Why????????

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
do people wait till the day before to start the motors, for a holiday outing? there are more contaminated carb threads today, than in 3 days.
 

jonesg

Admiral
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
7,174
Re: Why????????

I don't bother to winterize my engine because its stored under a roof. :p
 

sikpnter

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Messages
137
Re: Why????????

People around here where I live usually wait till their boat is on the ramp to start it for the first time. Always entertaining.
 

mla2ofus

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Messages
571
Re: Why????????

Because a lot of folks don't realize what happens to gas sitting in a carb unused for 4-6 mos.
Mike
 

crxess

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
559
Re: Why????????

Not me.... Not me..... We went through this weeks ago:D
 

jbjennings

Captain
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Messages
3,903
Re: Why????????

I wonder that to, TD.
I've noticed the threads that are titled, "Help, Please!!!" and then proceed to ask how to fix a motor that won't start because the next day their relatives are coming in and want to go fishing the next morning. Heck, you can't even get parts at a dealer after 4 or 5 o'clock. It's hopeless! I always like to take a lengthy ride in any motor after I get it "fixed" to make sure it's right before I take anyone for a ride in it.
JBJ
 

kenmyfam

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Messages
14,385
Re: Why????????

Amazing is it not !!!
Folk just seem to expect their motors to run like the end of the previous season without actually doing any maintenance !!!
 

Beeched

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 22, 2002
Messages
110
Re: Why????????

It is all a subconscious thing, they do not want to really take their relatives out the next day.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Why????????

i had 6 calls Sunday, people wanting me to work on there motors, so they could go Monday. i did do an impeller on a 9.5. just happened to have the impeller, because i had a job scheduled for this week.
 

CharlieB

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
5,617
Re: Why????????

I am constantly teaching my customers that these are NOT like their cars the boats sits for weeks (or longer) at a time, batteries dies, fuel ages, then they will be calling me.

All they have to do is USE THEIR BOAT regularly, the fuel gets used and replaced, the battery gets recharged as it runs, and generally life is good.
 

jasper60103

Commander
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
2,055
Re: Why????????

I see ads on craigslist saying motor runs great. Last used 3 years ago.
Makes no sense at all.
 

mars bar

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
Messages
395
Re: Why????????

Hey TD, most of those people are too cheap to go to a mech. for a preseason tune up. Or invest in a cheap set of EARMUFFS!!!! and run the hose DUH!
 

CATransplant

Admiral
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
6,319
Re: Why????????

Hmm...human nature. Laziness. Stupidity.

All those things make people wait until the last minute to prepare for things. Me? If I plan to go fishing on opening day, I've got everything sussed out a couple of weeks ahead of time, and have made a test run on the water.

No way am I missing that first day of fishing.

Apparently, though, that's not how most people do it, if the launch ramp the first decent day in Spring is any guide.

Dead batteries. Old gas. Problems from the end of last season didn't somehow heal themselves over the winter.

Memorial Day weekend is the worst. For many people, it's the only weekend they use their boat, so it can be a year since it was last on the water, and it didn't run very well a year ago, either.
 

iwombat

Captain
Joined
Jul 12, 2006
Messages
3,767
Re: Why????????

It's the same thing at bike shops the week before Sturgis (or Daytona, or whatever).

Why put off doing until tomorrow what you can procrastinate right now?
 

sheboyganjohn

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 2, 2005
Messages
753
Re: Why????????

I can tell you it is from a pure lack of knowledge, for the most part. Up until 4 or so years ago, all I ever knew about motors is what I got from watching my father (a desiel mechanic mind you). He would pull the motor out of the basement in spring and put it on the boat, head out to the lake and fire it up. He would run it out of gas each time (don't want a carb full of gas in the basement). I don't remember him doing any maintenance at all, other then running the tank just about out at the end of the year and filling it back up the next spring, with maybe one lower unit change. He may have done some work on it when I was not around, but nothing that I knew about. He passed when I was 20 and my mom gave me the boat and motor. Eventually I killed the motor due to lack of knowledge of two strokes (ran it too lean and damaged the something inside).

I am sure many people get motors second hand (either buying them or handed down) and see them the same as cars, you run them, possibly do basic stuff like plugs and lower unit oil, and take them to the shop when something does not seem right. To most I am sure that a boat motor is just a bigger version of a lawn mower or snow blower, and think how people treat those. Just about everyone I know that has a boat has never done a water pump impellor, some will do lower unit oil, and even less will winterize. With the knowledge I have gained over the last few years and seeing what people do, I am surprised that half the motors on the water still run.
 

mike64

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
Messages
1,042
Re: Why????????

I was one of those posts asking if my carbs were contaminated. :redface:

In my defense, I ran the motor several times over the past couple weeks and it ran great on muffs. Gotta test it in the water sometime, and Memorial Saturday was the first day I was able to. I didn't pack the whole family, I went out with a friend and fully expected I might have problems. I knew it wouldn't be very busy for a Memorial Saturday because it was in the 60s and supposed to rain in the afternoon. Also, I didn't waste anybody's time at the dock when I had problems, I took the boat off to a nearby shore area.
 

kenmyfam

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Messages
14,385
Re: Why????????

I got a few calls even here in Canada asking "my motor will not start what is wrong with it"
Some folk expect you to have a crystal ball as well !!!!
Looking at 2 of them this Saturday.
 
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