Carb or worse?

[Krsowles]

I bought a 1998 Sea Ray 180 the other day, knowing it has sat 3-4 years. The previous owner is an acquaintance and respected in community but I had never dealt with him directly. Just prior to sitting, dealer had done pretty major service on it after testing compression, which was good (not written on receipt ). Steering and shift cables, bellows etc were all replaced. Owner ran it a couple times before end of season, winterized and stored. He tried to run it last summer, while his brother and family visiting on vacation and it ran but very slow acceleration. Would finally get to plane in approximately 30 seconds, but only to about 32 mph. He says it should be low 40s. It duplicated this on quick test drive before I purchased. I’ve found several threads about this and immediately think fuel system and carb work. I also found the distributor cap was badly corroded, so replaced it with an auto cap because I have to order marine stuff but wanted to see if that helped at all. I cleaned both fuel filters (only carb inlet one had any real junk in it but some seemed silver?), and confirmed fuel pump putting out fuel into a container (no pressure gauge avail.) and put back together. When I bought it, the previous owner launched the boat and took me out for a quick test drive to show me how boat was running. After I cleaned the filters etc and changed cap, it has gotten worse and I made a quick, lousy video of it running. I’m looking for opinions of running now because there seems to be a lot of noise in motor now. Could be some detonation type noise but exhaust sounds a lot louder as well. Is there something else going on here, in your opinion? My guy will look at it in a couple weeks but my mind won’t stop playing it over. Things I know:
Gunk in fuel filter, probably needs carb done as well as check gas tank
Water separator needs to be installed.
It’s getting fuel, but can’t confirm enough.
spark arrestor clean
Plugs looked pretty decent and uniform.
New auto cap and rotor don’t seem as good as old corroded cap. Old rotor broke but will wire brush and reinstall old cap for grins.
Do you think there may be something else going on as well? Any assistance greatly appreciated!

June 13, 2021

youtube.com

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Welcome Aboard!
Are you running gas that has been sitting for 3-4 years?

 

[alldodge]

What motor, serial numbers are best?
Probably a 3.0
Cap is probably the same.

 

[Krsowles]

I’m guessing the tank was 3/4 full of old fuel he claimed was treated. He had some seafoam laying around so we added a bottle of it and I filled tank with 91 ethanol free. Hoping we were good. Apparently not. I’d like to drain tank and see if sludge in bottom and/or possibly a pickup filter.

 

[Krsowles]

Im sorry, motor is a 3.0. I don’t have any numbers on it. Just seems like too much noise to only be a fuel issue but I have little boat motor experience.

 

[alldodge]

The vid/sound is not available for me to see/hear

Being a 98 it could have a Rochester 2GC or maybe even a TKS carb
Do you have electric or manual fuel pump?

 

[Krsowles]

It has a manual pump, carter but I forgot the number.
NEW INFO: this afternoon, I tried to check the compression. I got 165 in cyl 1 and a face full of what I believe was dirty water from cyl 4. Again, not a boat mechanic but I can’t see any situation where water in a cylinder is good. I couldn’t get readings on the other 3 cylinders because my antique compression tester doesn’t screw in the spark plug holes and I couldn’t hold at the right angle to obtain a reading. I’d love to hear what water in the cylinder tells me. I’ll try to research this on computer obviously but I do have family and work obligations so if someone could spell it out or knows a link describing my current horror, I’d appreciate the help! Thanks again

 

[Krsowles]

I tried to post it to YouTube to be able to share it. Unfortunately, I’m better with motors than computers, so we’re probably screwed. If someone can tell me how to do it better I’m happy to try!

 

[alldodge]

Water in a cylinder is never good. Its either a cracked block/head or blown head gasket

My next move would be remove the head

 

[Krsowles]

Armchair QB time, should I be thinking motor is no good or is it worth trying to rebuild? I know every situation different, just trying to pick brain with experience. Catastrophic or () somewhat easy, swap some stuff?

 

[Paintman1960]

Manifolds or risers leaking ??

 

[alldodge]

Armchair QB time, should I be thinking motor is no good or is it worth trying to rebuild? I know every situation different, just trying to pick brain with experience. Catastrophic or () somewhat easy, swap some stuff?

No way to know without looking. Head removal is easy enough and while doing it the exhaust can be looked at. Might just need a head gasket

 

[Krsowles]

From my limited research, I’m guessing something like that. What I seem to read is that people head down a slippery slope of fixing it to have another issue, fix that and then another issue. Doom and gloom. I haven’t read much though, so not positive. I appreciate everyone’s assistance and may try to remove head and poke around. Also was told of $1500 clean bolt in replacement motor. Am I crazy to consider that option?

 

[alldodge]

Also was told of $1500 clean bolt in replacement motor.

If you can find one at that price and its a quality rebuild, go for it. A reman goes for around 2500. If its a good running motor out of another boat, that to is good

 

[Scott Danforth]

if this is a salt water boat, could be manifold is rusted thru.

to rebuild a 3.0 costs more than $1500 unless you own the machine shop.

 

[Krsowles]

Mine shouldn’t be a salt water boat but can’t say for 100%. All history I know is upstate NY but was owned briefly by someone before my acquaintance. I definitely do not own a machine shop, how cool would that be! I could sit around all day with no fingers staring at cool tools!

 

[Krsowles]

I removed the exhaust manifold and riser tonight, both looked to be in excellent shape. Gasket from manifold to riser was excellent as well but the exhaust manifold gasket was completely missing between cylinders 2 and 3. I attempted to get a compression reading on #2 because enough stuff out of way. I’m 90% sure a obtained a good reading (did it several times) and it seems about 10 psi. Can’t get three or four yet and haven’t gotten to see head yet. Still hopin’, any good stories or moral support welcomed!

 

[alldodge]

seems about 10 psi.

That is really bad for a reading, it needs to be much closer to 150 psi

Your digging and finding the issues, go Krsowles

 

[Krsowles]

If I can stop sobbing enough, I need to get a real compression tester that screws into the spark plug holes instead of trying to hold on the hole at correct angle. In a perfect world, 150 +/- 5 across all 4, correct?

 

[Krsowles]

Another stupid question but I have to ask: would a failed exhaust manifold gasket lead to these symptoms of no power or acceleration and louder than normal operation? Could this have been the cause of my woes? That would obviously be assuming I’m NOT getting an accurate compression test but not totally out of the question. Sense my optimism?