Merc outboard in salt water

[brock71]

I am considering buying a boat that has a 2004 Mercury 200 hp salt water outboard on it. Spent 7 years in salt water. Was kept on a trailer. Has 459 hrs.
About 300 of that was in salt water. Balance in Fresh water.
Does the salt water exposure do damage to the engine? Wear our the block or exhaust manifold for example?
John

 

[gm280]

First things first John, :welcome: to iboats... Nice to have you aboard...

I can understand your dilemma and I would most certainly think there is some corrosion from running in salt water. I mean salt is extremely corrosive to most everything. But would I neglect the boat because of that. I don't know not being there to see what everything looked like. So seriously look for such corrosion in the little areas and suspect everything. I would offer less accordingly for that reason alone... JMHO

 

[Bill kubiak]

Salt water outboard trailer boats fair better then docked outboard boats. Most docked outboard boats do not have access for a fresh water rinse like the trailer guys do. I have been running outboards in salt water for over 40 years with no issues, I give them a good fresh water rinse when I get them home
Look at the bottom of the cylinder heads for evidence of a leak there and pull the lower unit fill plug and see what color oil comes out, if milky white, walk away or cut the price in half, Many salt water guys kept their engine sprayed down with WD-40 after use, I know I do, does not hurt anything and it displaces any water.

 

[gm280]

Salt water outboard trailer boats fair better then docked outboard boats. Most docked outboard boats do not have access for a fresh water rinse like the trailer guys do. I have been running outboards in salt water for over 40 years with no issues, I give them a good fresh water rinse when I get them home
Look at the bottom of the cylinder heads for evidence of a leak there and pull the lower unit fill plug and see what color oil comes out, if milky white, walk away or cut the price in half, Many salt water guys kept their engine sprayed down with WD-40 after use, I know I do, does not hurt anything and it displaces any water.

Bill you are correct. However, not everybody takes the care you do and that IS the real question when looking to buy such an engine. Just look at some of the vehicles driving down the road. Enough said... :facepalm:

 

[Bill kubiak]

One thing I always looked at was the registration, is it current or did it expire some years ago. Around here we have guys that actually use their boats and then we we have those guys that use them as yard decoration.
About 10 years while taking shortcut home from work I spotted what looked like a Catalina 22 sailboat in a side yard, it had a cover on it that was faded and starting to shred. I knocked on the door and asked if it was for sale and was told very bluntly, NO IT IS NOT FOR SALE, well here it is 10 years later and there it still sits the cover is shredded and the boat is covered in vine, Go Figure some people.
Yes you gotta take a good hard look and make the seller start it up, but before he does pull the hood and feel the engine to see if it is warm. Some guys with a hard to start motor will get it warmed up and running before you show up. when it starts and runs check all the gauges to see if they are working, Tach, temp and volts are what you are looking for and if power tilt see if there is a gauge for that and if it works, these are expensive to fix items, that big a motor might also have a water pressure gauge

 

[tpenfield]

Outboards generally are made for salt water, and you will tend to see more outboards in salt water areas than I/O's

Mercury was once a primarily fresh water outboard due to the regular steel drive shafts. In about 1978, they joined the crowd with Johnson and Evinrude with stainless steel drive shafts, making them equally salt water friendly.