lake anna mechanic recommendations

i dropped in a new engine in my 95 supersport(351w) a couple months ago and i just cant get it running correctly. it wont idle correctly(im thinking idle air controller and ive played with the timing) and the oil pressure is low (20 psi at running speed and still need to intall a new oil sending unit) but there is also a strange noise the engine is making and im so sick of the boat not running right im ready to take it in. so does anyone have any recommendations for a mechanic around lake anna. alan

Hey Alan. You'll hear it from anybody who reads this: Talk to Rob @ The Boat Shop at High Point Marina ( http://highpointmarina.com/repair.shtml ). He's helped many-a-people. Hell, he even loaned a friend of mine his tools last spring so we could do some repair work right in the parking lot.

You can tell him I sent you. It won't win you any favors or discounts, but it will ingratiate me w/ him even more...

Seriously, I thought you had it running fine?

On a side note...the weathermen really called today wrong, didn't they? 8:20 PM & not a drop of rain yet...

The Boat Shop.............no doubt. Stay far, far, away from Lake Region Repair.

ok guys i'll take the boat to him. i thought it was running ok. but im just having these small issues. and i can take things apart and put them back together i just cant diagnose problems. i think i may still have a leaky intake manifold problem.

i rode on thursday, i tried to ride on friday but i wasnt comfortable with the boat once i got it out on the water.

Alan.............a few ideas...........bad gas? I'm hearing about ethanol blends that go bad in a couple of weeks. Sta Bil fuel additive is supposed to fix it. Since you dropped in a new engine, I suspect the boat has been sitting a while and the gas is old. If it sat outside over the winter, you could have lots of condensation in there. If the fuel is questionable at all, you could save yourself some shop time by doing the drain/refill before you take the boat to the shop.
Low oil pressure could be a bad sending unit or guage. My Bu has a low oil pressure switch for the alarm and a sending unit for oil pressure. If you have the same set up, make sure you replace the right one. Also, make sure you have the right viscosity oil in there. (always check the obvious)
You could check for vacuum leaks by spraying soapy water around the suspect seals. Also check with a vacuum guage if you have one handy.
Just trying to help you pass time until The Boat Shop opens! Good luck!

thanks for the input john. i called rob today. i doubt i'd let him check the air pressure in my tires for me much less touch my boat. he said "mid 90's ford engines dont run right" and said he has never seen one that does. then he asked if it was an omc engine. i said it was a pcm engine. and he said he wasnt the man for the job. i sarcastically said ok and got off the phone. soo my search continues.

Mid 90s ford engines dont run right? What a fricken toolbox. I have many mid 90s ford engines in all sorts of vehicles that I have yet to have one run poorly. That includes 2 boats that i care for. Whatever.

OMG.......I am so sorry! Rob must be having a bad day. I can't think of anyone else to reccomend. If I do I will let you know.

Wow... I don't how people like Rob make it through life, much less earn a living.

Obviously, no mechanic suggestions... But i think your oil pressure problem is part of the leaky intake. Hope you get it sorted out soon.

well nacho i redid the intake. it doesnt seem to be leaking but there probably is a leak of sorts given my history. i purchased and idle air control valve and a oil sending unit. gonna throw these on within the next couple of days.

you sure it was Rob you talked to? It sounds like Ray might have been in town...

yeah i asked if his name was rob and he said yeah. i and i told him that he was recommended by a couple of people. no big deal. i'll find someone else.

Man that is weird, I've never heard of something like that out of him before. Hopefully you find someone soon, or get it figured out. Good luck man.

well i think everything is sorted out. turns out my step brother in law owns a shop in warrenton. i hauled the boat up there. my distributor was off by 2 teeth. i took it to the lake tonight and it ran fine. hopefully i dont have any more issues