Need advice please!

[cusack]

I posted a thread the other day asking about this and my situation. Here is as brief as I can make it. The boat shop called me and said it's the switchbox that is not firing on the bottom cylinder. He says that it's $215 for that box. Then he says that it has old milky looking gas in the engine so it needs to be drained and that the carbs need to be rebuilt. All together it's $600 to fix all of this.

So I asked him if we know of anything else it needs and he tells me that you can't turn the steering wheel at all so that if he couldn't get that free-ed up then it would be another $300. UGH!

I just bought this boat and know absolutely nothing about it other than the bilge pump isn't working, I don't know if it's just not hooked up or what because I haven't looked at it yet. The seats have rips in it. The trolling motor needs a new battery.

He did say that the engine has good compression but I don't know what to do! I'm afraid to put $600 into this boat (without steering cable)and there be all kinds of other problems. The boat is a 1987 Stracraft 15 ft and I can post pictures if necessary. Should I invest $600 into this boat??? Any suggestions or advice please. This is my first boat.

 

[cusack]

Re: Need advice please!

Sorry I forgot to add that the engine is a 1988 Mercury 90 HP Oil Injected engine.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Need advice please!

Cusack

That's a tough one to say whether or not you should/shouldn't

You say you just bought it. Have you run the boat and/or water tested it before you purchased it? I'm assuming it didn't run well with poor gas and dirty carbs.

Did it handle/steer well on the water test?

Is the boat in really good shape?

Is there anything else wrong? Good compression is good news but what else do you need to spend on (Lower unit, prop, spark plugs, etc)

Unfortunately, you're the best judge. If you unable to determine the condition of the motor yourself and you trust the mechanic is honest and $600 plus the steering will fix it and the boat is in good shape then add your purchase price and the repair costs and determin your comfort level.

However, if the boat is in bad shape (deck, stringers, etc) and needs a lot of work, do you repair it or simply fix the motor and put it on another boat (additional costs)

Not sure this is what you wanted to hear but is the reality you're faced with right now.

 

[cusack]

Re: Need advice please!

No I haven't even put it in the water and the steering wheel won't budge so there is yet another problem. The mechanic is telling me that he doesn't know if he can get that loosened up or not or if it will need a new cable.

He says that the engine is in great shape. For all I know the boat my sink if I put it in the water though.
Here is a picture of the boat:
http://i4.ebayimg.com/02/i/001/15/c7/44a6_1.JPG

I have no clue what to do!

 

[cusack]

Re: Need advice please!

I'm really not getting any replies here although I realize this has to be my decision but I just don't know what to do. I was thinking about this but how hard would it be for me to change the switchbox, rebuild the carbs and possibly fix or repair the steering cable myself? I'm usually good with working on cars but boats is completely new to me.

What would be the toughest job to repair of everything listed above?

 

[mthieme]

Re: Need advice please!

If it were mine, I would replace the box and run it with fresh gas...go from there.
I would see if could loosen the steering cable and grease/oil her up. Sometimes they free up.
Personally, I wouldn't too much of my checkbook into this boat.

 

[jimg984]

Re: Need advice please!

good looking boat and woth fixing and saving sorry you havn't got the help you need here
you seem real excited, calm down and wait for the experts help on this and save money. not firing on a cyl should be easy and cheap to fix you need a manuel to help you out or the mechs will help you outta your money