Gas Engine Repairs in MHC

[buzzk]

I've been looking at boats with gas and diesel. There are several good mechanics that I know of who work on Cummins but I've only heard of one marina that was good with gas inboards. Does anyone have any names in the Morehead City area for gas engines? If I can't find good people to work on the engines then I don't need to buy it. That's one good thing about outboards, there are plenty of places to get them serviced.

[Stephan]

I do not have a recommendation for you, wish I did.
The same situation exists in RI. With the help of the folks here and a serious amount of luck I've kept my Crusader 454s running. I believe one of the benefits of gas engines is their simplicity and the ability to work on the myself.
Good luck,
Stephan

[buzzk]

I asked this question on a different forum too and I got some PM's on who not to call. One guy even sold his boat and bought an outboard because of the hassle. My last boat was a 33 Bertram with Cummins and I was plugged in with a guy that worked on them on the side. He was good. One reason I sold my 33 was because I was tired of dealing with boatyards and nobody wanted to go fishing. So I bought a 26 Regulator, put it on a lift behind my house, which I like but now everyone wants to go fishing and it doesn't have enough room for all my kids and grand kids at one time. My plan was to buy a 31 Bertram and install a new lift. Which I may not do if I can't find anyone to work on gas inboards. I guess I could change my search to only diesel. A lot of the mobile gas mechanics have retired that I know in this area.

[Tony Meola]

A gas mechanic should be fairly easy to find. Not much difference between a marine engine and Automobile. Problem is, most good mechanics usually work on cars not boats. A gas engine is really easy to maintain, even if you are new at it.

Solid state ignition makes it easier.

What type of work are you thinking about that you need a good gas mechanic?

[Bruce]

As one who has serviced both gas and diesel let me offer an opinion.

First a B series cummins is about as simple an engine as it comes. All engines gas or diesel need air, fuel and an ignition source.

A B series cummins doesn't need any electrical wiring other than the starter motor. People over complicate the old basic diesels, there is no mystery. The ignition source in a diesel is the higher compression in the cylinder along with the fine spray of fuel thru an injector.

In reality gas engines finally caught up to diesel engines starting in the 80's.

There are not plugs, wires, cap, rotor, points if applicable and coils to go bad and change. On diesel you pull the injectors every 3000 hours, have them rebuilt and install.

In 3000 hours, how much gas engine components has one serviced?

Not saying gas is bad.

On anything gas that's injected, TB or multi port, has an ecu or ecm if you prefer, you can't diagnose without the benefit of some type of computer or scanner.

Sure you can determine the basics of am I getting fuel and spark but after that most everyone is hog tied.

This also goes for modern diesels that are controlled by computers, have fly by wire controls, your sunk trying to determine and issue.

I still have about 20k's worth of marine gas and diesel interface boxes, dedicated lap tops with software and scanners that enabled me to service modern computer controlled gas or diesel.

Any body who can work on their own gas engine can certainly work on a B series cummins.

Hey I was one of those guys that said diesel were to complicated to work on in the early 70's until I sat down next to my dad while he worked on the D333 cats in our Chris Craft. Compared to the big 460 Fords in our previous boat with the Mallory flat cap distributors always providing a crap storm, the Cats were a breeze.

[buzzk]

I appreciate everyone's responses. I'm concerned about finding someone to work on
engines because I'm unable to do it. I've had two back operations and 6 of my vertebrae are fused together and a neck operation that fused 2 vertebrae in my neck. I'm pain free without any problems and want to keep it that way. It's very difficult for me to get in the position to work over and around engines on boats. On my last 33 Bertram I changed the oil and did routine maintenance but I couldn't get in position to take the aftercoolers off or take the heat exchanges off.

I hear what you're saying about gas engines but I've got to find someone who's willing to come to the boat and work on it. It sounds like a easy problem just call someone but who? There used to be a lot of mobile mechanics in my area that worked on gas engines but the ones I know are retired. I'm sure there are good people out there but finding them is easier said than done.

Maybe I should just wait until I find the right diesel boat with Cummins 210 to 270. With a diesel I wouldn't have to worry about a fuel tank. If I had a gas boat with a fiberglass tank I wouldn't feel comfortable until I changed the tank even if the prior owner said no ethanol fuel had been put in the tank. I've heard stories of ethanol fuel free fuel that wasn't really ethanol free. I really liked the Cummins in my old Bertram 33, I have a really good guy to work on Cummins.

[Bruce]

Buzz,
Have you walked the docks and inquired with gas boats who they use?

Also the manufacturer of the engines Merc, Crusader, etc should have a listing of dealers in the area.

Check with Anchorage marina on Atlantic beach. I believe the owner is still Jim Bailey who used to own Buddy Boy, he is a heck of a nice guy and may know who in the area does mobile gas inboards.

[Tommy]

Bruce, I talked to Jim last week hoping to come up with a mechanic for Buzz, but his go-to guy, Dale Monroe, retired at the ripe young age of 79. I talked to Dale yesterday and he said his wife is keeping him plenty busy at home. Dale was known down these ways as "The Wizard" because he was so good. As Buzz has stated, so many of the good mechanics have retired. In fact, my favorite mechanic has retired......and that would be YOU!

[buzzk]

According to the Crusader website their closest dealer is in the Wilmington area. Right now I've got outboards on a Regulator. When I ask around nobody has a go to guy for gas inboards. All my friends either have diesel or outboards. If I buy another Bertram I'm thinking it better be diesel and it needs to be Cummins.

[Bruce]

Well I guess the brainwashing of America's youth into college because working with your hands is somehow beneath human dignity, has caused a shortage of techs.

I'm sorry to hear you can't find somebody. I really enjoyed it for 29 years. Was able to help a lot of people out.

[buzzk]

I'm a firm believer in higher education whether it's tech school or college. But I think we need some reform.Some colleges convince these kids to get student loans to pay for degrees that they can never get a job in or the job doesn't pay enough to even pay back the loan. When kids sign up for this debt the schools should show them the average pay in that field.

[Tony Meola]

Well I guess the brainwashing of America's youth into college because working with your hands is somehow beneath human dignity, has caused a shortage of techs.

I'm sorry to hear you can't find somebody. I really enjoyed it for 29 years. Was able to help a lot of people out.

Lets not forget to blame the parents. Right now a prime example are the shore areas. They can not get help for the summer. The foreign kids they usually hire can not get into the country and all the spoiled local brats think working in a restaurant or on the board walk is beneath them, because their guidance counslers have drilled into them that they need to get a summer corporate job if they want to get ahead in life.

[Carl]

I'm a firm believer in higher education whether it's tech school or college. But I think we need some reform.Some colleges convince these kids to get student loans to pay for degrees that they can never get a job in or the job doesn't pay enough to even pay back the loan. When kids sign up for this debt the schools should show them the average pay in that field.

Higher education...

To what end I ask?

You mention the colleges convince kids...
I say buyer beware. Unfortunately, higher education is big business that "students and their families" buy into. When I look at a school as a business I see a split goal for them...to offer the fruit of higher learning and bring in as many "Clients" as possible. They can be conflicting goals at times. making the right purchase is up to the students. It would be nice if students could find out what each purchase can offer.

Yes, the average pay would be nice.


Nothing like getting out of school 20, 30, 40, 50k or a whole lot more in debt than can not get a job or find a job that pays the bills. Maybe even worse is when you find out you hate the work.