bad engine?

[sweetheartspapa]

my friend was given a cris craft boat the other day the problem is it has been sitting out for a few years and the top half of the outdrive is missing and the 350 won't turn over by hand(what, a bargin.) the rest looks ok except no alternator,and the carb won't move.the engine is a 78 not sure of the rest found the id tag and he is looking it up. he was thinking of putting diesel in the sparkplug holes to see if it will free it up,i dought it but hey it's his boat and worth a try. would a truck short block fit this boat or should i just rebuild the motor that is in there or put in a v 8 diesel?

 

[alldodge]

my friend was given a cris craft boat the other day the problem is it has been sitting out for a few years and the top half of the outdrive is missing and the 350 won't turn over by hand(what, a bargin.) the rest looks ok except no alternator,and the carb won't move.the engine is a 78 not sure of the rest found the id tag and he is looking it up. he was thinking of putting diesel in the sparkplug holes to see if it will free it up,i dought it but hey it's his boat and worth a try. would a truck short block fit this boat or should i just rebuild the motor that is in there or put in a v 8 diesel?

Sure sounds like your friend likes pain, or really likes a project. Don't mess with trying to get the engine freed up, someone else determined that it was a lost cause and started removing things they could use. You can use a truck short or long block, just use brass freeze plugs and a marine head gasket.

The truck V8 diesel will be to heavy for the boat, not to mention it puts out so much torque you will need a different outdrive.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would probably suggest looking for a complete longtail donor from carb to prop or pulley to prop (which ever way you want to describe a complete driveline).

you could start by getting a new long block, then swapping everything over, then tackling the outdrive with its missing parts, or find a neglected boat with a running longtail (motor and outdrive) and swap the whole thing over and be on the water in a few hours.

I would thoroughly inspect the boat. if it has been sitting neglected in the elements, I guarantee that there is probably standing water, and if so, the stringers, bulkheads, and transom probably need work.

the most expensive boat anyone could ever own would be a free boat.