OK, I really need some good advice here

[Pakmule]

I just got off the phone with the shop. The engine overheated on the way over to drop it off for the new outdrives. To cut to the chase it looks like the head or the head gasket is shot on the port engine.

I paid $13k for this boat last fall. It surveyed just fine at the time but I did not do a mechanical survey. I am already up to almost $6k on repairs this season. Now I am looking at a failed engine with another right behind if history is a predictor.

What the heck do I do? Repower it with rebuilt engines? Pull everything useful off of it and junk it? Do the head gasket? I am really at a loss here.

I need a drink...

 

[Pakmule]

Another few bits of info is that this boat has the 3.7L inline fours and they are notorious for head gasket problems. Also, the boat seems to run fine at WOT but overheats at slow RPMs. That seems to go against the idea of a head problem which I thought would manifest itself at higher RPMs.

 

[comsnark]

From what I read (I just had an overheat problem at high rpms), a failed head gasket TO THE WATER SIDE would result in significant steam in the exhaust.

What makes you think that you just don't have a bad water impeller in the (now to be replaced) out drive? (what kind of out drives are on this boat?)

 

[Pakmule]

I just had brand new Sterndrive Engineering outdrives installed. The problem started when I was dropping off the boat to have the new outdrives installed. So if the problem was in the outdrive it should have gone away with the new outdrives.

I haven't had a chance to go see the boat but the mechanic is saying that it is moving a lot of water if you look in the heat exchanger.

 

[penbroke]

How much do you like the boat? It's almost like it would be a shame to give up now. With a fraction of the the budget you mentioned in the other thread you could just swap out the motors and have essentially a complete new propulsion systen that should be trouble free for many years to come. If you like the boat... You *know* the condition and history of everything you have done to it. Buying another used boat could put you right back where you started... It doesn't take long to find horror stories about new boats either. I suspect you could find a few here. If this is THE boat it may be worth it. If it's not, walk away...

Keep in mind that my newest boat/motor is over 20 years old and I tend to keep things so I may have a bit of a slanted view.

Good luck with your decision. I know it ain't easy.


Frank

 

[Pakmule]

Is it THE boat? No probably not. Outside of the mechanical aspects it is in very good shape. I suspect that it was babied for the bulk of it's life and the previous owner let the engines and outdrives go to hell and did not keep up with it.

I just drove for three hours and had some time to think and I am not convinced of the head/head gasket theory. There is no steam indicating a leak through on the water side and it is not overheating at speed. Only at low RPMs. That really does not sound like a head gasket to me. It almost sounds like the timing problem that I had on my old roadster.

I am looking at other boats tomorrow as I happen to be in the Lake Winnipesaukee area of New Hampshire. When I get back on Friday I am going to get it home and start looking at it myself along with some good old Yankee mechanics. Maybe I can put off repowering for a bit.

 

[Dave M.]

I think you are headed in the right direction with this. Don't rush to throw money at it. Take time to think about it. I was going to suggest you go to your local antique car club, tell them what you know about the problem, and suggest they probably could not help you fix it, because it is a boat, not a car. And the free beer is only after it is fixed.

You can work on these old engines, or find someone who can and enjoys the challenge. It does not have to be your local marina shop. Get some input and kick it around.

And if you know the engine has a history of head gasket problems, can you learn to change them yourself, or with a bit of help? If so, the parts could not cost all that much. Do that once a year for a couple of years, and you will know this part of your boat.

You are into a boat that in the mid-90's would be called a 290. That really is quite a bit of boat. If this is not the right boat for you, I bet it is for someone else. There is always going to be some work, and some money, involved in a boat. Yesterday I re-read a post, I think it was by Skip, about going down and sanding the bottom and putting on new bottom paint on a 40+ foot boat; in the evening and later. That is work. I just am finishing removing some bottom paint on my transom because I don't want it behind the swim platform that I'm putting on. Just a tiny space comparatively, and I thought that was work! All boats will need some work done, and some elbow grease. I don't think it is time to give up on this boat.

 

[keokie]

You've got the right idea. I would go throught the cooling system (it is closed so it is a touch more complicated than raw water). It could very well be an impeller problem. I don't know how well those drive are built, but if the impeller housings are bad, or it is sucking air somewhere it will do exactly what you are describing. At higher RPMs the pump will produce enough to flow water, but at lower RPM's the air can cause them to lose their prime.

In my opinion that 270 is a very fine boat.