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  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Fishers, IN
    Posts
    288

    When to pull the plug and sell or repower?

    I am interested in when you decide to pull the plug and re-power. I have a 225 hp motor just over 3 years old and 270 hrs and it have left me stranded on the water 4 times. 2 of the time have been this year on day 1 of vacation. One tracker valve replaced and now the 3rd set up fuels rails being replaced. While under warranty the down time and lack reliability is starting to wear on me. if this is what the first 3 years looks like what will next 3 looks like. I have had similar boat/motor setup and never had issues like this.

    Should the motor manufacture helps more than just repairing under warranty? interested if others have got the manufacture to help more and what they did to help

    Will I get any trade-in on a re-power? i know I am going to get screwed but I feel that way every time I have an issue. I am not sure I want to be paying for fuel rails when I run out of warranty. Do I stay with same motor brand or go to another?

    felling frustrated and ready to sell everything and not sure what to do and interested what others think.

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Maple Valley, Wa. State
    Posts
    2,315
    #2
    Sounds like a lemon. Tell them you want a new motor.
    "Everyone should believe in something; I believe I'll go fishing."

    -Henry David Thoreau

    Men and fish are alike. They both get into trouble when they open their mouths

    author unknown

    2015 Phoenix 919 225 Yamaha SHO


  3. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    greenbrier TN
    Posts
    1,670
    #3
    All I can tell you is when you put the boat in the water and don't make a long run because you don't think you'll
    make it back to the dock it's time for a change. It's the little things that just tick me off when I have a very limited time
    to fish. The last time I got stranded is why I traded my boat. When your 10 miles from the boat ramp it sucks. I found a dock owner
    that would let me tie up and have my wife come and pick me up and take me to my truck. My 3 hour fishing trip on a HOT August day turned
    out to be a all day problem. It wasn't a big deal the rubber gasket on the fuel pump went out. Labor and all $150+/- .
    I know the last two years I had that boat I spent more time loading and unloading tackle taking it to the shop. It was
    never anything major always little things.
    Mike
    2019 Phoenix 721 pro xp

    Mercury 250 pro xs
    2B575862

  4. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Insomnia, near Seaford Delaware
    Posts
    35,511
    #4
    Some motors are fast, economical and reliable. Most cannot do all three. Find out what is most important to you and choose accordingly.

  5. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Nederland, Tx
    Posts
    13,618
    #5
    3 sets of fuel rails this year? That sounds like your dealer may not be locating the original issue or merc may have had a bad group of rails. I know they had some bad tracker valves for a while. What exactly caused them to change the rails?

  6. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Versailles, KY
    Posts
    2,913
    #6
    Went through a similar issue last year with mine and was debating about the same. My dealer replaced pretty much everything and knock on wood I haven’t had any issues this year. When I priced around repower or new boat I was basically at this out of pocket. 10k for a new motor or 20k for a new 721 equality equipped.
    A.J. Kelty Versailles KY
    2021 Phoenix 920 Elite

  7. Member 06 SB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    West Point Lake, GA
    Posts
    10,984
    #7
    Get it to Sherm’s Marine or better yet, set up an appointment with Don Weed in Greenville and take a road trip. Don will get it figured out properly! My first Optimax was in 1999 and had one ever since. I have never replaced the fuel rails on 5 different motors. 3 this year means something is wrong, either they did not really replace them or did not figure out what is causing the failures. A lot of mechanics just throw new parts on and call it good.

    USN Retired
    2020 Basscat Caracal
    2020 Mercury 225 ProXS 4s



  8. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Muskegon, MI
    Posts
    1,202
    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by kry29 View Post
    3 sets of fuel rails this year? That sounds like your dealer may not be locating the original issue or merc may have had a bad group of rails. I know they had some bad tracker valves for a while. What exactly caused them to change the rails?

    What this guy said...

  9. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Fishers, IN
    Posts
    288
    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by BassDaggett View Post
    What this guy said...
    3 set of fuel rails in 3 years. 1 tracker valve and 1 set of fuel rails this year.

  10. <B>BBC SPONSOR</B>
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Bryant, Arkansas
    Posts
    1,198
    #10
    Are they replacing the complete fuel rail system or just the diaphragms?

  11. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Fishers, IN
    Posts
    288
    #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Hunter689 / Get Outdoors View Post
    Are they replacing the complete fuel rail system or just the diaphragms?
    3 full sets of rails and one time was just the diaphragm (tracker valve)

  12. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Nederland, Tx
    Posts
    13,618
    #12
    What was the cause of the bad fuel rails?

  13. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Fishers, IN
    Posts
    288
    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by kry29 View Post
    What was the cause of the bad fuel rails?
    I think that is the million dollar question. The manufacture told me it was nothing I was doing or could do wrong. More that one dealer has told me that manufacture jobbed our making some parts and having trouble with who made the parts. After 3 years this seems like a quality control problem by the manufacture.

  14. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Nederland, Tx
    Posts
    13,618
    #14
    They did have a bad run on the diaphragms they were putting in fuel rails but that was around 2016 and should be worked out by now. I know how bad it sucks to have issues you cant get fixed.

  15. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    1,728
    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by shortstick View Post
    All I can tell you is when you put the boat in the water and don't make a long run because you don't think you'll
    make it back to the dock it's time for a change. It's the little things that just tick me off when I have a very limited time
    to fish. The last time I got stranded is why I traded my boat. When your 10 miles from the boat ramp it sucks. I found a dock owner
    that would let me tie up and have my wife come and pick me up and take me to my truck. My 3 hour fishing trip on a HOT August day turned
    out to be a all day problem. It wasn't a big deal the rubber gasket on the fuel pump went out. Labor and all $150+/- .
    I know the last two years I had that boat I spent more time loading and unloading tackle taking it to the shop. It was
    never anything major always little things.
    I don't know if wiser words have been spoken +1 shortstick