NEW Mercruiser 5.7 with tuliped valves after 29 hours

JaguarMan

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I have yet to see the warranty myself. The engine came with paper work about the installation and was sent back to them. The engine comes with a 3 year warranty that I have yet to receive. I am waiting to hear if they are going to fix that engine and charge me or send me another engine.
 

JaguarMan

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I called again today but no direct answer. They sais they are still looking into the failure!
 

JaguarMan

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Called again today. They said being that they only received the engine on Sept 4, they have 30 days to determine what they are going to do! Have never heard of such bs in my life. What a great summer only using for 29 hours!
 

JaguarMan

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Saturday, Oct 4 will be 30 days that Mercruiser has had the engine. Being told by the dealer who sold me the engine they have 30 days or after that will refund the total purchase price. I will never buy another Mercruiser product that has a warranty!
 

alldodge

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I feel your frustration but never say never. If they do refund it will be lots better then the alternative.
 

Lou C

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This sounds like very bad warrantee service. Do they have anything in their installation instructions about having to re torque the cyl head bolts after break in or a specific # of hrs?
Tuliped valves and water in a cyl can have different causes but can be related (lean fuel mix, over propped over heated blown head gasket).
What were your engine temps while running?
My old '88 4.3 overheated after a cooling hose popped off 2 seasons ago. I thought the motor was done but after replacing a few burnt up parts in the exhaust system started it up checked compression and it was fine; normal comp no water in the oil. Still fine 2 seasons later..
Sounds like we need more info...
 

300sflyer

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Saturday, Oct 4 will be 30 days that Mercruiser has had the engine. Being told by the dealer who sold me the engine they have 30 days or after that will refund the total purchase price. I will never buy another Mercruiser product that has a warranty!

Any more news?
 

JaguarMan

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Today will be the day I find out. The engine came with nothing but a check list for installation. After 20 hours I had the oil changed and mailed the paper work for warranty. Every part that did not come installed on the engine, including hoses were replaced with new Mercruiser parts. Had the outdrive resealed, new bellows and bearing, shift cable, trim and tilt senders, thermo housing and warning sensors replaced. I also had new gauges and shifter,and cables installed, new ignition switch, fuel lines and tank cleaned. I did not spare any expense and wanted trouble free boating for years to come. Look where that got me! The season is over so if they warranty and give me a new engine, it will not be installed till spring. Will keep posted.
 

tpenfield

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Merc is saying that you bought a long block and you should have check the heads bolts? That makes no sense

+1 . . . unless there is specific instructions to check/torque the bolts by the installer, then I would cry foul on them.
 

Volphin

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They should pony up for a new engine or refund your $$. That's what a warranty is all about.
 

JaguarMan

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Spoke with the yesterday. They say they are still looking into it. Mercury said they did not get the engine until Sept 15. They also said that they are overloaded with warranty claims. That tends to make me believe they have many other engines that are bad! The dealer that installed the engine has given me a statement that the cylinder head bolts were all loose and that was the cause. Mercury still has no answer for me 6 weeks later! They have had my money and engine longer than I have! The dealer/installer has never heard of having to retorque the cylinder head bolts in many years. Guess I just sit and wait even longer!
 

JustJason

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I hate to tell you but loose cylinder head bolts won't cause tuliped valves. Loose cylinder head bolts would give you leaking head gaskets, which would give you low compression, which would give you typically lots of black smoke, lack of overall power, possibly some misfiring. But the engine won't come close to making full power.

What causes tuliped valves is poor fuel quality, incorrect spark plugs, and lugging. Lugging is overloading the engine by having the wrong prop/gear ratio. Or overloading the boat by putting to much weight in it.
 

Rick Stephens

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Spoke with the yesterday. They say they are still looking into it. Mercury said they did not get the engine until Sept 15. They also said that they are overloaded with warranty claims. That tends to make me believe they have many other engines that are bad! The dealer that installed the engine has given me a statement that the cylinder head bolts were all loose and that was the cause. Mercury still has no answer for me 6 weeks later! They have had my money and engine longer than I have! The dealer/installer has never heard of having to retorque the cylinder head bolts in many years. Guess I just sit and wait even longer!

My bet is that cylinder head bolts won't be the cause or the warranty issue. I surely hope they resolve it in your favor soon, not that you'll be able to use the boat soon with winter fast approaching. I've lately heard a lot of grumbles over Merc product defects. Hopefully they get their sh** together. They make too many products we all count on.

Fingers crossed for you.

Rick
 

JaguarMan

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My latest contact with the dealer was yesterday. He is the one that stated tuliped valves after a compression test. He also stated that the cylinder head bolts were all loose. He is the authorized Mercruiser dealer that did all the work. He said that Mercruiser engine warranty shop is so overloaded with claims that it will take more time. He first told me that on Oct 4 will be 30 days that they had the engine and will need to refund my money. Now he is saying that being they are so backed up it will take longer. I am at their mercy. I have not been told straight answers from day 1.
 

alldodge

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I'm getting the feeling the dealer is trying to cover up something he did to cause the problem. Sure hope it works out in your favor, they wiped out your season
 

Rick Stephens

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The dealer is full of stinky brown stuff - concluding tuliped vales, which are pretty dang rare, because compression is off, is total BS. I can think of half dozen more likely reasons for no compression, most of them the installers fault.
 
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