Used boat buying guidance needed please

[tractoman]

Re: Used boat buying guidance needed please

My 4.3LX runs about 145-150 most of the time, my oil pressure is about 50 psi. Did you check the oil and how did it look? Could be a not super accurate gauge. You could always confirm with a mechanical gauge to be sure the gauge us correct.
Not sure about your water. I've had gallon come pouring out the plug before, but its the kids in and out of the water, and the damn tube that always seems to retain a bunch of water whenever I haul it in. I don't think a little water is too unusual. My bilge pump has never came on either but it works and there is a float switch that also works. Do you have a float switch for the bilge pump?
Is the bilge are clean or oily? You may have just rinsed it out a little.

 

[Philster]

Re: Used boat buying guidance needed please

Let's see... a CUP of water? Jeesh! Boats get a cup of water out of the drain when they are covered!

Check the fluids. Oil pressure? Well, it don't mean much until you change it and get a new filter. Higher is a wee bit more comforting. Panic when the pressure drops.

Bilge water color? Clean it out as best you can, then keep an eye on it.

 

[JimMH]

Re: Used boat buying guidance needed please

Boat that age that has had regular maintaince is going to have some oil in the bilge area. A cup of greasy water is not unusual after running the boat especially if it has been sitting for a while. That water could have been in an forward compartment and moved to the bilge area when under way. I wouldn't worry about it. Now Go Have Some Fun!!!!!

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Used boat buying guidance needed please

Ah... I remember the word now (if you go back, I added to my previous post): BELLOWS!!!

Have them checked just in case.

Ian

 

[HollaGeo]

Re: Used boat buying guidance needed please

With the economy the way it is, you should look at boats from the late-90s.

 

[Augoose]

Re: Used boat buying guidance needed please

Thanks for all the info everyone. Having the boat out for the first time today raised a lot of questions. As already said, I'd rather see the oil pressure a little high vs low, but I'll verify it with a mechanical gauge as well. My I6 jeep runs at about 40 psi, I just didn't know if I should expect something different out of a marine engine. The oil has just been changed, so that probably explains the murky water out of the drain. However, the water was absolutely flat today so none went over the bow so I'm a little concerned about where the water came from. It hasn't rained here in days and I drove it back on a trailer yesterday for about 200 miles, so I would have thought that if water was trapped, it would have already come out. If I couldn't see water in the bilge and it didn't come from rain or over the bow, I suppose a bad seal in the transom/outdrive is the next likely target? We were on the water for about an hour or maybe an hour and a half and the boat sat still for a majority of it - I just wanted to see if a drinking cup worth of water was normal or not. Sounds like not.

Sounds like my engine temp is dead on - that's good to hear!

I need to read up on my terminology, but are there any other seals in the transom other than ones called bellows or is bellow a general term for all outboard seals? Are the bellows and other seals easy to replace by a shadetree mechanic or is it a larger ordeal?

The impeller was just replaced a few weeks ago, but I'm concerned about a little water that showed up in the lower unit when I drained the gear oil. I'm planning on replacing the vent and fill bolts - hopefully one of them had a bad o-ring.

Thanks again all for the advice and help!

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Used boat buying guidance needed please

I am not certain, you'd have to pull the outdrive off to change the bellows. At least that's how most people do it, I've heard rumor that with some difficulty you can do it without completely removing the outdrive but why bother. So you have to determine if you are up to that kind of task. That would certainly be a starting point, having them inspected that is. Now don't expect any standing water to come out of the boat when towing. It's not unusual for the boat to sit a bit nose down when on you vehicle, thus preventing all the rain water from easily draining out. Which is why we say, when storing...NOSE UP!

Did you see water or was the outdrive fluid milky? If it was just water, then it likely was just some water that was trapped in the cooling circuits or impeller. If the fluid was milky you have a bigger problem to track down.

Ian

 

[Augoose]

Re: Used boat buying guidance needed please

Did you see water or was the outdrive fluid milky? If it was just water, then it likely was just some water that was trapped in the cooling circuits or impeller. If the fluid was milky you have a bigger problem to track down.

Ian

Ian,
the water that came out wasn't really milky, but it was not clear either. Just dirty would be the best way to explain it. However, immediately after the water came out dark oil started pouring out, almost as if someone turned a valve open. It was almost as if the oil and water never mixed really - hopefully that is a good sign.

Thanks for the help!

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Used boat buying guidance needed please

No that's just odd...others will likely be more help at this point then.

Ian

 

[Augoose]

Re: Used boat buying guidance needed please

Boat that age that has had regular maintaince is going to have some oil in the bilge area. A cup of greasy water is not unusual after running the boat especially if it has been sitting for a while. That water could have been in an forward compartment and moved to the bilge area when under way. I wouldn't worry about it. Now Go Have Some Fun!!!!!

Regarding the leak - you were exactly correct. After the first run in the water on Wednesday when the cup full of murky water came out, I was worried. Yesterday I ran the boat for well over 2 hours and after pulling it out on the trailer and taking out the drain plug - NADA! Dry as a bone! Phew.

I'll post some pics