Should I come near this engine?

[tuanp]

My co-worker bought (second hand) a 92' Reinell 20' cuddy; it has a OMC 3.8L I/O. He used it for a couple seasons then let it sit; it's been sitting since 1999. The engine has about 300 hours on it. The engine does not have fresh-water cooling, and was used in saltwater. Before he put the boat away, his son supposedly winterized it and drained the engine, etc.<br /><br />I heard about his boat just sitting so I asked about buying it; he agreed to sell. When I inspected the engine, I noticed that on some of the rubber hoses (I guess that the water runs through) he removed one end. This exposes the inside of the hose mount and I noticed a lot of rusting. I can't tell how far in the rust goes, but what I can see has been rusted. The engine itself is very clean; if the hoses were not removed and I could not see the rust, I would have thought it's near brand-new.<br /><br />My question is, is much rusted expected on an engine used in saltwater? or is this a really bad case to avoid? I can probably buy the boat for under $5K, would it be worth the trouble I may have with this engine? The boat itself is very nice and clean, but the rusting I saw on the engine worries me. Any comments? Thanks,<br /><br />tuan

 

[GibsonHouseboat1987]

Re: Should I come near this engine?

The question is, how long did the engine sit without a cover over it. I would go to your nearest marine store like West Marine, and get a set of muffs, then re-attach the hoses, and make sure all the fittings are tight. Then start the engine and hear for any noises like bearings going out, or rods knocking. Also I would take the spark plugs out, put a little bit of Marvel Mystery oil down the spark plug holes, let it sit for a few hours before starting, this will allow for upper cylinder lubrication so you don't break the compression or oil rings. If you hear the rocker arms tapping for a few minutes, that is fine. But if it persists after 30 minutes, there is a problem. Also check for leaks in the exhaust bellows, hoses, and look for water coming out around the impellar housing. Also, before starting the engine, take the cover off the impellar, check for any cracks in the impellar rubber, if none, put some dishwashing detergent on the impellar to help prevent a dry start, which will cause the impellar to fail. Do all this, and if it sounds good, then there should be nothing wrong with the engine and you should have a good boat.

 

[tuanp]

Re: Should I come near this engine?

Thanks for the helpful reply. I would like to clarify that the engine has always been covered pretty much. It has the engine cover, and the whole boat has a cover on it.<br /><br />Also, can you clarify what you mean by "muffs"? Thanks,<br /><br />tuan

 

[Bondo]

Re: Should I come near this engine?

That engine/outdrive combination was Not all that Popular......<br />That'll make Parts,+ Service Harder to Find.....<br />It's also Not the most powerful motor around.... All Boaters Usually wish they'd bought More Power....<br />Along with the History of Salt, I'd say,<br /><br /> "or is this a really bad case to avoid?"

 

[DJ]

Re: Should I come near this engine?

Ditto what Bondo said.<br /><br />Rust inside a raw water cooled I/O is perfectly normal.<br /><br />However, the fact that OMC outdrive parts are getting scarce would bother me more.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Should I come near this engine?

After sitting for that long and having been used in salt, I would say you are safe to ASSUME the manifolds, risers and elbows need to be replced. At best they are only good for a 2-4 seasons and sitting for that many years just makes the problem worse. That's about $1,000 or more in parts right there.