J
John Richied
Guest
When I first talked to randy about my engine build in the fall of 2005 I inquired what block he would be using for this Merc 280/GPI build. He explained to me how when Mercury stopped building the 280’s he and another guy bought up all the blocks and parts from Merc, he said it was like a garage sale.
Randy explained to me that since these 280 blocks were new that they had never had the saltwater corrosion coating that makes them look gold. He said that since I don’t run in saltwater it was no big deal and the block would look almost white.
After a lot of thought and time Randy and I put together an engine build sheet based on his expertise and my wants and needs.
On the build sheet was (this is directly off the build sheet Randy typed and e-mailed me) A one-piece adapter with ceramic coated tuner (spec for 7000-9000 peak).
Randy and I talked about the build sheet for hours and several e-mails before I ever agreed to what I wanted and what would be built. Well in the mail I received a stock 280 tuner and 280 1-piece exhaust plate along with a fuel/water separator. I e-mail Randy with what I received asking him if he confused me with someone else, “I thought you said NOT to run a fuel water separator and this is not a ceramic coated tuner.” Here was his e-mail reply from 2-11-06…
The tuner I sent you was done for a specific reason. The more we talked, the more you expressed the desire NOT to have to run high RPM. The ceramic coating we do on pipes does one thing....it raises the powerband up. ie: higher rpm, like 9500+. I choose certain combinations because I know how they will perform. If I didn't I'd not be doing a very good job. If you do something because it sounds cool but drags you away from your goal that's not a very good compromise. I tell someone the performance they should expect and then set about doing it. It may have some detail changes along the way but the ultimate goal is what I shoot for. I RARELY get a combination wrong..that is what makes me different from the rest. I let my results speak for me. I KNOW what you want in a motor, we've talked about it numerous times. We also test every month. The best thing last month may be not the best now, the curve evolves. I did not want to build power above 8500 at the expense of power below that number. That is why we chose a long tapered pipe and didn't coat it to retain heat. If you had the time you could unbolt the tuner from your present pipe and experience the effect. That's what it does, it acts like it's very short. That is one way to make high rpm power, but not the only way. I moved the roof of the exhaust port runner from a square edge to an oval. This gives a wider powerband but doesn't kill the low end. It is a better way to get the result you wanted. And that's what this is all about.
Randy
This was eye opener number one for me… this was done after the agreed build sheet and my $5000 down payment… and without prior notice, no e-mail, no phone call or anything, just as he saw fit. At that time my gut instinct told me “this isn’t good”
Shortly after he sent me a stainless steel tuner and another 1 piece exhaust plate, I asked him what was this and where is the ceramic-coated tuner?
I then received this e-mail on 2-19-06…
What would give you the idea that the tuner isn’t coated? You’re putting way too much into this. The tuner IS coated with a ceramic type material that was originally developed for the M1 tank gun barrel. It dissipates heat to keep the barrel from distorting. The tuner needs the same treatment. That is why it has a flat light grey/brown tint on it. That is the coating. The combo works very well. A nice powerband without any dips. The CDI electronics are on the engine already. The big change from a stock 280 is the upper edge of the exhaust port runner has been lifted (slight round shape)(stock is square) to keep the engine from peaking out too early. This with the transfer port direction gives the engine a drag like characteristic without the lack of low end a drag block has due to the very high exhaust port.
I have always delivered a combo that exceeded the customer’s expectation. How I get there is my call. If I fail to have the engine perform then it is my problem to solve. Making power reliably is an ever changing plan. I do not stand still and went the extra mile on the porting and the pistons to obtain my goal. There are a couple weeks to go and the result will be revealed. Give me a chance to prove my expertise.
Randy Pierson
Gran Prix International
Also on my GPI engine build sheet I was promised and paid for; Moly coated skirt, (ceramic coated domes,) cryo treated ART pistons.
Well that changed too and he said, “Your motor will have DLC coated pistons and Chromemoly wrist pins. DLC is Diamond Like Carbon and very trick!”
On the build sheet was the proven and tested GPI intake manifold (anodized red). Now he did tell me up front that he could not have it anodized red as promised. He said the anodizing interfered with the size of the mounting holes and so forth and would require more machining to make them fit. The mounting bolts wouldn’t go through the holes because the anodizing made them smaller.
I was promised the software to read my Brucato PCU, never happened.
I sent my Merc 300 drag (stock 26cc heads) to be O-ringed and machined to fit a 280 head bolt pattern. These turned out beautiful!!! I especially like not having to buy head gasket every time I pull or swap the heads. I’m not certain if GPI does this machine work or who but a very nice job!
I’m going to go on the record as saying I am very disappointed to find out several people right here on this board have had the same experience as myself and yet THEY HAVE NOT POSTED A WORD ABOUT IT! Now this really does disappoint me. I know I for one would have never spent the $8250.00 as I did for my drop on with GPI. The way it starts out more often then not, like it did with me was Randy sent me a gearcase to try at no charge. Or he sends you his personal powerhead, parts, or prop to run… he wins your trust.
What he does is win your belief in him and to me that is another part that hurts. I honestly believed and sent out PM’s and E-mails to people whom trusted me. I said that Randy was in this for the love of the sport, yeah to make money too, but that is not his main objective here. He isn’t out trying to set records, he was out to help the high-performance boating world with their needs and get what they want/need for whatever their goals happened to be. To me Randy was a loyal high performance boater with years of experience and knowledge always available to talk to on the phone or e-mail.
We work hard and save our money sometimes for years to invest in our high performance boats. My family comes first, then my toys, but I don’t just write a check and it’s a done deal.
What I am trying to say here is this: the high-performance Internet boating boards are our information center on high-performance hulls, engines, gearcases, props, modifications, etc. It benefits us all to help each other out and share information good or bad.
Okay back on task, After the engine was installed on March 11,2006 the flywheel bolts were loose and Randy heard this when we were backed down the boat ramp…He was breaking in the engine with a break-in wheel... After Randy confirmed this he said, “When I get back home Pete and I are going to have a little talk.” Gary his friend (who was not employed by Randy, I asked him) ran and got another flywheel off one of the other engines on the truck. He replaced the flywheel with a stock 260 one and later mailed me a GPI light race 260 flywheel.
Randy took the boat out and ran some, then I did. I WAS PUMPED!!!! Before mine Randy and Gary installed a Merc/GPI drop-on Larry’s Stoker. Larry came from Seattle with a friend of his. We all had dinner together, a great time then the next morning Bill Mason ran his boat and so did Randy. After that
I paid Randy the rest of the $3250.00 I owed him to compete our agreed transaction. Then they were off to California with the other six Merc/GPI engines, one on Randy’s personal STV… The yellow and white STV that was on Monster Nation doing 140 mph!
Later after a closer inspection of my new to me white 280 block that had a lot of bling, bling and it looked SWEET! I found a date on the block; it was a 280 from the year 2000. The reason it was white was because this is what aluminum looks like after being in the tanking and the cleaning process. It was not a new block from Mercury.
The engine ran strong and pulled hard! After about eight to nine weeks of running I was down in California at the Western Allison Rally (about 800 miles from home) and 15 min of running the engine seized number 5 and 6 pistons. What was strange about that is I was at a higher elevation, hotter temperature and more humidity. All of these things make an engine run richer. But I was running the GPI drag 185 lbs. of compression heads. Nonetheless Lou let me borrow one of his engines and that is something I will never forget.
Now when I get back home Randy doesn’t answer my e-mails and when I finally get a hold of him on the phone he treat me like panda. He says, ”How bad is it!” and nothing like when we first started talking, not even close. I know a some of you have been in this situation LONG before me…
Even though I was let down I do have some understanding/experience since my last 280 GPI/Merc was sitting in Minnesota, so I understand feeling like you are held hostage and can’t post. The common explanation/excuse is Randy had something over that individual. i.e.: an engine or engines at his place, a new prototype prop or gearcase, warrantee work, owed parts, etc. The end reaction from the people I have talked with is they hated being held hostage and will never allow it to happen again.
When you have a transaction, agreement, build sheet that should be exactly what you get. IF that isn’t what you got, then you paid for something you did not agree to. In most cases GPI Racing does this without telling you up front. He sends you the finished product and if you catch something that isn’t right he “makes it right”. Or says he will in one way or another or talks you into it with a statement like the following. These are direct quotes from Randy’s e-mail I have and have save.
“We test every month. The best thing last month may be not the best now, the curve evolves.”
“I tell someone the performance they should expect and then set about doing it. It may have some detail changes along the way but the ultimate goal is what I shoot for“
The list goes on and on with “special coatings” the list is unreal; such as the M-1 tank barrel coating, ceramic coating, moly coating, DLC coating, Cryo treated, Etc… he knows most of us can’t check this.
Here is one you can check… If he says “your injectors were cleaned and flow tested by Brucato” call Tony and ask him how many injectors he has cleaned or flow tested for Randy, GPI, or GPI Racing this year… or ever!
If he tells you “Ruck got this 280 block from Merc before most of the machining was done” call Ruck, he’s a great guy to talk to and a straight shooter. He also keeps records of every block he has ever worked on. There is so much more I could say right here… and about my current engine/block.
Before doing business with Randy I asked him about his engine failure rate. He stated to me “only two engine failures to date, Lou’s first 260 and Barefoot Bob’s engine after 125 gallons of oil had ran through it and the pistons still looked great.”
Just this year on Randy and Gary’s road trip GPI left Minnesota with eight drop-on 2.5 Mercs in March of 2006. Out of eight of the engines four of them are down.
Larry from Seattle with the Stoker, DOWN!
My first GPI Merc, DOWN!
The guy from CA with the Talon and twin engines… DOWN! DOWN!!
The other four drop-on Merc/GPI engines
One 260 has 2-3 hours on it at the most (I ran it)…sitting in the shop and still runs.
Another one has 10-12 hours on it going through break-in now.
Another one (said to make 415 hp) is sitting in a shop and has never fired up that I know of.
And the last one sitting on an STV has very few hours also.
Now Randy’s assessment on the phone of the engine was we set the PCU too lean. After he receives the blown engine and does some testing with the GPI intake on another block he tells me that the GPI intake developed a crack by bank number three (injector 5 and 6) and this is what caused the lean condition. He says that the GPI plate was possibly lightened too much in this area, but he doesn’t have another GPI intake plate ready to go. So we agree for him to put a 1” spacer on for now and the horn intake.
Well I got the new to me engine and I am happy!!!! I hope it runs as strong and lasts, time will tell.
Randy did honor the warrantee…And I believe I got one hell of an engine!
I received Mahle’s forged top pinned pistons instead of the A.R.T. cast pistons. I feel this was an upgrade even though not discussed or notified of this before I received my second GPI/Merc drop on.
A 260 block with said to have 280 liners. And a lot of porting and transfer work!
Ruck rings. Aluminum cylinder rings that go around the top of the sleeves and fit tight not welded.
A said to be balanced racing crank “not just a stock 280 crank (and I have a picture of the block and crank in the build process.)
No GPI intake (that moves the injectors in front of the reeds), but a 1” spacer and horn.
After telling one of my friends about this engine I received he e-mailed me and said, "I guess you got one built out of the "don't-screw-this-guy" box...LOL"
I do honestly believe Randy has the knowledge/ability and connections to build strong reliable engines. However if he doesn’t stick to the build sheet, and is dishonest at times there is no consistency or trust! He is not a person I would do business with again.
Randy when you read this I want you to personally know, I trusted and believed in you as a friend and person to do business with for years to come when we first met. Obviously that has changed. This wasn’t an easy decision but a necessary one for me.
I’m ending this post with this statement. The members of this board administrators, moderators or webmaster (except for posts by these people) will NOT be held liable for my post. These are my true first hand experiences with Gran Prix International and this is not necessarily the experience or view of the owners or administrators in charge of this site or board (It’s all on me baby!).
I also ask if possible that an administrator please lock this thread so it cannot be edited, but can still be posted after. It’s not my desire or attempt to slam or call anyone names but to post facts that will help other boating enthusiasts make better decisions with how they spend their hard earned cash.
Thank you and the bus has left the station…
Sincerely,
John M Richied
Randy explained to me that since these 280 blocks were new that they had never had the saltwater corrosion coating that makes them look gold. He said that since I don’t run in saltwater it was no big deal and the block would look almost white.
After a lot of thought and time Randy and I put together an engine build sheet based on his expertise and my wants and needs.
On the build sheet was (this is directly off the build sheet Randy typed and e-mailed me) A one-piece adapter with ceramic coated tuner (spec for 7000-9000 peak).
Randy and I talked about the build sheet for hours and several e-mails before I ever agreed to what I wanted and what would be built. Well in the mail I received a stock 280 tuner and 280 1-piece exhaust plate along with a fuel/water separator. I e-mail Randy with what I received asking him if he confused me with someone else, “I thought you said NOT to run a fuel water separator and this is not a ceramic coated tuner.” Here was his e-mail reply from 2-11-06…
The tuner I sent you was done for a specific reason. The more we talked, the more you expressed the desire NOT to have to run high RPM. The ceramic coating we do on pipes does one thing....it raises the powerband up. ie: higher rpm, like 9500+. I choose certain combinations because I know how they will perform. If I didn't I'd not be doing a very good job. If you do something because it sounds cool but drags you away from your goal that's not a very good compromise. I tell someone the performance they should expect and then set about doing it. It may have some detail changes along the way but the ultimate goal is what I shoot for. I RARELY get a combination wrong..that is what makes me different from the rest. I let my results speak for me. I KNOW what you want in a motor, we've talked about it numerous times. We also test every month. The best thing last month may be not the best now, the curve evolves. I did not want to build power above 8500 at the expense of power below that number. That is why we chose a long tapered pipe and didn't coat it to retain heat. If you had the time you could unbolt the tuner from your present pipe and experience the effect. That's what it does, it acts like it's very short. That is one way to make high rpm power, but not the only way. I moved the roof of the exhaust port runner from a square edge to an oval. This gives a wider powerband but doesn't kill the low end. It is a better way to get the result you wanted. And that's what this is all about.
Randy
This was eye opener number one for me… this was done after the agreed build sheet and my $5000 down payment… and without prior notice, no e-mail, no phone call or anything, just as he saw fit. At that time my gut instinct told me “this isn’t good”
Shortly after he sent me a stainless steel tuner and another 1 piece exhaust plate, I asked him what was this and where is the ceramic-coated tuner?
I then received this e-mail on 2-19-06…
What would give you the idea that the tuner isn’t coated? You’re putting way too much into this. The tuner IS coated with a ceramic type material that was originally developed for the M1 tank gun barrel. It dissipates heat to keep the barrel from distorting. The tuner needs the same treatment. That is why it has a flat light grey/brown tint on it. That is the coating. The combo works very well. A nice powerband without any dips. The CDI electronics are on the engine already. The big change from a stock 280 is the upper edge of the exhaust port runner has been lifted (slight round shape)(stock is square) to keep the engine from peaking out too early. This with the transfer port direction gives the engine a drag like characteristic without the lack of low end a drag block has due to the very high exhaust port.
I have always delivered a combo that exceeded the customer’s expectation. How I get there is my call. If I fail to have the engine perform then it is my problem to solve. Making power reliably is an ever changing plan. I do not stand still and went the extra mile on the porting and the pistons to obtain my goal. There are a couple weeks to go and the result will be revealed. Give me a chance to prove my expertise.
Randy Pierson
Gran Prix International
Also on my GPI engine build sheet I was promised and paid for; Moly coated skirt, (ceramic coated domes,) cryo treated ART pistons.
Well that changed too and he said, “Your motor will have DLC coated pistons and Chromemoly wrist pins. DLC is Diamond Like Carbon and very trick!”
On the build sheet was the proven and tested GPI intake manifold (anodized red). Now he did tell me up front that he could not have it anodized red as promised. He said the anodizing interfered with the size of the mounting holes and so forth and would require more machining to make them fit. The mounting bolts wouldn’t go through the holes because the anodizing made them smaller.
I was promised the software to read my Brucato PCU, never happened.
I sent my Merc 300 drag (stock 26cc heads) to be O-ringed and machined to fit a 280 head bolt pattern. These turned out beautiful!!! I especially like not having to buy head gasket every time I pull or swap the heads. I’m not certain if GPI does this machine work or who but a very nice job!
I’m going to go on the record as saying I am very disappointed to find out several people right here on this board have had the same experience as myself and yet THEY HAVE NOT POSTED A WORD ABOUT IT! Now this really does disappoint me. I know I for one would have never spent the $8250.00 as I did for my drop on with GPI. The way it starts out more often then not, like it did with me was Randy sent me a gearcase to try at no charge. Or he sends you his personal powerhead, parts, or prop to run… he wins your trust.
What he does is win your belief in him and to me that is another part that hurts. I honestly believed and sent out PM’s and E-mails to people whom trusted me. I said that Randy was in this for the love of the sport, yeah to make money too, but that is not his main objective here. He isn’t out trying to set records, he was out to help the high-performance boating world with their needs and get what they want/need for whatever their goals happened to be. To me Randy was a loyal high performance boater with years of experience and knowledge always available to talk to on the phone or e-mail.
We work hard and save our money sometimes for years to invest in our high performance boats. My family comes first, then my toys, but I don’t just write a check and it’s a done deal.
What I am trying to say here is this: the high-performance Internet boating boards are our information center on high-performance hulls, engines, gearcases, props, modifications, etc. It benefits us all to help each other out and share information good or bad.
Okay back on task, After the engine was installed on March 11,2006 the flywheel bolts were loose and Randy heard this when we were backed down the boat ramp…He was breaking in the engine with a break-in wheel... After Randy confirmed this he said, “When I get back home Pete and I are going to have a little talk.” Gary his friend (who was not employed by Randy, I asked him) ran and got another flywheel off one of the other engines on the truck. He replaced the flywheel with a stock 260 one and later mailed me a GPI light race 260 flywheel.
Randy took the boat out and ran some, then I did. I WAS PUMPED!!!! Before mine Randy and Gary installed a Merc/GPI drop-on Larry’s Stoker. Larry came from Seattle with a friend of his. We all had dinner together, a great time then the next morning Bill Mason ran his boat and so did Randy. After that
I paid Randy the rest of the $3250.00 I owed him to compete our agreed transaction. Then they were off to California with the other six Merc/GPI engines, one on Randy’s personal STV… The yellow and white STV that was on Monster Nation doing 140 mph!
Later after a closer inspection of my new to me white 280 block that had a lot of bling, bling and it looked SWEET! I found a date on the block; it was a 280 from the year 2000. The reason it was white was because this is what aluminum looks like after being in the tanking and the cleaning process. It was not a new block from Mercury.
The engine ran strong and pulled hard! After about eight to nine weeks of running I was down in California at the Western Allison Rally (about 800 miles from home) and 15 min of running the engine seized number 5 and 6 pistons. What was strange about that is I was at a higher elevation, hotter temperature and more humidity. All of these things make an engine run richer. But I was running the GPI drag 185 lbs. of compression heads. Nonetheless Lou let me borrow one of his engines and that is something I will never forget.
Now when I get back home Randy doesn’t answer my e-mails and when I finally get a hold of him on the phone he treat me like panda. He says, ”How bad is it!” and nothing like when we first started talking, not even close. I know a some of you have been in this situation LONG before me…
Even though I was let down I do have some understanding/experience since my last 280 GPI/Merc was sitting in Minnesota, so I understand feeling like you are held hostage and can’t post. The common explanation/excuse is Randy had something over that individual. i.e.: an engine or engines at his place, a new prototype prop or gearcase, warrantee work, owed parts, etc. The end reaction from the people I have talked with is they hated being held hostage and will never allow it to happen again.
When you have a transaction, agreement, build sheet that should be exactly what you get. IF that isn’t what you got, then you paid for something you did not agree to. In most cases GPI Racing does this without telling you up front. He sends you the finished product and if you catch something that isn’t right he “makes it right”. Or says he will in one way or another or talks you into it with a statement like the following. These are direct quotes from Randy’s e-mail I have and have save.
“We test every month. The best thing last month may be not the best now, the curve evolves.”
“I tell someone the performance they should expect and then set about doing it. It may have some detail changes along the way but the ultimate goal is what I shoot for“
The list goes on and on with “special coatings” the list is unreal; such as the M-1 tank barrel coating, ceramic coating, moly coating, DLC coating, Cryo treated, Etc… he knows most of us can’t check this.
Here is one you can check… If he says “your injectors were cleaned and flow tested by Brucato” call Tony and ask him how many injectors he has cleaned or flow tested for Randy, GPI, or GPI Racing this year… or ever!
If he tells you “Ruck got this 280 block from Merc before most of the machining was done” call Ruck, he’s a great guy to talk to and a straight shooter. He also keeps records of every block he has ever worked on. There is so much more I could say right here… and about my current engine/block.
Before doing business with Randy I asked him about his engine failure rate. He stated to me “only two engine failures to date, Lou’s first 260 and Barefoot Bob’s engine after 125 gallons of oil had ran through it and the pistons still looked great.”
Just this year on Randy and Gary’s road trip GPI left Minnesota with eight drop-on 2.5 Mercs in March of 2006. Out of eight of the engines four of them are down.
Larry from Seattle with the Stoker, DOWN!
My first GPI Merc, DOWN!
The guy from CA with the Talon and twin engines… DOWN! DOWN!!
The other four drop-on Merc/GPI engines
One 260 has 2-3 hours on it at the most (I ran it)…sitting in the shop and still runs.
Another one has 10-12 hours on it going through break-in now.
Another one (said to make 415 hp) is sitting in a shop and has never fired up that I know of.
And the last one sitting on an STV has very few hours also.
Now Randy’s assessment on the phone of the engine was we set the PCU too lean. After he receives the blown engine and does some testing with the GPI intake on another block he tells me that the GPI intake developed a crack by bank number three (injector 5 and 6) and this is what caused the lean condition. He says that the GPI plate was possibly lightened too much in this area, but he doesn’t have another GPI intake plate ready to go. So we agree for him to put a 1” spacer on for now and the horn intake.
Well I got the new to me engine and I am happy!!!! I hope it runs as strong and lasts, time will tell.
Randy did honor the warrantee…And I believe I got one hell of an engine!
I received Mahle’s forged top pinned pistons instead of the A.R.T. cast pistons. I feel this was an upgrade even though not discussed or notified of this before I received my second GPI/Merc drop on.
A 260 block with said to have 280 liners. And a lot of porting and transfer work!
Ruck rings. Aluminum cylinder rings that go around the top of the sleeves and fit tight not welded.
A said to be balanced racing crank “not just a stock 280 crank (and I have a picture of the block and crank in the build process.)
No GPI intake (that moves the injectors in front of the reeds), but a 1” spacer and horn.
After telling one of my friends about this engine I received he e-mailed me and said, "I guess you got one built out of the "don't-screw-this-guy" box...LOL"
I do honestly believe Randy has the knowledge/ability and connections to build strong reliable engines. However if he doesn’t stick to the build sheet, and is dishonest at times there is no consistency or trust! He is not a person I would do business with again.
Randy when you read this I want you to personally know, I trusted and believed in you as a friend and person to do business with for years to come when we first met. Obviously that has changed. This wasn’t an easy decision but a necessary one for me.
I’m ending this post with this statement. The members of this board administrators, moderators or webmaster (except for posts by these people) will NOT be held liable for my post. These are my true first hand experiences with Gran Prix International and this is not necessarily the experience or view of the owners or administrators in charge of this site or board (It’s all on me baby!).
I also ask if possible that an administrator please lock this thread so it cannot be edited, but can still be posted after. It’s not my desire or attempt to slam or call anyone names but to post facts that will help other boating enthusiasts make better decisions with how they spend their hard earned cash.
Thank you and the bus has left the station…
Sincerely,
John M Richied
