Purchasing Mercruiser I/O 190-What to Look For?

[hhornig]

I am new to this forum, but am considering buying a boat with a Mercruiser I/O and see some horror stories. What should I be looking for? The one I am considering is a 1999 vintage.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: Purchasing Mercruiser I/O 190-What to Look For?

Remember it's a USED boat.The seller could possibly lie to you!!!I bought a used boat from salesman.Man did he lie.
Back to your boat,check the oil in the motor and drive.Loosen the drive and check the u-joints and bellows for water.Make sure that all the switches/lights work.
Start it when it's cold.A boat that 's warm when you get there means he's started it and there might be a problem starting it cold(maybe).
Mercruiser is a good outfit.Been in business a long time.Fairly easy to work on and parts are real easy to get.Good luck.Stay away from OMC.J

 

[Bondo]

Re: Purchasing Mercruiser I/O 190-What to Look For?

I am new to this forum, but am considering buying a boat with a Mercruiser I/O and see some horror stories.

Ayuh,... Those 190hp motors have been outa production for 20 years,...
They're 4 cylinder motors, Not the V6s...

 

[Don S]

Re: Purchasing Mercruiser I/O 190-What to Look For?

A 1999 190 hp would have to be a Chevy 4.3 V6. They are a very popular engine.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Purchasing Mercruiser I/O 190-What to Look For?

I am new to this forum, but am considering buying a boat with a Mercruiser I/O and see some horror stories. What should I be looking for? The one I am considering is a 1999 vintage.

Howdy,

Before you run it, drain a little oil from the drive a and look for water (oil floats on water so it should come out first if it's there)


If you're going to do it all yourself, you should ensure that the block is not cracked if you live where freezing temps happen. To that end...... you'll want to water test it in the lake. Run it at least a half hour or so, get it fully warmed up and do a couple of short wide-open-throttle (WOT) runs.

Ensure that it turns rated max RPM (according to the owners manual) If it doesn't, there may be something wrong with the engine, wrong prop, wrong drive, or both..... etc.

Also ensure that it doesn't get hot when running at idle (for several minutes) or at WOT. 160 degrees +/- 10 or so.....

It should go into and out of gear (FWD/REV) easily. (it's an Alpha, there's be a little clunk going into both FWD & REV)

After that run Both the engine and drive oil should be completely free of water or evidence of water. (oil and water mixed looks gray to white if there's a lot)

There's other "stuff" to check when buying a "new" boat....

If it's an aluminum block/cast iron head 4 banger, look for another boat.....



Welcome to iBoats!!


Rick

 

[Don S]

Re: Purchasing Mercruiser I/O 190-What to Look For?

If it's an aluminum block/cast iron head 4 banger, look for another boat.....

And what engine would that be in a 1999 boat ?????

The only other 190 HP engine was the old 470 type engine used in 85 and 86.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Purchasing Mercruiser I/O 190-What to Look For?

And what engine would that be in a 1999 boat ?????

The only other 190 HP engine was the old 470 type engine used in 85 and 86.

Yeah.....I didn't look too closely at the year......I must've been thinking 89 instead of 99........ but even in a 10 year old boat, you never know what some people will bolt in there when they're trying to get rid of it!!

 

[dubs283]

Re: Purchasing Mercruiser I/O 190-What to Look For?

if you are really seroius about buying the boat, ask the seller if they had a REPUTABLE shop do a mechanical inspection

preferrably a mercruiser dealer with certified techs doing the work

if not and you still want the boat, take it to a dealer and have a mechanical inspection performed, well worth the money

 

[bnicov]

Re: Purchasing Mercruiser I/O 190-What to Look For?

Here's a short list of things to look at:
Compression test (all cylinders within 10% of each other), condition of spark plugs, exterior condition of motor (is it clean or knarly looking-an indication of how it was maintained), engine oil condition (is it fresh and clean or black or milky), condition of belts??, visible condition of drive (clean, prop ok, skeg??), condition of drive oil (fresh, old or milky), visible deterioration of bellows??, WATER TEST, how does boat run, steering tight, shifts into fwd and rev easily, does it start easily?? idle quality, acceleration smooth or bogging, do all switches and lights work??, condition of hull (free of cracks, rot, gel coat condition), interior (seats and upholstery in good shape or cracked), condition of canvas (tears, cracks in vinyl windows or fading)
Trailer:
Tires ok??, bunks or rollers in good shape, lights work, coupler in good shape, brakes work (if present), winch and strap in good shape??, bearings ok or pitted and contaminated grease??

A few things to look at. I'm sure someone had better pipe up and add to this list but it's a start. Spending a hundred bucks or so to have a Merc qualified mechanic look it over would probably be money well spent. Better than finding out there are problems later.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Purchasing Mercruiser I/O 190-What to Look For?

Pay a boat surveyor to look it over, hull, engine and outdrive. Get a written report of what he finds. Well worth the money in the long (and short) run. Good luck

 

[oldsub86]

Re: Purchasing Mercruiser I/O 190-What to Look For?

Look for damage from freezing - cracks in the block and or efforts to fix the same with epoxy or something similar. Unfortunately there are lots of broken ones out there that people want to get rid of and they won't always tell you about it.

Guess how I know that!

Randy