Claims its a cracked engine block

[Soko70]

We just sold our 2002 glastron gx185. The woman I sold it to, does not have any former experience with boats... she's been on them , but never owned... she has friends who have boats and work with boats. We did not summarize the boat before handing it over to her... we took it out for a test drive, approximately 1 hr. A couple days later, she and her husband take it out... approximately 2 hrs... she says all was fine until they docked the boat, then the engine exploded and goop spewed out. Her mechanic friend is saying it's a cracked engine block due to improper winterizing. 1st off, we definitely winterized the boat back in October, even though we brought it down to Southern California where we do not get freezing temps... we winterized it anyway. When I took it back up to lake Tahoe, by the weekend, it was snowing, but im told it would have to be for a few days in pretty cold Temps, we were in high 20s low 30s for one day. Plus, my new boat which was also in those same conditions without being winterized, had no problems when we took it out right after the snow. Im wondering what else could have caused this... could it be something else other than a cracked engine block?

 

[kenny nunez]

You did not describe which engine is in the boat.

 

[Soko70]

Oh, sorry... volvo penta 4.3 gl

 

[Soko70]

If the engine block was cracked would we have known something was wrong the 1st hour we ran it on the lake when test driving it?

 

[Bt Doctur]

If they ran the snot out of it or overheated it the creamy mix would come out of the engine

 

[Soko70]

But would the creamy mix be there if for not a cracked engine block?

 

[poconojoe]

I'd like to follow this.

I'm no expert, but I think you would have noticed something during the hour test ride.
Was the engine viewed during and after the test ride?

I would think if they were satisfied with the test ride and agreed to buy the boat after that, you should be in the clear, but I'm not a lawyer.

Years ago, I sold a car to a friend. He basically drove the heck out of it and the brakes ended up seizing. I dont know why they seized. Anyway, I felt bad, but when I sold it to him it was just fine. Things happen beyond our control with used stuff.

Let us know how you make out.

 

[Faztbullet]

The intakes can freeze and crack just under carb filling valley with water.

 

[Soko70]

Thank you.. yes, we drove the boat for almost 1 hr on the test drive... we did not check the engine afterwards.

 

[poconojoe]

Thank you.. yes, we drove the boat for almost 1 hr on the test drive... we did not check the engine afterwards.

So, the perspective buyers went on an hour test ride and they didn't take a good look at the engine afterwards?
Did they at least look it over before and during the ride?

If not, they don't sound too knowledgeable. (I'm being kind)

How are people like that going to safely pilot a boat?

Maybe they did trash the engine.

 

[Soko70]

So, im trying to understand if it could be something else other than a cracked engine block... they said the drove the boat 2 hours and once they brought it back to the dock to pull it out of the water... the engine exploded with milkshake

 

[poconojoe]

Head gasket?

 

[tpenfield]

Are the new owners looking for a refund or something of that sort?

Hard to say exactly, but it could be all sorts of things. Big milkshake is usually a cracked engine block. Did they send you any pictures or have they let you inspect the engine?

Assuming the boat did have a major defect when you sold it to them, what is your inclination to do? Are there any consumer laws to be considered? Was there a written bill of sale that included a statement of condition or warranty?

 

[Soko70]

Right now, im trying to determine causes... a cracked engine block doesn't make sense bc it's not been stored in freezing temps except for one day it snowed in May... temps were in low 30s/high 20s... like it never dropped lower than 28 degrees for less than 24 hours. Everyone I talk to says that's not enough to crack an engine. The rest of the winter, it was stored in Socal at sea level with no freezing temps. The engine was fine for the hour we ran it when it was being test driven... and for 2 hours they drove it... it was only when they docked it that it exploded with milkshake. We also did winterize it and our new boat which was not winterized for freezing conditions had no problem after sitting in the same one day freezing temps... we took that boat out for 5 hours and no issues.

There are no warranties with the private sale of a used boat. She had time to examine the boat, the engine... I didn't rush her through the process. In fact the sale happened over 2 days. If it was something on our part, I would want to try to help her, but without a proper diagnosis, I Don't know if it was due to something she did or I. Was just hoping someone might have knowledge that it could be something other than an engine block crack.

 

[poconojoe]

I would first determine if there is in fact a crack in the block.

There's no telling what they did when they took possession if the boat.
They could have beat the heck out of it in their inexperienced excitement.


It sounds like they are amateurs.


They could have done a number of things.

They could have blown a head gasket allowing water to get into the oil.

They could have made a sudden stop which swamped the drive and force water into the engine causing hydro-lock. The water could have seeped down into the oil pan causing the milkshake.

So much can go wrong.

I vote a blown head gasket.

 

[Lou C]

Who knows what they did, but it takes a pretty bad overheat to blow a head gasket. Coulda picked up a plastic bag on the lower unit and not watching gauges, or impeller or thermostat could have just failed, etc.
important is the language on the bill of sale.
"item is sold as is, where is with no warrantee expressed or implied"

 

[Scott06]

Is the progression of events:

October 2020 you winterized boat stays in so cal?
May 2021 you take boat up to tahoe do a one hour test run, temps around or just below freezing? Was oil level checked here after this run?
You sell the boat, raw water is in engine. Two days later they take boat out and have water in oil such that it comes out the valve cover breathers?

I would supect either over heat or was in cold enough weather to crack block. Pressure test cooling system and do compression test to see if head gasket (low compression in some cylinder) or cracked block (cooling system fails pressure test but compression ok ).

Who owned the boat the two days in between uses them or you ?

 

[Captain Caveman]

First of all, this isn't your problem legally. Morally it could be but it doesn't sound like it to me.

The buyer, who knows nothing about boat maintenance, is relaying what a friend (who might be some kind of mechanic) told her....that it's a cracked head caused by lack of winterization. I would tell her that the boat was sold as-is and that it is her responsibility. If you wanted to take on the added responsibility, tell her to take it to a licensed boat repair shop and have them call you directly with the diagnosis. She still might take it to a "friend" who tells you what the owner wants you to hear.

If the motor was "improperly winterized" meaning that water was left in the block during freezing temperatures, that surely would have manifested in the 1hr test ride. The motor would have started poorly, not run at full speed, and possibly roughly. The fact that they then ran it for 2hrs without issue as well speaks to something else.

I always think of the general auto mechanic who fixes one thing, and then immediately after the owner gets the car back something else fails. The owner always blames the shop because of the timing/proximity, but things often fail at odd times.

In the OP's case, it could just be a coincidence that the motor failed. You also might have sold them a ticking timebomb. I highly doubt it was because of winterization though.

 

[Scott06]

If the motor was "improperly winterized" meaning that water was left in the block during freezing temperatures, that surely would have manifested in the 1hr test ride.

Not neccessarily I saw this first hand with my neighbor a couple of years back. He got lazy winterizing, had his mechanic out after the first freeze. Freeze plug was pushed out a bit. Mechanic tapped it back in checked no water in the oil, ran it an hour same thing.

Next spring he puyts the boat in and it wasnt until he had used it several times that there was enough water in the oil to come out the valve covers.

It seemed like it needed a couple of hot and cold cycles to open up the cracks.