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Well.... shit.

FlyByWire

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My 400 shit the bed at 36 hours. Oil everywhere. No warning from the simrad / vessel view. Major vibration after the beeps and shutdown. Oil filter / fill plug intact.



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zx14

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I had a 300x last 22 minutes, crank broke in 3 pieces. Merc said I was the only one.
 

Xring01

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Damn.... hope its covered under warranty...
 

FlyByWire

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any prognosis??? WTF???

Popped the cowling, can’t tell where it’s coming from, but I don’t know shit about outboards. The vibration makes me think it dropped a cylinder. Barrett wanted it tomorrow but I can’t get it in until Wednesday. I’ll update.
 

Headless hula

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Popped the cowling, can’t tell where it’s coming from, but I don’t know shit about outboards. The vibration makes me think it dropped a cylinder. Barrett wanted it tomorrow but I can’t get it in until Wednesday. I’ll update.
please post updates! holy shit man! I'm bummed for ya!!!!!!
 

Headless hula

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i was just reading the cactus thread, and saw the pics of before you took delivery. what did you do for break in, check oil, etc??

i ran the BALLS off mine, and it got MAYBE 1/4 of a quart down on oil, after 40ish hours? hasnt skipped a beat yet!?
 

PlanB

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Damn, that sucks!

I had a couple of 2.5's (280's) that were POS out of the box on a brand new boat. My 300x's were great, and 300 Verado (almost 300 hours) is rock solid. Hopefully it's a fluke and is fixed under warranty. Good luck...
 

FlyByWire

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Detonated piston is the verdict.

They ran a fuel test and found 13% ethanol... max allowable is 10% I guess..?? He said Mercury may try and skate the warranty because of this. I’ve only ever filled that boat up at one station since it’s was new (Campbell Cove) with 91 octane. We will see what Mercury says.
 

Runs2rch

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Who knows if they do.....But if it's over, pretty sure Merc isn't going to cover it. I hope they would for the OP's case.
They sure as shit should.

These things are out running all over the world. Someone is bound to get higher ethanol content.

Its not like it is 20 or 25 percent.
 

Done-it-again

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They sure as shit should.

These things are out running all over the world. Someone is bound to get higher ethanol content.

Its not like it is 20 or 25 percent.

I've been told I'm a glass half empty type person sometimes..... Sooooo if it's going to be covered then all is good, if not. Well I'm not so let down........ Fingers crossed for the OP to have it covered.....
 

NicPaus

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I would have a third party go and fill up a gallon of 91 and test it from the pump. Most pumps say contains up to 10% ethanol. Hopefully you have receipts for fuel purchases. You might have to have the gas station reimburse you for the motor.
 

DRYHEAT

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How many people carry a test kit and test fuel every time they fill up? I honestly wouldn’t know where to go to pick up a fuel test kit, but then again I’ve never looked for one.
Mercury should cover this in my opinion otherwise they need to get a bunch of bad PR. You can’t always control what you get at the gas pump.
 

hallett21

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Mercury says don’t run anything over 10% ethanol. I assume gas station says this gas “may” contain up to 10% ethanol.

Wouldn’t the liability fall on the gas station?

Hopefully Merc covers the motor [emoji1303]


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DRYHEAT

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Mercury says don’t run anything over 10% ethanol. I assume gas station says this gas “may” contain up to 10% ethanol.

Wouldn’t the liability fall on the gas station?

Hopefully Merc covers the motor [emoji1303]


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I doubt the gas stations are adding it, so then we go back to the fuel rack/ refinery/tanker delivery companies. Where does it end I don’t know, this whole situation pisses me off they just need to take the freaking ethanol out.:mad:

If it sounds like I’m mad at Hallett 21 I am not, it may just sound that way. LOL :D
 

NicPaus

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I doubt the gas stations are adding it, so then we go back to the fuel rack/ refinery/tanker delivery companies. Where does it end I don’t know, this whole situation pisses me off they just need to take the freaking ethanol out.:mad:

If it sounds like I’m mad at Hallett 21 I am not, it may just sound that way. LOL :D


Falls back on the refinery I believe. But you would need to prove the gas station they supplied sold it to you. @boatnam2 might know more.
 

Deja_Vu

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Damn , I hope you get this covered . Seems ridiculous that 3% makes that much difference. I’d be looking at my legal options if they don’t come through or goodwill it.

I gas up at Campbell Cove and pay a hefty premium for their non ethanol 91. Is that where you purchased?
 

Singleton

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Detonated piston is the verdict.

They ran a fuel test and found 13% ethanol... max allowable is 10% I guess..?? He said Mercury may try and skate the warranty because of this. I’ve only ever filled that boat up at one station since it’s was new (Campbell Cove) with 91 octane. We will see what Mercury says.

Who tested it? I would get the gas in tank tested again.
 

FlyByWire

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I gas up at Campbell Cove and pay a hefty premium for their non ethanol 91. Is that where you purchased?

Yep. It’s literally the ONLY gas that boat has ever seen.
 

PlanB

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This was gas from their non-ethanol pump?
 

throttle

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Oh no!!! This is not good news! I sure hope Mercury warranty covers it for you.


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FlyByWire

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Got the call this morning. Mercury is going to cover under warranty. She added “luckily” at the end as if I went and bought ethanol and threw it in my tank.

Not sure what I’m supposed to do in the future... I fill the thing up at the same place where guys with 3/4 million dollar boats do.
 

hallett21

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Got the call this morning. Mercury is going to cover under warranty. She added “luckily” at the end as if I went and bought ethanol and threw it in my tank.

Not sure what I’m supposed to do in the future... I fill the thing up at the same place where guys with 3/4 million dollar boats do.

Do you use the normal 91 or the non ethanol 91?


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Done-it-again

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Glad to hear they are fixing it........Is the warranty fix a "new" motor or rebuilding yours?
 

FlyByWire

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Do you use the normal 91 or the non ethanol 91?


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Regular pumps. I didn’t know they had anything different. Call me stupid, but I stick my card in, grab the nozzle and hit the 91 button. Never knew I had to watch the ethanol content. I don’t carry a tester with me either.
 

Done-it-again

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Regular pumps. I didn’t know they had anything different. Call me stupid, but I stick my card in, grab the nozzle and hit the 91 button. Never knew I had to watch the ethanol content. I don’t carry a tester with me either.

They have a 91 non ethanol pump, but runs about a $1.00+ gal more... All others 87,89,91 carries some ethanol.
 

PlanB

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Like stated above, use their non-ethanol pump. If my toon did not live in the Marina I would only fill up with non-ethanol fuel.
 

Patyacht

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I used to check my fuel. Never found over 7% so I stopped checking. Maybe I need to dust off the old checker and start checking again.
 

LargeOrangeFont

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Got the call this morning. Mercury is going to cover under warranty. She added “luckily” at the end as if I went and bought ethanol and threw it in my tank.

Not sure what I’m supposed to do in the future... I fill the thing up at the same place where guys with 3/4 million dollar boats do.

Keep your fuel reciepts, take a picture of the sticker on the pump.. They all say "May contain up to 10% ethanol"
 

HST4ME

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Ethanol inherently has a greater octane than gasoline. 3% over amounts to squat, if the 400's are that close to the edge there will be meltdowns all over the country.
 

FlyByWire

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Ethanol inherently has a greater octane than gasoline. 3% over amounts to squat, if the 400's are that close to the edge there will be meltdowns all over the country.

That’s why I really didn’t understand why Barrett was saying mercury will “luckily” honor my warranty. Over 3%...? Of something that I have zero control over? Guys fill their gazillion dollar boats at the only gas station Ive ever used with mine.
 

outboard_256

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Got the call this morning. Mercury is going to cover under warranty. She added “luckily” at the end as if I went and bought ethanol and threw it in my tank.

Not sure what I’m supposed to do in the future... I fill the thing up at the same place where guys with 3/4 million dollar boats do.

if a $750k boat is using a certain type of fuel I don't assume my boat can handle it. I don't worry about what other people are doing and just do what's best for my boat/motor.
 

FlyByWire

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if a $750k boat is using a certain type of fuel I don't assume my boat can handle it. I don't worry about what other people are doing and just do what's best for my boat/motor.

The point I was making is that I have the same engine hanging off the back of my boat as them, only just one instead of two or five.
 

outboard_256

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The point I was making is that I have the same engine hanging off the back of my boat as them, only just one instead of two or five.

ya but they might be filling up with the non-ethanol pumps. Doesn't cambell have 100 octane race gas in the red pumps also they could be using. Or maybe they are blowing up their engines too, still not a reason to use it because you see others doing it.
 

Headless hula

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There's 5 places here locally to get gas on the water. I only use 2 of them.
They both offer ethanol free premium.

When I first started boating here regularly this spring, I was hauling 5 gallon cans.
That bullshit got old quick.

I'm really happy they're warranting your engine. Sux being broke down, but at least a silver lining.
 

jbird

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I only use AV Gas (100 Octane) from Parker Oil in Havasu. When my boat was at Barrett Marine for some recent repairs they tested the fuel and it came back as 95 Octane and 7% Ethanol.
A bit disappointing to say the least.
 

PlanB

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There's 5 places here locally to get gas on the water. I only use 2 of them.
They both offer ethanol free premium.

When I first started boating here regularly this spring, I was hauling 5 gallon cans.
That bullshit got old quick.

I'm really happy they're warranting your engine. Sux being broke down, but at least a silver lining.

I am surprised that the Marina (Havasu) does not offer ethanol free fuel. It seems like people I talk to all over the country are able to get Ethanol free at most of the waterways they are boating on. I have been good for almost 300 hours on my Verado using an Ethanol stabilizer, so hopefully my luck holds out.
 

Lavey29

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I am surprised that the Marina (Havasu) does not offer ethanol free fuel. It seems like people I talk to all over the country are able to get Ethanol free at most of the waterways they are boating on. I have been good for almost 300 hours on my Verado using an Ethanol stabilizer, so hopefully my luck holds out.


Which ethanol stabilizer do you use?
 
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