mercruiser/ searay is a bitch ?

While you did do it according to the specs ,where it went wrong is where the manifold drains did not drain. the check balls get stuck in the closed position for whatever reason. Also the engine block drains get plugged with sand, rust, and debris preventing the block from draining.
Best to remove the system completely and use manual drains
 
aerobat77 said:
fact is the manifold failed inside the warranty time and i winterized to mercruiser procedure.
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So, we don't know whether the problem was freeze, installation or defect. And that's fine. But on the topic of freezing... you really can't blame the Mercruiser procedure. The Merc procedure you followed is 100% correct and accurate. What we're trying to tell you is that you may have to put more thought into it. You can't just blindly follow directions as there are other variables. If the engine sucks in sand or muck and it clogs things, how is the "Merc procedure" to blame for that? It's not. This is where experience comes into play.

This is where, quite honestly, considering the fact that you started out bashing America and it's products (heck, even the thread title!), and we overlooked that and continued to help... you should be darned grateful. Maybe I'm being too blunt here, but that's how I feel.
 
Lazy Daze said:
So, we don't know whether the problem was freeze, installation or defect. And that's fine. But on the topic of freezing... you really can't blame the Mercruiser procedure. The Merc procedure you followed is 100% correct and accurate. What we're trying to tell you is that you may have to put more thought into it. You can't just blindly follow directions as there are other variables. If the engine sucks in sand or muck and it clogs things, how is the "Merc procedure" to blame for that? It's not. This is where experience comes into play.

This is where, quite honestly, considering the fact that you started out bashing America and it's products (heck, even the thread title!), and we overlooked that and continued to help... you should be darned grateful. Maybe I'm being too blunt here, but that's how I feel.
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Once again, a saint.
 
@ lazy daze : you may look through your pink searay glasses and its ok . i was and i am geateful for your hints , you have no blame on you..

after 14 years experience with searay its the last boat i would ever buy . the finish glances but looking beehind the scenes it is an insult for the costumer , cheapest of the cheap and you know it .

its not a boat and engine which can cope with open sea and weather ..

this trash will be sold after holiday and never a look again . sorry to say but be realistic , i need a boat that copes .
 
aerobat77 said:
its not a boat and engine which can cope with open sea and weather ..
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That is a reasonably true statement. Sea ray is a middle of the road production boat. It's not made for serious off shore, open water, hostile weather situations. Nor is it a commercial boat, built to take a beating. But for motoring port to port, near shore or inland lakes, it's not all that bad.
 
Golfman25 said:
That is a reasonably true statement. Sea ray is a middle of the road production boat. It's not made for serious off shore, open water, hostile weather situations.
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very true . i tried to cope open water with her and she is simply not able so not a boat for my needs . she will be sold for a lake in great condition but i need a boat i can trust on open sea . it will not be searay / mercruiser since its not designed.
 
I would be hesitant to take a 24’ (7.3M) single engine boat for any long distance open water cruises.
Now on the other hand taking my 400 Sedan Bridge (44’OAL, 13.4M) with twin CAT diesels is a pleasure out on the open waters of Lake Michigan. The 5th largest lake in the world at 22,000 sq miles, 58,000 km squared. My first trip in her was a 180 mile, or 290 km, 7 hour trip when I brought her home. Sweet ride the whole way.
It is more of a boat for open water. Mine is 20 years old and has none of the issues that you speak of.
 
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aerobat77 said:
@ lazy daze : you may look through your pink searay glasses and its ok . i was and i am geateful for your hints , you have no blame on you..

after 14 years experience with searay its the last boat i would ever buy . the finish glances but looking beehind the scenes it is an insult for the costumer , cheapest of the cheap and you know it .

its not a boat and engine which can cope with open sea and weather ..

this trash will be sold after holiday and never a look again . sorry to say but be realistic , i need a boat that copes .
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I'd point out that the design category is listed in the owner's manual. It's 100% NOT designed for open seas. Expecting a boat to perform beyond it's design doesn't seem reasonable. There are other boats designed to meet bigger waters, but they will have a higher cost.

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Dammit!!!

I can’t get this square peg to fit in the round hole.........no matter how hard I hit it, it just won’t go in!!
 
Espos4 said:
Dammit!!!

I can’t get this square peg to fit in the round hole.........no matter how hard I hit it, it just won’t go in!!
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I'm starting to wonder when the Honda generator is going to show up.

I get it that the OP hates his boat and now considers it a piece of trash. After all HE HAS OWNED IT FOR 14 YEARS. Sometimes people feel that way about who they marry.

Anyway....with the impending divorce finalized.....hopefully his boat will find a new owner who will care for her and enjoy the pleasure only a boat can bring.

My last comment is that I don't know of any boat maker on the planet that makes a 24' foot boat that is rated for open water.... Sea Ray is no exception. That sounds more like an excuse for getting divorced.
 
i do not hate her because in this case i would not have bought her new . a 24footer new and not something bigger used was choosen because our small marina cannot handle bigger boats and we kept the trailer option . i have chosen searay over e.g bayliner believing i invest in quality and reliability , this was a mistake .

she performed well as long as we trailered her to make an occasional ride in shelted waters or a lake , drop the anchor and take a bath.

we changed our boating style , we do not trailer but log every day 6-8 hours , covering a distance , going open sea and i tell you - forget it with this brand .

there probably are 24 footers ( fisher cabinboats ) designed for serious use but i do not prefer the style. we are in the market for a 38-42 footer end of the year and we can close this case.
 
Sorry to hear about your issues. I did a quick read of the thread and it seems like this is all about the manifolds cracking. There are literally millions of Mercruiser engines around the world in salt and fresh water that have not cracked like yours did. It is absolutely something unique to your boat and the installation of those manifolds or the use of them. Also, if you are on open ocean a small narrow beam, deep V hull Sundancer is not the right boat at all. They roll side to side horribly in a beam sea. Plus, you are in Europe. Parts availability is going to be hard for a North American brand. I would never buy a European brand here unless there was a large and established dealer network.

I was on a cruise one time in Europe and sat with a British couple that had been avid boaters for years and years. They had Fairlane 50. We talked all evening about what boating was like in North America vs the ocean off Britain. They had never heard of the Sea Ray brand at all.
 
aerobat77 said:
i do not hate her because in this case i would not have bought her new . a 24footer new and not something bigger used was choosen because our small marina cannot handle bigger boats and we kept the trailer option . i have chosen searay over e.g bayliner believing i invest in quality and reliability , this was a mistake .

she performed well as long as we trailered her to make an occasional ride in shelted waters or a lake , drop the anchor and take a bath.

we changed our boating style , we do not trailer but log every day 6-8 hours , covering a distance , going open sea and i tell you - forget it with this brand .

there probably are 24 footers ( fisher cabinboats ) designed for serious use but i do not prefer the style. we are in the market for a 38-42 footer end of the year and we can close this case.
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Ever own a Bayliner??? Ha Ha Ha! I know some guys looking to sell a real rotten gem for a premium price. Perhaps I can arrange shipment to Europe by one of my air force friends.

Not sure if it would collapse during transit but I’m sure it would be a fun project for you. This way you can see first hand how poorly the SeaRay was built in comparison.
 
blaster said:
Ever own a Bayliner??? Ha Ha Ha! I know some guys looking to sell a real rotten gem for a premium price. Perhaps I can arrange shipment to Europe by one of my air force friends.

Not sure if it would collapse during transit but I’m sure it would be a fun project for you. This way you can see first hand how poorly the SeaRay was built in comparison.
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Actually there is a huge difference between Bayliner small boats and Bayliner yachts. First, they were built in different factories, using entirely different processes.

And yes, the Bayliner yachts are superior to the SeaRay yachts in build quality.

I still regret selling my Bayliner 4550 Pilothouse.
 
And a big difference in the small Bayliners of 15-20 years ago compared to the much higher quality they have now.

we weren’t talking yachts though. If we were the op wouldn’t have a tipsy inshore/coastal boat on the open water problem.

my issue is the age being equated to quality.

show me a 14 year old car that’s used hard and showroom new and never breaks down.

OP has unrealistic expectations.
 
I am brand new to this site AND to boat ownership. I know just about nothing what it comes to boats. I am sorry for the troubles you are going through. As I may get into this same type of situation at some point in my boat owning life(almost a guarantee).

That being said I am a General Manager for multiple car dealerships and have been in this business for 10+ years.

The only thing I can say is that no matter what Brand vehicle you buy, new or used, moonroof or not, any size engine/motor, etc., shitty things can happen that can either be out of the control of anyone OR due to a faulty fix to a repair or routine maintenance. I deal with these things every day in my business when we have customers run in to severely expensive fixes to their vehicles. AND at the worst possible times to boot.

Not always is it anyone's fault at all and literally sometimes just a case of really bad stinking luck.

Now are there times where mistakes were made on our end and we own up to them and pay for the repair that is needed because of our negligence??? Absolutely.

I've seen 20,000 mile Toyotas need new engines when every maintenance interval was done spot on.

I've also seen 150,000 mile Chrysler products run like a top with next to nothing done at the time intervals they should have.

I use these examples based on the two brands history of reliability(not my opinions).

I hope that you can enjoy the time with your boat and your wife!

Sometimes shit happens and we have to just deal with it. If there is blame to be given, it is not necessarily the overall outcome of a manufacturer or company. Could possibly be a one off. Again just my two cents as I do not have the boating experience but do have a lot of like experience in my professional world!!

Good luck to you sir!
 
aerobat77 said:
very true . i tried to cope open water with her and she is simply not able so not a boat for my needs . she will be sold for a lake in great condition but i need a boat i can trust on open sea . it will not be searay / mercruiser since its not designed.
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Consider Tiara. Excellent quality and seaworthy. Very popular open or express models. You can get in gas or diesel. Built to take rough water.

Another favorite of mine is Blackfin.

Crusader engines are excellent inboard engines too. Far superior to Mercruiser.

Good luck!
 
El Capitan said:
Crusader engines are excellent inboard engines too. Far superior to Mercruiser.
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That is pretty funny since the base engines for both manufacturers come from General Motors. Is it the "Crusader sauce" they pour on the engine? Last time I checked....the block, heads, crank, rods, pistons, valves and most other components came from GM.

The only notable differences were ignition and fuel delivery systems.

As previously noted.....if you don't properly winterize the engine.....it won't matter if it is a Crusader, Volvo or Mercruiser.
 
PlayDate said:
That is pretty funny since the base engines for both manufacturers come from General Motors. Is it the "Crusader sauce" they pour on the engine? Last time I checked....the block, heads, crank, rods, pistons, valves and most other components came from GM.

The only notable differences were ignition and fuel delivery systems.

As previously noted.....if you don't properly winterize the engine.....it won't matter if it is a Crusader, Volvo or Mercruiser.
Click to expand...

Crusader engines are far superior to all mercruiser platforms even though they all are Chevy blocks.

This is undisputed in the industry.

Lastly, failures are most often in the peripheral systems not the blocks themselves.

For the novices, simply look at them. Tells much of the story.
 
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