So I picked up this boat on ebay 2 weeks ago for almost nothing. Boat Cost was around $182, and a $169 processing fee to boatangel. So roughly $369 total, including a 92 ez-loader trailer. Came withe mercruiser 3.0l and an alpha one sterndrive. We picked it up on a saturday from the marina it was stored at. I actually met the owner and he told me that He had it out, and then one day it had no power. Now I should tell you that I'm very limited in my mechanical abilities (worked at firestone doing tires and Oil Changes' when I was in High School), but I checked it out with my brother, who's an ASE Certified master tech before purchasing it. We discussed the Pro's/Con's of buying this boat. I also talked to the marina owner as well. When I told him how much I paid, he said "the outdrive was worth $600 dollars (alpha one) and the trailer would be worth around $200. The description was "needs piston rings, Glass".
So we've had the boat for 2 weeks now. We hooked it up to muffs and didn't really notice a lot of water moving. It's starting to turn to winter up here on the chain o' lakes, so we decided to run RV anti-freeze through it, and to drain the block of all the water. We also did a compression check and the two middle cylinders were shot, and the other 2 had low compression (merc 3.0l).
This past weekend, we started to strip the motor and sterndrive to check the common issues.
After we tore apart the stern drive, we found the impeller chipped, cracked, and split. We were able to remove it with ease. Our guess is that this thing hasn't been replaced in years. ( will attach pictures). Ordered the entire impeller replacement (with housing) today.
Then we started to pull apart the motor. Valve cover and gasket look ok, so then we start pulling the head off, and viola, a cracked head gasket. The gasket at the middle two cylinders had two cracks (sorry no pictures). Well this is definitely the source of no compression. My brother took the head to work to make sure it's not warped, and of course, it is. A machine shop that works with his dealership is going to charge $130 for the machining, and testing of the head. Not bad. But first, we have to check the block to make sure it didn't have any warpage (sometime in the next weekends). Our guess, is the impeller failed, and the motor overheated.
The floors are solid and dry except a back corner is wet, it rained here a couple of days ago, so were going to keep our eye on it. The wood backing for the vinyl seat cushions is rotted and needs to be replaced, and the vinyl is going to be replaced and the same time.
The two bucket seats are solid and need no work.
So Far:
Bought:
Boat: $369
U-haul truck rental: $67
(yea bought a boat before a truck - got that lecture from the wife).
Winterizing kit: $80 including antifreeze
Straps and tarps: ~$20
Impeller Kit: $30
Misc Tools I didn't have that brother forgot to bring: $30.
Trailer Tax Title and license: $130
Still need:
Head Machining: $130
Vinyl: Guesstimating $300 on the high end
Wood: $30
Trailer Light Bulb
Boat Tax, Title and Reg $75
Gasket set: ~$100
Trailer Tires: 3
We are going to do things in a logical order.
1). Fix engine, if fixed, continue to step 2, if not, either buy long block, if no long block, sell boat (lets hope not).
2). If Engine Fixed, check out bellows, if water, replace, if they look good, continue on.
3). Replace impeller, and service stern drive. (gaskets, lube, etc).
4). SEA TRIALSSSSSSSSSSSS
5). Repair seats.
6). Acid wash, and put some vertglas on boat.
So we've had the boat for 2 weeks now. We hooked it up to muffs and didn't really notice a lot of water moving. It's starting to turn to winter up here on the chain o' lakes, so we decided to run RV anti-freeze through it, and to drain the block of all the water. We also did a compression check and the two middle cylinders were shot, and the other 2 had low compression (merc 3.0l).
This past weekend, we started to strip the motor and sterndrive to check the common issues.
After we tore apart the stern drive, we found the impeller chipped, cracked, and split. We were able to remove it with ease. Our guess is that this thing hasn't been replaced in years. ( will attach pictures). Ordered the entire impeller replacement (with housing) today.
Then we started to pull apart the motor. Valve cover and gasket look ok, so then we start pulling the head off, and viola, a cracked head gasket. The gasket at the middle two cylinders had two cracks (sorry no pictures). Well this is definitely the source of no compression. My brother took the head to work to make sure it's not warped, and of course, it is. A machine shop that works with his dealership is going to charge $130 for the machining, and testing of the head. Not bad. But first, we have to check the block to make sure it didn't have any warpage (sometime in the next weekends). Our guess, is the impeller failed, and the motor overheated.
The floors are solid and dry except a back corner is wet, it rained here a couple of days ago, so were going to keep our eye on it. The wood backing for the vinyl seat cushions is rotted and needs to be replaced, and the vinyl is going to be replaced and the same time.
The two bucket seats are solid and need no work.
So Far:
Bought:
Boat: $369
U-haul truck rental: $67
(yea bought a boat before a truck - got that lecture from the wife).
Winterizing kit: $80 including antifreeze
Straps and tarps: ~$20
Impeller Kit: $30
Misc Tools I didn't have that brother forgot to bring: $30.
Trailer Tax Title and license: $130
Still need:
Head Machining: $130
Vinyl: Guesstimating $300 on the high end
Wood: $30
Trailer Light Bulb
Boat Tax, Title and Reg $75
Gasket set: ~$100
Trailer Tires: 3
We are going to do things in a logical order.
1). Fix engine, if fixed, continue to step 2, if not, either buy long block, if no long block, sell boat (lets hope not).
2). If Engine Fixed, check out bellows, if water, replace, if they look good, continue on.
3). Replace impeller, and service stern drive. (gaskets, lube, etc).
4). SEA TRIALSSSSSSSSSSSS
5). Repair seats.
6). Acid wash, and put some vertglas on boat.
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since your WOT seems low for the 3.0L.