No Oil-gctid400120

[Guest]

Two months ago I purchased a brand new 2011 Bayliner 285 with a mercury 350 Mag w/ bravo 3 sterndrive.

I took it out Saturday and noticed the engine was sounding a little loud, almost like something had fallen into the serpentine belt and was causing it to make a noise. Or in other words it just sounded a little louder in the high pitch range. Kind of like an extra loud fan belt. Opened the engine hatch but nothing abnormal was found.

Then while powering up to get on plane I had an alarm go off. I think it was 6 short beeps after looking at the manual, but at the time I recalled it being a long beep followed by three short beeps. I can't fully remember though. I stopped the boat and tossed out the anchor. After swimming below to see if anything was wrapped around the propeller or something, I found nothing wrong and I gave up and called Sea Tow. The Sea Tow guy arrived and promptly determined that the boat had no oil showing on the dipstick. He added 2 quarts and got it to just barely show on the dipstick. It was all the oil he had.

There is no visible oil anywhere that would indicate a leak.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? New boat, no oil??!! The dealer drove it from my home port to their location about 30 minutes away last weekend to replace a cockpit refrigerator, and then the also drove it back. Other than that I have put about 10 hours at most on the engine. The dealer didn't notice any problems prior to the alarm, nor had I.

My dealer is thinking it over and then calling me back. Do you think they forgot to put oil in right from the start? Or has this ever happened to anyone else? Is the engine okay?

[Guest]

So the dealer just called me back and said "not to worry this was normal" and that the break in oil does have to be topped off a few times during the 20 hour break in. I told him it was a running a little louder prior to the alarm, he said it was likely the lifters making extra noise.

He said he could do the 20 hour oil change a little early. We are at about 12 - 15 hours I think. So I think I'll have him do a dockside oil change. Or I'll buy the suck out pump and do it myself.

[2850Bounty]

Crewless wrote:

• 1 wrote:
• Two months ago I purchased a [SIZE]4 wrote:
  brand new 2011 Bayliner 285[/SIZE] with a mercury 350 Mag w/ bravo 3 sterndrive.
• He added 2 quarts and got it to just barely show on the dipstick. It was all the oil he had.
• There is no visible oil anywhere that would indicate a leak.
• Other than that I have put about 10 hours at most on the engine. The dealer didn't notice any problems prior to the alarm, nor had I.
• Is the engine okay?

• 1 wrote:
• I suspect that this included a full factory warrantee?
• Not a good sign!
• If no visible leaks, that leaves a few possibilites only.
  
  Excessively worn piston rings, excessively worn intake valve guides/seals, or no to little oil to begin with.
• In 10 hours at most, that is far too short to have issues like this on a brand new engine.
• It may be OK IF the dealer via Mercury Marine, not only documents this incident, but extends the OEM warrantee as to reflect the incident, and in as full detail as possible. The more detail, the better!
  
  [COLOR]"#FF0000" wrote:
  IMO, this needs to be in written form, and from an authorized Mercury Marine source, and on a Mercury Marine letterhead...... not just from the dealer alone![/COLOR]

Sorry to hear of this. What a bummer to have happen with a new boat.

.

[2850Bounty]

Crewless wrote:

• 1 wrote:
• So the dealer just called me back and said "not to worry this was normal" and that the break in oil does have to be topped off a few times during the 20 hour break in.
• I told him it was a running a little louder prior to the alarm, he said it was likely the lifters making extra noise.
• He said he could do the 20 hour oil change a little early. We are at about 12 - 15 hours I think. So I think I'll have him do a dockside oil change. Or I'll buy the suck out pump and do it myself.

• 1 wrote:
• 10 hours run time, and two quarts of oil added in order to bring it [COLOR]"#FF0000" wrote:
  back to where it just barely shows on the oil dip stick???[/COLOR]
  
  I'm going to place a bet here..... I'll bet that you're going to receive a few; "That is BS!" from several of the guys here, including myself.
  
  Topping off is one thing..... consuming oil below dip stick level to the tune of 2 qts just to get the stick to read, is another.
  
  Rough math would suggest that this may have been a total of 3 qts low.
• Ask him to explain why cam followers (lifters) would make noise, and if any damage could occur to them during this?
• Let THEM do this oil change, and document this and keep your documention.
  
  At this point, you'll want to do everything possible by the book, and document it.

.

[ksanders]

As Rick said, that is complete BS.

My question to you is WHY DID YOU NOT CHECK YOUR OIL?

Hate to say this, but it might be a tad difficult to get warantee help if you did not check your own oil.

Now you might be in a bad position.

[2850Bounty]

Crewless wrote:
So the dealer just called me back and said [COLOR]"#FF0000" wrote:
"not to worry this was normal"[/COLOR]....... [COLOR]"#0000FF" wrote:
and that the break in oil does have to be topped off a few times during the 20 hour break in.[/COLOR]

ksanders wrote:
My question to you is WHY DID YOU NOT CHECK YOUR OIL?

Hate to say this, but it might be a tad difficult to get warantee help if you did not check your own oil.

Kevin, I'd have to ask that same question.

The red text above is BS....... that is for sure!

The blue text above just may save your A$$ in that "topped off" doesn't normally mean 3 qts low, and your time line was 10 hours, not 20 hours.

Play your cards safely and wisely!

.

[Eyeman]

Send an oil sample in for anaylsis. I'd guess 10 hours to be equal to putting a couple thousand miles on a new car. Someone didn't fill it all the way or it had a mechanical problem from the factory. No way should it burn 3 quarts. Sorry, but damage is likely and I would not go the extended warranty route. I'd want that engine rebuilt or a completely new short block installed. Just show the dealer and/or Mercuiser folks the oil sample results and don't let your dealer collect the sample - It would be really easy to substitute a different oil sample. It may be worth a letter from your lawyer to get the appropriate attention. Sorry you're having this hassle.

[dktool]

Ya BOY !

"That is BS!"

Unless there are oil rings missing on a couple pistons !

[Guest]

Sorry to sound a bit harsh, but in this case the filthy finger of fault will get pointed at you - the owner.

I agree that oil consumption rate will be high during break in. How high that rate is is debatable. This one sounds very high. But here we have an owner who isn't doing his part. The owner failed to check the oil prior to multiple trips. Then when confronted with a low oil pressure alarm, again did not know to check the oil. No way would I get my dealership or the factory wrapped up in that.

If I were the dealer, or if I represented Mercury, I wouldn't extend any warranty. Why would I?

[Guest]

My dealer said the same thing as many of you. He expressed it was my responsibility as the operator and owner to check it before each outing. However, when I asked my dealer if he checked the oil before taking the boat from my town up to his town, then having it for a week, then returning it back to my slip his answer was, "No, he didn't check it". That occurred last week, and was the trip immediately prior to my "problem trip".

That doesn't take away from the fact that I should have checked it. It just shows that not everyone practices what they preach and hindsight is 20/20. I seriously have to finish that time travel machine I'm working on.

As of this moment, I have a dockside oil change scheduled for tomorrow. It just makes me sad that this happened because I saved for so long and finally achieved this dream of owning a new cruiser (and sacrificed heavily to do it). I love that boat and it turns out I just wasn't smart enough to own a new one yet. It seems the alarm may have caught it just in time before doing damage. I just wish it had gone off when it was only 1 quart down, not when the oil pressure dropped below 12 psig (the dealer said that is how it works). I hope it's alright because I'm still going on a 9 day vacation with it next week. That much oil loss does make me wonder if it is a missing ring somewhere. I can assure you I'll be checking the oil everyday now to see if there is a mechanical problem or an undetected leak.

I just realized I bought a brand new car the same week!!! I have never checked the oil!! Any bets on whether it is also 3 quarts low?

Looks like I'm a terrible car owner too.

[Guest]

It has no hour meter. The times are my best estimates since owning it and I believe they are accurate.

This boat was sold brand new to me, but was one year old. It was a carry over from last years stock. So maybe it was in the water last year and then this year no one checked the oil or topped it off?

Just trying to brainstorm as to how it go sooooooo low in only a few months. After doing a lot of research, it sounds like this isn't typical and maybe there is an underlying reason.

[Guest]

A car and a boat are 2 different things. A boat engine is worked far harder and requires more attention. Before any trips I check oil, drive fluid, etc, etc. I dont feel like shelling out huge money for a replacement engine so I check it all before the boat is used on any trips.

You have learned something here, now take some initiative and learn as much as you can about your boat, what maint you need to keep up on and maintain. Just throwing the ol checkbook at it doesnt always cut it with boats

On that note, I am sure your motor will be alright, though stressed, they are pretty tough

edit : Install hour meters, I have no idea what my engines are at, hour meters installed for maint schedual. I can hook my motors up and find real hours, I am sure you can do the same with yours.

[ksanders]

Crewless wrote:


I just realized I bought a brand new car the same week!!! I have never checked the oil!! Any bets on whether it is also 3 quarts low?

Looks like I'm a terrible car owner too.

Crewless, You'll make a good boat owner, it will just take time to learn.

The lessons I learned as a junior boater were expensive ones, as are the lessons many of us have learned over the years.

Here's another lesson you'll need to learn VERY fast if you're going to be a happy long term boater.

Boats are not cars. You cannot buy one and just drive it like a car.

Over the years I've determined that it takes about one "maintenance day" for every two weekend outings. The folks that learn to enjoy fixing the little issues before they become big issues are in the end the happiest long term boaters. Personally, I really like my "maintenance days" I get to go to the boat and putter. Its jusrt me and the boat, no distractions, very peaceful.

anyway best of luck...

[Guest]

Crewless, I have nothing to offer except my Best Wishes that your engine suffered no harm.

And don't beat yourself up too badly either - things happen, I can see making the same assumption as you did: that a brand new boat would have the engine oil at the correct level and that it wouldn't be vanishing away.

good luck

Sarah

[Guest]

ksanders wrote:
As Rick said, that is complete BS.

My question to you is WHY DID YOU NOT CHECK YOUR OIL?

Hate to say this, but it might be a tad difficult to get warantee help if you did not check your own oil.

Now you might be in a bad position.

Agree totally-you have to check oil and coolant every time you use it. Cheap insurance AND common sense.