Mastertech Outboard Boat Motor Parts Repair and Marine Servicing Latest News page

2/23/06
PRICING PROBLEMS

The manufacturers have been driving us nuts with random price increases, it's tough to keep up with them. Now that they have successfully eliminated most smaller dealers they have taken the parts availability and pricing on line using proprietary password protected dealer only web sites. Here they can change things at will. It's not like old times when there would be a 2 - 3% across the board increase every 6 months or so. Many parts have recently increased in price 20 - 30% at both Mercury and Bombardier (Evinrude / Johnson). Any printed accessory catalogs or paper price books are obsolete before we can get them.

The long and short of it is, even tho we do due diligence in pricing the parts here at MASTERTECH, it isn't humanly possible to keep up with this situation. SO be aware that the prices of some items may be higher upon review than the web site price. We will do our best to advise you of this should your order be affected. Thanks for understanding.

2/11/06
I DIDN'T COMMUNICATE WELL FOR THE LAST WEEK AS WE HAVE BEEN INUNDATED WITH COMPUTER PROBLEMS -VIRUSES - MY MAIN MACHINE IS NOW FINALLY OK AFTER A LOT OF WORK. TODAY'S FUN AND GAMES?

WELL LETS' SEE- - HMMM - - OK, LAST NIGHT AT 2AM THE POWER WENT OFF. AFTER GETTING MY GENNIE ON LINE (DIRT IN CARBURETOR) WE FOUND THAT ONE OF MY 2 HEAT PUMPS, THE BIG ONE FOR THE FIRST FLOOR FAILED TO RESTART. NEW BREAKERS FAILED TO GET ANYTHING TO REGISTER. OH - AND THE BACKUP PC FAILED TO BOOT, BAD DRIVE INDICATED - THE WESTERN DIGITAL P.O.S. HDD HAS LESS THAN 100 HOURS USE SINCE REPLACED AND PUT ON BACKUP DUTY - COMPUTER WAS STORED AND SAT AFTER IVAN SEPT 2004 AND NEVER USED 'TIL TOM ARRIVED HERE. WOULD YOU BELIEVE AFTER A 25 MILE RUN FOR ANOTHER DRIVE NOW THE MACHINE INDICATES THE G-FORCE II MX400 128MB EX--PENSSSSIVE VIDEO CARD IS F---ED AS WELL. WORKED FINE YESTERDAY. I HAVE SPENT OVER 1000 ON THIS PIECE OF S--T AND THATS IT, JUNK IT.

OH - YES - OUR BROTHER LASER PRINTER WENT SOUTH TOO, HAD TO REINSTALL THE DRIVERS TO GET IT TO WORK AGAIN. BTW, I HAVE A SURGE PROTECTOR ON MY POWER LINE AND BACK-UPS'S ON ALL THIS EQUIPMENT, HAS TO BE MURPHY OR GREMLINS IN HERE!

1/23/06
ALOHA ALL - I AM BACK FROM MY TRAVELS. A LITTLE RUN DOWN, I HAVE HAD A COLD FOR 2 WEEKS NOW. NYECCCCH! NOT SURE IF I MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE NOW 2 OF US HERE AT MASTERTECH. TOM BILLINGS, LONG TIME PARTS MAN AND STERN DRIVE GUY HAS JOINED ME HERE AND WHAT A HELP THAT IS. SINCE THE FIRST OF THE YEAR WE HAVE REVISED A LARGE NUMBER OF PAGES, ADDED A TOHATSU POWERHEAD KIT PAGE AND MOST OF THE MERCRUISER AND OMC STERN DRIVE ITEMS YOU MAY NEED. CURRENTLY WORKING ON UPDATING THE POWERHEAD, GEARCASE AND OTHER BRANDS REBUILD KITS TO REFLECT INCREASED AVAILABILITY OF PARTS FOR MANY MODELS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THE WEBSITE. I WILL DO MY BEST TO GET IT UP THERE. I PLAN ON DOING A LOT MORE TUNE UP TIPS AND OVERHAUL PROCEDURES FOR SPECIFIC SYSTEMS AND MOTOR SERIES IN 2006. WE WILL ADD TORQUE SPECS, ELECTRICAL VALUES FOR CD IGNITIONS AND GEARCASE CAPACITY/RECOMMENDED LUBRICANTS. ANYTHING ELSE YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SEE LET ME KNOW.

SOMETIMES I WONDER HOW I EVER MADE THE DECISION TO MOVE TO THE GULF COAST. AS I WRITE THIS HURRICANE KATRINA IS GATHERING STRENGTH AND FORECASTS SHOW OUR AREA AS AGAIN BEING GROUND ZERO FOR LANDFALL EARLY THIS NEXT WEEK. WE HAVE ALREADY HAD 2 TROPICAL STORMS AND HURRICANE DENNIS IN 2005, IVAN DEVASTATED THE NAVARRE AND PENSACOLA AREA (AND MY HOME AND SHOP) IN 2004. THE IRONY OF ALL THIS IS REPAIRS TO MY HOME ARE 95% COMPLETE. WHO KNOWS IF THIS ONE WILL TAKE IT BACK TO THE SAME WRECK AS 9/16/04? ( AS IT TURNED OUT, THE PROPERTY WAS FLOODED TO WITHIN 10 INCHES OF MY HOUSE FLOOR - THATS ABOUT A 6 FOOT SURGE, THE SHOP BUILDING WAS FILLED TO ABOUT A FOOT. THE WATER DIDN'T GET AS HIGH INSIDE AS OUTSIDE AS IT HAD TO CREEP IN UNDER THE DOOR AND THE PLATE/SLAB INTERFACE.

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE I WILL HAVE TO GO FED EX AND/OR UPS FOR ALL MY SHIPPING WITH A COMMENSURATE INCREASE IN SHIPPING CHARGES - AS I AM STILL BARRAGED DAILY WITH ORDER STATUS REQUESTS. (READ THE 8-30 PARAGRAPH BELOW)I CAN'T SPEND HALF THE DAY CHASING ORDERS, I HAVE TRIED TO KEEP COSTS DOWN BY USING US MAIL, BUT IT'S NOT WORKING AS WELL AS A FEW YEARS AGO DUE TO ALL THE WHEREZITS. I WILL WAIT UNTIL 2006, BUT IT WILL HAPPEN.

Take a look at the tools we have just added on the SPECIAL TOOLS index page. I have been so busy with the recovery efforts from Hurricane IVAN for the last 6 months there has been very little changed or added to the site.

The bad news is, you guessed it, prices increased. Don't blame me, I get it from the rear. BOMBARDIER is the prime offender this time, not 2%, not 10% but in many cases on accessory items like carb kits, Accumix oil mixer, etc. it's OVER 20%. Somebody better tell Paul Volker inflation is alive and well in Delevan.

Mix up a portable tank with some fuel as follows - add 1 part to 12 of fogging oil, like a pint 1/2 to 2 gallons of gas and some fuel stabilizer (follow stabilizer manufacturer directions) to make up a storage mix. Replace or at least dump the motors' filter canister to be sure there's no water in the bottom of it. Re-prime and run the motor for 10 minutes or so at 1500 RPM to ensure that the fuel system is filled with this mixture. Then, at idle, spray some fogging oil thru the holes in the throttle plates to coat the crankcase components. Stop the motor and remove plugs, run the piston up to close the ports and shoot fogging oil in, turn the motor by hand to distribute the oil throughout the cylinder walls.

Be sure to drain and refill the gearcase with oil to prevent any water in the housing from freeze damage. If your using the speedometer pickup, disconnect it and blow out water in the pickup area.

Store the engine in an upright (vertical) position so as to maintain the fuel and oil levels in the system.

4 stroke models follow the same procedure except for the following. After stabilizing the fuel system, drain and refill the motors crankcase with fresh oil. Be sure to run it for a short period to flush old oil from the pump, passages and bearings so as to prevent acids in the old oil from damaging them. It is not necessary to fog the 4 stroke thru the carburetors, but follow the same thru the plug holes procedure as 2 strokes to coat the cylinder walls.

YES, I DO SCREW UP SOME ORDERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN I GET 30 - 40 A DAY AND HAVE TO WORK 16 HOURS. HERE'S THE DILEMMA. IF I SHIP UPS/FEDEX SO AS TO HAVE TRACKABLE ORDERS I WILL HAVE TO INCREASE MY SHIPPING CHARGES IN ORDER TO USE THIS MORE EXPENSIVE SERVICE. NOT ONLY DO THEY CHARGE A LOT MORE, THIS REQUIRES TIME SPENT ON OUR END TO MANUALLY ENTER THE INFORMATION INTO THEIR SYSTEM AND CREATE SHIPPING LABELS. IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR ORDER PROGRESS AND NEED IT BABY SAT, I WILL ATTEMPT TO CHANGE THE CART SO AS TO ALLOW YOU A CHOICE OF SHIPPING VENUES. JUST BE ADVISED WE WILL HAVE TO CHARGE THEIR RATE PLUS $5.00 HANDLING TO COVER OUR TIME TO PROCESS. UNTIL I CAN MODIFY THE FORMS, IF YOU WANT THIS TYPE OF SHIPPING SERVICE JUST LET ME KNOW IN THE SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS BOX AS YOU FILL OUT ONE OF MY ORDER FORMS. IN THE FUTURE WE MAY HAVE TO GO TO THIS SHIPPING SYSTEM ENTIRELY AS THE AMOUNT OF ORDERS AND INQUIRYS IS OUTSTRIPPING MY ABILITY TO KEEP UP.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!! BANK CARD "RULES" STATE THAT YOU DON'T CHARGE FOR AN ITEM UNTIL IT IS DELIVERED.THE BANK CARD PEOPLE ARE PATENTLY UNFAIR TO MAIL ORDER RETAILERS WITH THIS REQUIREMENT. ESPECIALLY WITH THE RISE OF INTERNET RETAILING. PROBLEM IS, I UTILIZE 3 MAJOR DROP-SHIP SUPPLIERS AND TO MAINTAIN A DELIVERY FLOW CHART IS BASICALLY AN IMPOSSIBILITY. I HAVE NO PAYMENT PROTECTION DURING THE TIME FROM ORDER TO DELIVERY WITHOUT CHARGING FOR THE ITEM FIRST. OCCASIONALLY THINGS ARE EITHER OVERLOOKED OR ON A LONG BACKORDER STATUS, WHEN THIS HAPPENS IF I AM NOTIFIED BY THE SUPPLIER I WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO KEEP CUSTOMERS ABREAST OF THE ORDER STATUS. PROBLEM IS GETTING THAT NOTIFICATION. MANY DAYS HERE HAVE 3 OR 4 HOURS DEVOTED TO CHASING DOWN ERRANT ITEMS. SO TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I REQUIRE A "DEPOSIT" OF 100% OF THE PURCHASE PRICE UPON ORDER!

HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR ORDER? DO NOT "CHARGE BACK" THE ORDER AMOUNT THRU THE CARD ISSUER, I WILL DEAL WITH YOUR PROBLEM AND, IF NECESSARY, REFUND YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE PRICE IF YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH ANY FACET OF MY SERVICE. SHIT HAPPENS, SOMETIMES I, AS A HUMAN, LOSE TRACK, SHIP THE WRONG PARTS, LOSE ORDERS - - WELL, YOU KNOW. SO PLEASE DO NOT CHARGE BACK ANYTHING. CALL ME AT 850-936-6834 OR 808-328-8943 AND I WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SATISFY YOUR REQUESTS. A CHARGEBACK COSTS ME $10.00 A SHOT AS WELL AS RAISING MY DISCOUNT RATE - AND MY IRE. I CONSIDER IT A DIRECT SLAP IN THE FACE. AGAIN, DON'T DO IT!!

Been watching those bank card ads on TV about identity theft? Illegal card use? Well, since you are protected, and The Bank is protected (I have about 105 pages of legalese from them), guess who actually pAAAAAys for those surfboards? THE MERCHANT who, in good faith took the card. If I catch you altering an order, sending thru a BS chargeback or using a stolen card, I call out the dogs. They bite. So fuggeddaboudit. The assholes who stole my coins here in Hawaii are doing a 10 year stretch. I don't quit.

"Persistence. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."