just got a boat

[kenjob00]

well i just got a boat, and i have NOT A CLUE about boats, i came into it basiclly for free, and my neighbor said the guy he got it off of said it did run, an my neighbor only had it sittin for like a month, so i put a battery in and it didnt start, i heard the starter pop but didnt spin, i have ggeneral car engine knowledge, and this is an I/O omc engine, and im tryin to figure out what size engine and what tyr boat, cuz i have no info on it i got some number off the engine as im sure youll be askin for them which ones do u need

 

[BLinindoll]

Re: just got a boat

could be a million and one different things... bad starter, dead battery, seized motor, bad electrical connections, bad starter solenoid.... best thing to do is see if you can turn it over by hand. how many cylinders? what is the number you have and where did you find it?

 

[kenjob00]

Re: just got a boat

how do i try n turn it over by hand? and i have a serial number and model number from the plate, and theres a number off the head, and i also have the hin number

 

[cooter2506]

Re: just got a boat

How many cylinders? Is the distributor in the front or rear? Serial and model number will help.

 

[cooter2506]

Re: just got a boat

Oh yeah to turn it over by hand put a socket on the harmonic balancer pully and turn it clock wise see if you can spin it. If not remove the plugs and try again. If not remove outdrive and try again. If not motor is seized. If you can do it after removal of drive then drive is locked up.

 

[jlinder]

Re: just got a boat

Just a thought - sorry if this is a dumb question but you said you don't know anything about boats.

Did you have a muff on it with water running when you tried starting it?

Start with the model of the boat. Manufacturer, model, length, etc. Any thing you can give us would help.

As for the engine is it a 6 cyl or 8? Who makes the engine (GM, Ford, etc.)?

 

[kenjob00]

Re: just got a boat

4 cyl i got a number of 252strhcom and a serial number 401120 and the motor says omc and i think on the inside of the head i seen gm so thats my guess and no i didnt have the earmuffs hooked up, i just wanted to try n crank it not necisarily start it, i knew u had to have the earmuffs hooked up to run it, just wanted to get it to crank

 

[maxxman04]

Re: just got a boat

you run the risk of burning up the impeller without the muffs, even if only cranking for a few seconds

 

[jlinder]

Re: just got a boat

Oh yeah to turn it over by hand put a socket on the harmonic balancer pully and turn it clock wise see if you can spin it. If not remove the plugs and try again. If not remove outdrive and try again. If not motor is seized. If you can do it after removal of drive then drive is locked up.

If you had gotten it to start you probably would have destroyed the impeller.

Can you tell us who made the boat (manufacturer)? Take a look on the hull for the ID number. This is a lot like a VIN number on a car and can help ID the boat.

On my boat is it engraved into the fiberglass on the transom and seen from the outside.

 

[kenjob00]

Re: just got a boat

i know i wasnt actually gonna start it just wanted to get it to crank once, the HIN number is mwk46240j586

 

[jlinder]

Re: just got a boat

i know i wasnt actually gonna start it just wanted to get it to crank once, the HIN number is mwk46240j586

I looked this up on the web and according to the web site it was made by Invader Boats and they went out of business in 1991

You might try http://www.iboats.com/Invader_Boats/bp/20br1240 to see if you can find your model

 

[searay3]

Re: just got a boat

Pull the plugs, try to turn it. Can't? Pull the drive, try to turn it. May be the engine may be the drive. Just remeber, free boats are usually the most expensive to get running. (or the last guy would still be using it)

 

[kenjob00]

Re: just got a boat

got some good news, i was able to turn the engine by the crank, so , thats a plus lol, so i proceeded to take the starter off and i may be lucky cuz i have a brand new car starter, tahts like 4 yrs old, just never used it, clocking and bolt patterns the same, just gotta try n swap the spinning gear the teeth r diff counts so ima try

 

[jlinder]

Re: just got a boat

got some good news, i was able to turn the engine by the crank, so , thats a plus lol, so i proceeded to take the starter off and i may be lucky cuz i have a brand new car starter, tahts like 4 yrs old, just never used it, clocking and bolt patterns the same, just gotta try n swap the spinning gear the teeth r diff counts so ima try

STOP !!!!! STOP!!! STOP!!!!

You cannot use an automobile starter in a boat! Boat engine compartments are sealed and can buildup gas fumes. Auto starters are not sealed and create sparks.

SPARKS + FUMES = BOOM! A really bad day.

Starters and alternators must be marine rated which means they are sealed to prevent open sparks.

You should also have a bilge blower on your boat. You run this for 5 min before starting to make sure you clear out the bilge of gas fumes.

 

[ken_23434]

Re: just got a boat

For the most part, boat engines are the same as a car motor. The alternator, starter and distributor are marine specific as mentioned above for safety reasons. Beyond the safety reasons, if the coast guard boards your boat for one of their "routine safety inspections" they will look for stuff like that.

My boat started off being a freebie also. It took a while for me to work everything out. This site is the reason I was able to take my boat out with my son today. Post the question here, and you will get the correct answer within a few hours.

Good luck with project.

 

[scipper77]

Re: just got a boat

gas fumes are heavier than air. In a car the engine bay is open to the road so any stray fumes just fall down and disperse. It wouldn't make much sense to have a big hole in the bottom of the boat.

 

[jlinder]

Re: just got a boat

As Ken said, the engines are very similar there are just a couple of differences, but those differences can be critical.

Alternator and starter need to be sealed. Fuel pump is protected against leaks.

The problem is that marine rated components seem to cost a bundle and the cost savings of plain old auto parts can look very, very attractive. But it would be a mistake.

Hope I did not come off too strong with my previous post but I could picture you trying the auto starter and ending up with an explosion.

 

[kenjob00]

Re: just got a boat

nah u didnt come off to stron thats why i ask these quesitions, but what i dont see is how the starter that was on there was sealed. it looks identical the the other starter i have , the 4 bolts that the wires connect to , were wide open, not sealed up like it sounds like ur sayin, unless ur talkin internal components are the ones taht are sealed, i trust ur answers just wanna learn things so im askin

but i stil need to know what kinda engine it is so i can proceed to get the correct starter, i posted all the nuymbers i could in a previous post

 

[superbenk]

Re: just got a boat

How about some pictures of the engine and outdrive? I bet someone here can identify it pretty quick then.

 

[jlinder]

Re: just got a boat

nah u didnt come off to stron thats why i ask these quesitions, but what i dont see is how the starter that was on there was sealed. it looks identical the the other starter i have , the 4 bolts that the wires connect to , were wide open, not sealed up like it sounds like ur sayin, unless ur talkin internal components are the ones taht are sealed, i trust ur answers just wanna learn things so im askin

but i stil need to know what kinda engine it is so i can proceed to get the correct starter, i posted all the nuymbers i could in a previous post

The seals are inside. They seal the brushes that create sparks.

Try looking at the components for hints. Don't remember but did you give us the number of cylinders? (count the plugs)

Look at the distrbuter, spark arrestor (where the air cliener would be), carb, etc. Try to find any labels.

For example if it is a Rochester carb and delco electic components you have a GM.

As was said pictures would make fast work of this. There are some really good people here who can ID it from that.