Looking for Advice

[Harritwo]

There is a retired coach that still shows up at the High School to Substitute Teach. He is a decent sort of guy, reminds the kids of their Grand Father. He has Cancer and has been told 3-5 years at best. His wife also has cancer and I am not sure of her prognosis but the bottom line is there is No Money left.

He has sold the majority of his possessions and has an old pickup, Boat, and house and that is the basics.

He would like to get his boat repaired. It is a Mid 90's Johnson 200 HP V-6. His son or someone ran it hot and now it will not start. He has asked the Auto Shop Teacher to repair it, and He Declined. Now he has asked some of the students if they were willing to work on it and three of them have said yes. That is where i come in. One of those students is my son, his best friend, and another student that they are friends of. They wish to bring it to my house to work on it and I am fine with that.

What I am asking for advice on, Is someone has told him the engine needs rebuilt. THe engine has not been opened, as far as i can tell, they havent even done a compression test or anything. At what point would it become economical to overhaul the existing engine, put a replacement powerhead on, or try to find a used motor for the boat.

The majority of the work will be done by the students for free. The parts will be purchased by the Coach and the students wish to purchase some parts as they have the money to help the Coach out.

My fear is that the cost will soon outweigh the value of the engine.

Any thoughts, Ideas, Suggestions are greatly encouraged. I will try to obtain the serial number of the engine this morning and update this post.

Thanks,

George

 

[aspeck]

Re: Looking for Advice

George, first off, good on you and your son and his friends to take on this project. You should be proud of your son. Secondly, hard to say until you get into the engine. Start with compression, but since labor is free and it is a learning experience for the kids, tear downand diagnose before making a decision.

 

[F_R]

Re: Looking for Advice

You indicate that it was ran hot and now will not start. If it was in fact ran hot to the point of destruction, you can just about assume it will need some pistons & ring sets and a gasket set (and a water pump), at the very least. Add to that, how many bolted-on parts and wires were melted? So, get the model number and go to marineengine.com and gather some prices. Better yet, let the kids do that. Oh, and add a good service manual.

 

[daselbee]

Re: Looking for Advice

I will come up there with diag tools and assess the problem. PM me if you want to. EDIT: don't take the engine apart at all until after I look at it.

 

[Harritwo]

Re: Looking for Advice

Engine Ser Number os G03994874 it shows on the cowling as Johnson Ocean Runner V-6

 

[rivermouse]

Re: Looking for Advice

If the engine is shot you are indeed opening up a can of worms. All of the good wishes and kids wanting to learn about fixing outboard engines will not fix it . I hope they are not thinking that they can and will actually overhaul it. Expensive hard to find parts will do little good if an experienced engine mechanic does not do a complete evaluation of just what is wrong with it. Most of the time engines that run hot are ruined. I hope they know that the odds of them fixing it right are slim . In my opinion they are.

 

[boobie]

Re: Looking for Advice

Daselbee made you a good offer. I'd take it.

 

[daselbee]

Re: Looking for Advice

Daselbee made you a good offer. I'd take it.

I was busy smelling my armpits...seeing if something was wrong....

 

[Harritwo]

Re: Looking for Advice

Daselbee,

As soon as I can talk to the coach, Your schedule permits, we will contact you via PM and see what we can determine before proceeding any further. Your offer is absolutely more than I could ever imagine and I really appreciate it.

George

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: Looking for Advice

good luck george and daselbee.
write it up on here later if possible

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Looking for Advice

A coach and teacher...and good enough at it that three former players/students are going to try to do this?

Oh, and add a good service manual.

After Daselbee has a look, if this is going to go ahead, Harritwo pls PM me with an address.
I'll kick in for an OEM service manual for the project. There are a few on eBay for less than a restaurant dinner costs.

I'll stay home one night.

(maybe iBoats could arrange a discount on anything that is available through the store )


And absolutely keep us up to date.

And I'll need a confirmation on the year...I checked for a '95.

 

[daselbee]

Re: Looking for Advice

OK, good plan. My "schedule" is virtually open at all times. I would seriously appreciate it if the three students were there for the initial evaluation. So make their schedules a priority. A Saturday would be good; it'll take me about two hours to get to Orange Park.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Looking for Advice

Good on you guys ^^^^ for offering to help, and the 3 students for saying yes

Point the retired coach this way if he's internet savy, your son & his friends too. Whether the motor is salvageable or not, strangers twice removed (Harritwo (who doesn't 'know' the coach) thru his son, and then the iboats crew thru Harritwo) offering to help, could actually be as meaningful as getting the motor fired.

There's hope for us humans yet. Despite frequent evidence to the contrary....

If the motor needs substantial work requiring fund raising, or a replacement motor needs to be purchased, please let me know. Here or via PM.

Best of luck.

Subscribed

 

[Harritwo]

Re: Looking for Advice

Just wanted to give an update. So far, I have printed this thread. The Students talked to the Coach and showed him this thread, He was absolutely speechless with the gestures that have been offered up. He told a little more of the story than we were originally told. It seems that he had started the boat in the drive way several times just to start it. The Son wanted to take it out so he let him. They got to the marina, launched the boat, it started and away they went. Then it just died. When they got it home and it would not start. At some point, someone removed the spark plugs to do a compression test. The upper cylinder on the right side looking forward appears to have a visible hole in the piston when looking through the spark plug port. I have still not seen the boat as of yet, it is up at the school waiting on the coach to give me permission to tow it home.

I will continue to update as I get more information or get it home to where i can look at it, Daselbee, I will PM you and get your email so we can discuss the next course of action.

Thank everyone for the support, information, and encouragement.

George

 

[daselbee]

Re: Looking for Advice

Ahhhh...the ol' hole in the piston problem....I'm betting zero compression on that one....I only bet on a sure thing.

 

[Harritwo]

Re: Looking for Advice

Just wanted to give an update as ti where we are. The coach is greatly amazed at the offers of help from people he doesnt even know, he is trying to raise the money for parts and labor, claims he might be old and sick but he doesnt need charity. I have offered to do the work with the boys, buy the parts, and told him to pay when he can with no intentions of taking his money. The students are trying to do what they can to convince him it is not charity ir weakness when someone desires to help. I could not be more proud of those boys and truly desire to give the Coach a little time on the water while he is able to enjoy it. If any of you have some suggestions or ideas to convince the Coach that the boys are right in thier thoughts, we could use the ideas.

Thanks

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Looking for Advice

Just wanted to give an update as ti where we are. The coach is greatly amazed at the offers of help from people he doesnt even know, he is trying to raise the money for parts and labor, claims he might be old and sick but he doesnt need charity. I have offered to do the work with the boys, buy the parts, and told him to pay when he can with no intentions of taking his money. The students are trying to do what they can to convince him it is not charity ir weakness when someone desires to help. I could not be more proud of those boys and truly desire to give the Coach a little time on the water while he is able to enjoy it. If any of you have some suggestions or ideas to convince the Coach that the boys are right in thier thoughts, we could use the ideas.

Thanks

Show him this thread.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Looking for Advice

Do you have possession of the motor?

If so, I'd make a list of the suspect parts, asap, or get a list of probably ought to/likely need to replace parts from daselbee & order them. Use the Christmas holiday's season of giving to your advantage.

Harder to refuse the offer of help if the parts are in hand so to speak.

Not knowing the coach, you'd have to judge for yourself if it ^^^ would be received as intended.

Good luck.

Have a Merry Christmas & a happy New Year.

BTW: Did Daselbee ever have a chance to inspect the motor?

 

[daselbee]

Re: Looking for Advice

Last I heard on this was back on Oct 27. I have not been requested to look at the motor.

I have a ton of used parts, pistons, fuel pumps, power packs, etc. that I will never get rid of. I was sorta planning to donate that stuff if any of it was needed.

But we gotta get on it. I am ready to go. The students...are they still up for it? They are going to be key players, and I really hope they don't crap out....

We can get this thing running for very little money/cash I bet. Machine shop charges, new rings, gaskets, and a few misc. items.....

I hope the LU and TT is still good.

 

[Harritwo]

Re: Looking for Advice

I talked to the Coach today, it is a go. I will take possession of the boat by January 9, 2014 at the latest. Daselbee please PM me with your contact info. The Coach just got some news from his doctors that is not good and the Boys are anxious to do what they can as soon as possible. If i get possession of the boat prior to Jan 9, i will let you know. It is at the school locked up and we have to wait until we can get the compound unlocked to get it. The coach sends his appreciation to all that are following and as I get more details, I will follow-up on this. Daselbee, Many thanks to you for your offer and i intend to take you up at your convenience when we get possession.,TimFrank and all who offered help, many thanks and if the offer still stands, it is greatly appreciated.

The link below is for the person we are trying to help so that all of you may know him as we do. Thanks for your support. I simply cannot say this enough to all IBoats folks.

Ron McCrone athletic career, photos, articles, and videos | Fanbase