SeaRay SRV180 trouble

I inherited a boat today, not sure of the year, but as i have had it for less than twelve hours at this point i need to know if it is even worth keeping.

It is a SeaRay srv180 with a 165hp inboard mercruiser motor inline 6cyl.

It is in rough shape but i really wanted to fix it up and use it for leisurely weekends. After cleaning it out of all the leaves that had collected in it from its years sitting on the trailer. I took the keys to it and tried to start it with no success. I wasn't suprised so i took a battery from my truck and just used jumper cables straight to the starter. To my suprise the started clicked, but it didn't turn the motor over.

I went to the local boat repair shop and i was told to take the starter out and see if i can turn the flywheel with a large screwdriver and if that didnt work to scrap the whole thing.

This boat is pretty sweet and for free i really feel like i should try a little harder than that to get this motor running. i guess my question is what do all of you think i should try to do?

Re: SeaRay SRV180 trouble

Pull the plugs.Pull the starter(try the screwdriver thing)clean it out.
If that don't work then Marvel Mystery Oil.Fill it and let it set for 2-3 days.Then replace the starter and try again.No:then hook up 2 batteries and hit it with 24V.
The drive might be siezed.Put it in neutral.Try to spin prop.Remove the drive then try the motor.Try to move the prop after it's put in gear.Remove the top cover to see if it's rusty.
If the drive is ok and it still won't turn then it might get costly.
You will need to remove the head and see the condition.You can use a 2X4 and a big hammer to try and free the pistons.J

Re: SeaRay SRV180 trouble

Ayuh,... That's Great old motor,+ a decent old drive, if ya get'er runnin'...

Re: SeaRay SRV180 trouble

thanks jerry and bond,
I think i will try the screwdriver advice and if that doesnt do it then i will try all of the things you have listed above. I really would like to see it running again and im sure that it would be alot of fun. So ill get cracking tomorrow, im still on vacation from work until monday so plenty of time to get it going.

Re: SeaRay SRV180 trouble

heading out to get started on my checklist... if theres any more advice i will check periodically throughout the day and later ill post what the findings are. Thanks for all the help so far and wish me luck, hopefully we will have a solution for this boat and at the end of restoration (if possible) a weekend playtoy!

Re: SeaRay SRV180 trouble

Lots of good info can be had as well as free manuals thanks to Don S, Just click here:
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=288430

Re: SeaRay SRV180 trouble

Hey thanks blu!

Here's an update.

The motor does not appear to be seized, we were able to remove the old starter and move the flywheel with a prybar, though it wasn't easy it did move. After removing the valve cover we got it to spin to make sure everything was still spinning. So I then checked the starter at the local Advanced Auto Parts, and its garbage. So i bought a new starter, some marvel mystery oil, and new spark plugs to try again. When we put in the new started it will go but its not turning the motor over, just goes and then humms like its trying to spin the flywheel but can't??

The other thing is alot of the electrical work in the boat has been tampered, selectively things work and things don't. To do all of this testing i have had to use jumper cables directly to the battery leads and the started because the ignition will not start the boat, more work is in order but for now this is what we've got.

the prop will go down but not up, the gauges will show signs of getting power but some won't, the ignition will not power the starter, horn and nav lights are not working, and the blower (im not exactly sure what that is) seems to be working fine.

So for today im letting the mystery oil sit, letting the starter situation sit so i can ask for advice here, and we will see what happens.

Re: SeaRay SRV180 trouble

Since the electrical system is in such poor shape, are you trying to get the starter to work by using "any" of the original system or jumpers directly to the starter - hot and gnd??

Take the spark plugs out (leave out), put a small amount of a light oil into each cylinder, over fill the crankcase by a couple of quarts - then turn the engine over by hand a few complete revolutions.
This will let some oil move in the cylinders and IF you have the crankcase oil deep enough, allow some oil to get on the rod bearings at least - all the bearings if you get enough oil in it.

DO NOT TURN THE ENGINE OVER WITH THE STARTER OR ANY OTHER MECHANICAL MEANS IN THIS CONDITION!

If it turns over after a few revolutions a bit easier, then try it with the starter, by bumping the starter at first ( not a full cranking) - plugs stay out for now. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO START IT UNTIL YOU DRAIN SOME OF THE OIL OUT OF THE CRANK AND BLOW THE OIL OUT OF THE CYLINDERS!

See what that does.
If it cranks easier, then drain some oil out of the crankcase and make sure there isn't anymore oil coming out of the spark plug holes when just cranking with the starter - then you can attempt to start it.

I wouldn't use the boat fuel system for this first start attempt though - chances are any gas in the tank is stale and/or full of water.

Re: SeaRay SRV180 trouble

One other thing, you did buy a "marine" starter correct????? Can not use a car starter in a boat - it isn't safe.

Re: SeaRay SRV180 trouble

It hums? Like, free wheeling, or just a 'chunk'! sound? if you can turn the motor with a screwdriver, a starter motor should turn it....How many wires were on the starter? you might not be engaging the bendix, to push the teeth into the ring gear...

Re: SeaRay SRV180 trouble

Finally got the boat home today dont have long right now but i will post later with more questions on what to do next

Re: SeaRay SRV180 trouble

So after a slight scare of having to get rid of the boat because my landlord does not want it on the property i have found a friend with a big empty storage garage that has offered to let me keep the boat there as long as i want while i work on restoring it. So the progress will continue. For now we have not gotten any farther. The marvel mystery oil still sits in the block just doing its mysterious things while i wait to get the boat and trailer to this garage.