the biggest manufacturers in the U.S. What ever the case u are buying a brand new engine. It is expected that if u are not satisfied with the build u should be able to get a new one shipped out. Ask to talk to the supervisor. if thats who ur speaking to ...talk to his boss..eventually u will get to a high enough rank to where they get u a new one out.

[NashvilleBound]

Sounds very typical of Merc. One word for you...Ilmor.

[Magic34]

It's unbelievable they plan on giving me that motor back!!! We'll see what happens.
They said to me that they just could not just "Throw away a new motor". So I guess I get their throw away!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
JRocket, it was bought from DCB by Advantage Marine. Maybe you already have heard some of this.
I would think that they would bore it a little and actually give you more displacement. Push that 5 year warranty. A motor that has been worked on a little with a 5 year warranty, would be better than another new motor with a 1 year warranty in my book. This is only true if they fix it right!!!! :idea:

[moneypit]

Let me get this straight. Water in a brand new motor that was found by accident by the installer who actually tripped and broke a spark plug? The boat was bought by DCB for Advantage marine only to have phaff install it?
Say what? Forgive me, but Im a little confused
Exactly how much water was found? condensation? or ALOT? These motors arent made and shipped across the ocean. If it Mercurys fault that there is H20 in it, I would say that the motor was delivered unaccepably. I would refuse it and notify them that you will only accept another part number. Any complaints then I would let them know that you will be notifying an Attorney, BBB and TOM BROWN (sorry :D )