looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

[hillsideshortleg]

I am looking at a 89 Sea Ray with one new 305 and one with 1100 hours. Any idea what I can expect in the near future with this.
Thanks

 

[Pete104]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

Why 1 engine & when + by who?

 

[hillsideshortleg]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

This is the boat I am interested in. Not at that price.
http://kpr.craigslist.org/boa/2631880467.html

 

[Pete104]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

What was the issue with the motor that was replaced? Is where I was going!
It only matters because if something happens to 1, why can't it happen to the other?

If the guy can't tell me why he had replace one engine, I ain't talking to him! There are several legitiment reasons for doing so. But I need to know why!

 

[hillsideshortleg]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

so I am growing a little skeptical. The motor was not fogged properly and a cylinder corroded so the motor it had to be rebuilt. If it was down for a winter, would a cylinder corrode to the point the motor had to be repaired?
Thanks

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

so I am growing a little skeptical. The motor was not fogged properly and a cylinder corroded so the motor it had to be rebuilt. If it was down for a winter, would a cylinder corrode to the point the motor had to be repaired?
Thanks

What probably ACTUALLY happened was that an exhaust manifold had corroded internally, and allowed water to sit in a cylinder all winter. Yes, that will destroy a cylinder and require an engine to be rebuilt. If the exhaust manifolds on one motor went bad, the ones on the other motor aren't far behind.

 

[sschefer]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

1100 hours is significant. You can expect to be rebuilding that motor in the near future but it'll probably be good for a couple of more seasons. One thing to realize is that a fresh motor will develop more HP and that can present some problems at the helm keeping it going straight. You can compensate with the throttles once you get a handle on it. I had a friend that this happened to and he finally just replaced both motors with fresh ones.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

That looks like a fairly nice boat but I would want to know more about the the transmissions or sterndrives whichever it has.....

Was it ALWAYS in fresh water? (did it always have closed cooling?.........Ad claims "freashwater cooled")

Is there any rot in the floors, transom, and/or stringers?

All questions to ask on any boat that old. They'll probably take any reasonable offer. It ain't going to sell fast now.....(worst time to sell, best time to buy!!!)

Here's a 28' Searay btw, for $12,500 http://spokane.craigslist.org/boa/2628458447.html doesn't say what it has inside other than twin 350's......

I want one too!!



Cheers,


Rick

 

[hillsideshortleg]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

I think i offered him $3000.00 for that boat. it is in rough shape and has not been ran for awhile. When I looked at it water(rain)was dripping from a window onto the wood over the stove burners. We want as close to perfect as we can get. We also really like the 89 sundancer which is really odd that both my wife and I would agree on something. We also agree we want a red or green boat. I was told on the boat I am asking about, we will find nothing wrong with it. We will check it out next weekend. he is the second owner and was freinds with the first if I remember right.

 

[hillsideshortleg]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

Why not beat it to the punch and replace the manifold? Also isnt the exhaust manifold cast iron? I used to work on cars alot as a kid and have tried to stay away from them till now. Are marine engines much different than regular car or truck engines? I was stuck working on our 83 Sea Swirl with the 140 Mercruiser in it in the middle of the lake and found a problem the shops couldnt so I am likeing the idea of doing motor maintenance myself and leaving the outdrives repairs to a shop. Is a marine short block and head rebuild much different than a car or truck.
Thanks
Rick

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

Is a marine short block and head rebuild much different than a car or truck?
Thanks
Rick

Car, yes.....Truck? slightly different...... camshaft, brass core-plugs, stainless steel in the circulating pump.

If you have normal hand tools and automotive experience, common sense and an OEM service manual, you can do most of the routine maintenance work on your boat.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

Why not beat it to the punch and replace the manifold?...

Because you'll spend about $1000 on one motor, in just parts. And then most owners can't work on them, so they'll have to pay some shop $500 in labor for about 2 actual hours worth of work. Of course the downside is letting it ruin a motor and spending $5000+ replacing it, like I am sure this guy did this spring.

Oh and as HT was pointing out, the add says "freshwater cooled" which is not really a correct term. It either has "raw water" cooling or "closed cooling". Closed cooling means it has a heat exchanger and anti-freeze in the block. But most likely not in the exhaust manifolds, so they will still rust out internally. Check it out.

 

[hillsideshortleg]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

Are the manifolds cast iron? If so I am supprised they would rust so fast. Or does the antifreeze in a car stop or slow the rusting of the block?

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

hillside, are you being serious? Cast iron rusts pretty fast indeed. All it needs is oxygen. Lots of that in the water and the hot exhaust gasses in side of them. Yes, antifreeze provides corrosion protection. Most guys on here will tell ya, that 10 years on a set of exhaust manifolds, in freshwater, is living on borrowed time. This boat you are looking at is 21 years old. This could be its 3rd set of them.

 

[hillsideshortleg]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

Sorry serious I am. I have no experiance with cast iron in water besides boilers which the cast boilers seem to have a better life than steel if I remember right. I am on here to learn and admit I am naive about boats but I have been involved with industrial machinery all my life.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: looking at a boat with one new motor and one old

Are the manifolds cast iron? ...................Or does the antifreeze in a car stop or slow the rusting of the block?

Um,


YES.

and YES.

It's why full closed cooling is desirable in salt (and "freash" :facepalm: water boats).

Many boats are operated in salt water without closed cooling. The manifolds and risers are EXPECTED to "rust" and MUST be replaced on a "regular" basis. (every few years in some cases......)

When operated in "fresh" water they last longer............but not forever.

When they fail, the operator usually discovers it when the engine hydrolocks with raw water in 1 or more cyls, OR after the engine has sat for weeks (or until Spring) when the engine is then frozen.