In the spring of 2015. I hired Lentze Marina to replace the exhaust risers and manifolds on my boat. Twin Chrylser 318 motors.
After the work was done we test drove our boat. The motors were under-performing, below deck filled with exhaust fumes, our gas alarms below deck were screaming and our engine hatches were filled with exhaust. We could actually see the exhaust leaks coming from the engines. It is obvious that the motors were not run after such a major repair. A layman would have seen, heard and smelt the leaks and heard the alarms! This should have be done by the marina to verify their work.
After discussing the matter with the marina they said certain things that lead me to make the decision that they would never work on my boat again. So I (being an experienced mechanic) did the repair work myself. I hired them at first to save myself time and energy.
I found that the gaskets were installed upside down on both motors and one old gasket was not removed prior to installing the new gasket. This caused several exhaust leaks around the manifold. The new gaskets were burnt from the leaks. One bolt was stripped and wouldn't hold, this caused another leak at that spot. A spark plug was cracked, it was right next to one of the leaks. This could have caused a fire or an explosion if it sparked or arced outside of the cylinder.
I've asked the marina to reimburse me for the cost of their labor plus the cost of the gaskets. I've been trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. I have waited this long for them to do the right thing. They have simply refused. I told them I would go to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and review them online if they didn't reimburse me. Their attorney is now threatening to sue me if I do go the BBB or review them online. I have photos and copies of all e-mails to show and prove everything.
I have contacted the BBB and plan on taking them to court over this. It is my opinion that I would never let Lentze Marina work on my boat ever again and I would never do business with them again.
I'm writing this review so other people are cautious about how important work like this. The cracked spark plug and leaks could have caused a fire or explosion. The fumes leaking from the hatch and into the cabin could have made us sick or have even killed us. So please; vet your mechanic, check for reviews on-line and make sure all your alarms and safety equipment are in working order!
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