Hi,
This boat has been sitting for 12 years. My goal is to get this boat running. By looking at the pictures do you think the engine is still in good shape? Will it need a new engine or an engine rebuild? I have more pictures that I can upload later
Which part of the engine does that picture show us?
What type of engine is it?
You can try honing the cylinder out, but it doesn’t look too promising.
Tester
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If that is what it looks like inside one of the cylinders, then all I can say is… Yikes!
Tester is almost surely correct.
I am assuming since I can see the top of the piston and no threads that that is the cylinder bore with the piston close to BDC (bottom dead center), then that would make that rust on the cylinder wall?.. I’m with Tester and VDCdriver, not good…
The engine needs to be rebuilt… bored oversize, new pistons and rings at a bare minimum.
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I think a new engine might be cheaper.
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What model engine is this, exactly? With the cylinder looking that bad I wonder what else is wrong. A complete tear down is needed.
If that were mine I’d just start budgeting for a new or used (running) engine.
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Good shape? Definitely not.
Why has it been sitting? Is it because of engine issues originally?
Unfortunately, you are about to find out that the engine on a boat is worth more than the boat itself when you go to rebuild or replace it. Been there, done that a couple times.
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As above. If it is a SBC based MerCruiser the SBCs are pretty much interchangeable. If yours is a 305 it can be replaced with a 350.
With the cylinders in that condition likely the exhaust manifold and risers need replacing.
If an outboard, power head needs replacing.
Might be time to look for a new or good used engine.
Consider all the other drive components, ie power tilt and trim, steering components, lower unit, cooling system. Fuel system, likely carburetor needs rebuilding or replacing, I just had a small carb on a 15 HP two stroke done~$300 parts and labor.
As to the boat, what is the condition of the stringers and transom? Is it a wood transom? Has the wood turned to mush?
So very many items to consider when dealing with an older boat.
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BOAT
Bust
Out
Another
Thousand
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What is the black stuff on the cylinder wall? I can’t tell how deep the rust is from the picture.
Is it 2 stroke? Might as well sand it smooth and run it.
edit: Here is someone else’s story about using sand paper on badly rusted cylinder walls. It worked out for him. rusty cylinder walls rebuild question - Honda-Tech - Honda Forum Discussion
While I don’t think that the above definition of “boat” came from the pen of Ambrose Bierce, it is definitely worthy of him. It reads like something from Bierce’s masterpiece of sarcasm, The Devil’s Dictionary.
A friend of mine said that the 2 times you will love your boat the most is when you 1st get it and when you 1st get ride of it…
The Devil’s Dictionary is a total hoot, well worth a read.
Definitely!
I picked it up at the college bookstore in–I think–1966, along with a required supplementary text. I almost didn’t get the required reading done in time because of how absorbing that little book is.