How to tell if an outboard has been sunk (portable)?

[volkeith]

I have my eyes on a used 6hp Suzuki. Are there obvious signs to look for to know if it has been maybe submerged in saltwater?

 

[Sea Rider]

If engine was recovered inmediately after sinking and teared to pieces, cleaned to perfection and assembled back probably can't tell. If submerged and just water flushed inside out, will have issues on all rotating parts specially bearings in the short run....

Happy Boating

 

[volkeith]

So if it looks clean and I can fire it up on one or 5 pulls and no smoke and barrel it for 20min you think OK?

 

[redneck joe]

curious to what has led you to ask that question? Not on on the front of my mind when looking at outboards

 

[Sea Rider]

For your peace of mind ask seller to give you a written warranty that engine is in immaculate working order if you decide to buy it.

Happy Boating

 

[racerone]

Nowadays many folks have a pressure washer and it is easy to turn a pig into a thing of beauty.-----Ask the seller for a written statement about submersion if you suspect it.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Short of the engine being locked-up, there is no easy way to tell if the engine was a swimmer. If it were sunk and recovered immediately then restarted and run for at least a half hour to evaporate any water, then no harm will have been done and the engine will be in original condition. If it were let to sit a while and the bearings and crank became etched, it will still run but service life will be significantly reduced. It comes down to: Do you trust the seller?

 

[Sea Rider]

Accoding to our experience selling OB's, engines which have fallen against salty water sand beds or excesive sand in suspension will end being caput in a short time period, no matter if the engine runs good for at least 30 minutes afterwords. Sand is very difficult to remove with just a internal water flush, will stick to inside of bearings specially the crankshaft ones in which bearings are exposed.

Happy Boating

 

[volkeith]

curious to what has led you to ask that question? Not on on the front of my mind when looking at outboards

I don't know I guess I am not experienced in used boat motor prices. I was looking at a 2007 susuki 4 stroke 6hp from a pawn shop for $600. Definitly used in salt water. And I just figured portable motors much more likely to get sunk than others.

 

[Sea Rider]

If the owner of a portable engine is a careless boater you could be buying a pandora box, Engines usually don't fall that much into seas unless you forgot to re tight the engine clamps frequently while boating....

Happy Boating

 

[gm280]

We seriously have no real idea about anything we purchase from online, pawn shops, or even distant neighbors. We have to figure that into the price you're willing to lay out for such. Any purchased used OB can run for years without issue, or stop a day later. Unless you can see inside, who really knows? If it look clean and well cared for, it may be a good buy. Bit if it is suspect and things appear questionable, drop your offer and go from there if you really want it... JMHO! Remember that saying: Let the buyer beware...

 

[BF]

For your peace of mind ask seller to give you a written warranty that engine is in immaculate working order if you decide to buy it.

Happy Boating

Good luck with that one!

I was selling an old johnson OB for $300... Ran it in a barrel for the guy and explained what I had done for recent maintenance (impeller, new coils and points)... He said he'd take it if I agreed to let him return it the next week if he wasn't happy with it.... I said it is what it is, and no way on earth I would let a newbie take it and maybe run it without oil, or use it for a one weekend fishing trip and then return it for refund... I also said if he genuinely felt uncomfortable not having a warranty, he should probably go buy a motor from a dealer, but that he'd be paying a lot more than $300.... he bought it... but if he hadn't, one of the other 10 guys to call would have. I really didn't care one way or the other. And I always write a receipt that it is "as is, where is and no warranty is provided". Both parties get copies of the receipts that have been signed by both... If I'm selling off one of my motors, it's to make room for a new one, and the price doesn't include a return policy, since I don't have confidence the guy buying it isn't going to destroy it within a few hours.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I agree with BF. No one in their right mind would write up a warranty unless it was a dealer. These days "as is" is implied when buying anything used....... But we all still write it on the bill of sale.

 

[volkeith]

I agree with BF. No one in their right mind would write up a warranty unless it was a dealer. These days "as is" is implied when buying anything used....... But we all still write it on the bill of sale.

so would you buy a used portable motor for a reasonable price if you knew nothing other than seeing it run like a scaled dog in a tank?

Thanks
keith

 

[Sea Rider]

Not unless a compression test was conducted before buying, at least will know the overall power head condition. Start the engine, check peeing port to have an ideaa of the water pump cond, shift forward, neutral, reverse.

Happy Boating

 

[volkeith]

Not unless a compression test was conducted before buying, at least will know the overall power head condition. Start the engine, check peeing port to have an ideaa of the water pump cond, shift forward, neutral, reverse.

Happy Boating

Compression test is that like unscrewing a spark plug and hooking up a special plug with a guage?

 

[volkeith]

So manual start you just hook it up and pull the cord?

Sounds pretty easy to me...

 

[Sea Rider]

Yes, it's the gauge that comes with a hose and screws direct on cylinder plug. Pull at least 3-4 pulls and check overall PSI reading on each cylinder and compare if both readings are about near same between cylinders..

Happy Boating

 

[JoLin]

Yes, it's the gauge that comes with a hose and screws direct on cylinder plug. Pull at least 3-4 pulls and check overall PSI reading on each cylinder and compare if both readings are about near same between cylinders..

Happy Boating

Just be aware that nothing's absolute and a used engine is just that. Used. Maybe used well, maybe not. My 85 hp Yamaha ran okay when I bought it about 20 running hours ago. Compression was acceptable, and even across all 3 cylinders (95, 99, 101). Tuned it up, rebuilt the carbs and had it running nicely on muffs a month ago, before I brought the rig from NY to FL. A few running hours later it got a bit rough and I couldn't seem to cure it. Fuel system was spotless, and all electrical components tested okay. Last Saturday it started making cement mixer noises and after it died (with a 'thunk!') I found the big end of a piston rod sticking out through the side of the block. Wasn't anything I did, and I doubt the previous owner expected it to 'blow up', either.

In your favor is the fact that the motor you're looking at isn't very old and probably hasn't had multiple owners. If it checks out okay compression-wise and running in the barrel you'll probably be fine.

My .02

 

[cdn1972]

years ago i bought a 35hp merc from a boat owner that sunk at the dock, was under water 30 hours. i pulledthe plugs, drained all water in cyls and carb. filled cyls and carb with 2 stroke oil and pulled over slowly to mix it about.
left for a week getting carb parts.
rebuilt carb, fress fuel and dumped oil from cyls. fire up and ran until warm.
had the engine for 25 years, perfect runner. miss it.
if it runs in the tank buy it