Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

[ducksdogsdecoys311]

Hey guys this is my first post on here and have a question maybe some of you could help me out with. I am looking at buying a 1987 255 Grady white Sailfish with twin 1997 Evinrude 200hp ocean pro's. When I took the boat out for a test ride I notice that the boat REALLY pulls to the stbd side. During the test the stbd motor had shut off on it's own, after a bunch of cranking trying to get it started we just went in on one motor. At the dock the guy said it was a wiring issue with the dead man switch. When we pulled the boat out I noticed alot of black oil leaking from a slit just above the lower unit. During the test the stbd motor rpm guage was intermitten but would only get up to about 4000 rpms while the port motor was running strong at 5500 rpm WOT. Do you think there could be a major issue with the stbd motor, and could you comment on the oil, the guy said it was coming out of the exhaust because we were cranking on it some much without it firing up. Sorry for the long post I just don't wanna buy this boat if I'm gonna have some major motor issues. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[hidef]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

The leaking oil would be unburnt gas and oil not a big deal and nothing to worry about. What you do have to worry about is the lack of RPM out of the Starboard engine (that was causing the boat to pull to stbd by the way). That motor has an issue but it is to hard to tell without trouble shooting it. It could cost you a few dollars to a couple of thousand to fix. If you want the boat I would knock the price down or get the owner to fix it before you buy it.

 

[dazk14]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

Obviously, there are lots of red flags here.

How was this boat advertised? Good runner? Needs work? Sounds like it's a problem child. This rig is "So reliable" it can't make it through a 20 minute sea trial...

The owner has the knowledge to tell you it's puking oil because of long cranking times...Sounds like he's been around the block with long cranking times.

The owner indicates it maxes out at 4k rpm due to a VERY simple wiring issue, but hasn't addressed something that should take less than an hr to fix and can be disconnected in a minute to at least demonstrate that the motor is mechanically sound - which is obviously nonsense.

The unburnt oil is a problem and indicative of a larger problem, which may be a couple hundred to fix or closer to $4k+ to fix.

The pull to the starboard side is likely due to the uneven power being generated.

Pushing that motor when it is maxing out at 4k rpm is begging for serious engine damage.

The boat needs a quality survey, if you want to make an informed decision.

Good Luck!

 

[wmconway]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

Dazk is spot on, bro. That stbd motor is likely to cost a small fortune to fix. The tach working intermittant hints at problems with the charging system. The difficulty in getting it started may hint at serious ignition problems. You may end up replacing most of the electronics under the hood. At a minimum, i'd check the charging voltage and do a spark and compression check. Worst cast scenario, tell that joker to keep the dead motor and knock off the price to replace it.

 

[ducksdogsdecoys311]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

Thanks for all the help guys. I guess he's just gonna have to figure out what it is if he wants to sell the boat. Compression checks on both motors was good, I didn't check charging voltage or for spark. As far as the tach not working I'm guessing that could be part of the problem or an issue all on it's own. Does anyone know what the props should be pitched at for this boat? When we ran in on one motor the boat couldn't get up on plane, but I think the guy may have had the trim tabs all the way up.

 

[cfauvel]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

I'd like to know other people's thoughts on the subject that the boat cannot get on plane with one motor. I personally think that would be normal for a 25' gradywhite, their boats are super heavy.

If you do get the boat and the other motor is fixed, I think going to a 4 blade prop would help in getting you on plane with one motor, at least with two motors and 4 blade prop woul dget you up on plane faster and stay on plane at lower speed...

This is not a go fast boast and being offshore slamming a boat in the waves is not fun.

Keep us posted.

 

[ducksdogsdecoys311]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

Oh I agree and this boat will definitely be going offshore if I get it. With that being said if I happened to lose a motor it would be nice to at least get the boat on plane to run in on one motor. They guy has no idea what the pitch of the props are, and they are 3 blades. I have a feeling there pitched wrong cause even the good (port) motor is only getting about 5200 RPM's at WOT. Like I said I think he had the trim tabs all the way up so maybe that had something to do with it cause it was right there to get on plane just couldn't croos that line. My real concern is that stbd motor though. I had suggested he decarb the motor, change plugs, do another compression test, and check for proper voltage and spark. This stbd motor is really the only issue keeping me from buying this boat so I'm hoping he can get it fixed or I will just have to pass. I love the old grady whites and for 13,000 I think it's a good deal but I don't have the money to go overhaul a motor right after dropping the cash to buy the boat. Plus the GPS/Fishfinder is not included in the deal so there's a grand right there. And she needs a good cleaning/compounding and a little electrical work to be done. Anyone have any suggestion??? I've been on boats my entire life but this would be the first boat I would own. Thanks for all the help so far!!

 

[ducksdogsdecoys311]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

Bump!!

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

before investing thousands in this boat you should just pay a good boat mechanic a couple of hundred for a professional assessment. as you seem a bit new and unknowing about boat stuff. this will give you a sure way to determine a fair price for the boat without guessing.

 

[ducksdogsdecoys311]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

Update, I could really use some help here. Went to the boat today, backed it down the ramp, port motor fired right up, stbd motor on the other hand had the same problem cranked all day but won't start, doesn't even sound like it wanted to start. So we pull a plug and check for spark, we had spark, we obviously are getting air, so we check the fuel. Primer bulb was still hard, fuel/water sep was full of fuel, and we could see fuel in the inline filter by the engine.????? I'm stumped, I could take a wild guess and say it's the fuel pump but I really have no idea what the deal is. The guy that owns the boat seams to think it's the deadman switch, so we took the one from the port side and put it on the stbd, still no start on the stbd motor. The port motor fired right up again with no deadman switch installed and would not shut off from the ign switch, I had to choke it to shut down is that normal?

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

re read post number 9

 

[ducksdogsdecoys311]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

Yeah I got that, I'm not really trying to spend a couple hundred for a mech to look at it if I'm not gonna buy it! Let the owner do that, I'm really just trying to understand what exactly is going on here and really decide if this boat is worth buying. Thanks for posting though.

 

[jsimmons1970]

Re: Hello First Post, 1997 Evinrude 200hp Ocean pro

Walk away from the deal. Seems like the owner is trying to pass along the motor problems to someone else. He just proved to you that it isn't the deadman switch by yall switching them to the starboard motor. If neither of you want to take sparkieboat's advice about the mechanic looking at it, then find another boat you like or chance buying this one. It doesn't sound like a wise decesion to buy his problems.