can we save this engine

bolo789 · May 10, 2006

hello guys, iam posting on behalf of a friend, 1989 searay 27 merc 7.4 engine when he was ready to haul his boat last season, it would not start, he told me it was the starter going bad. so today i put a new starter for him, it was just click click and no start. i thought it might be the battery so we put a new one same thing, i jump it from the starter solenoid, same thing. now i thought the engine might be frozen. i try to turn it from the pulley, still no dice. i took out all the spark plugs and water came out one hole only, so my ?? is what would be the best thing to do from here guys?? right now we got marvel mystry oil in the spark plugs holes, will try to break it loose again soon. will be waiting, for an answer, thanks

Don S · May 10, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

If it's salt water, it's junk. If it's fresh water, it's probably still junk depending on the parts that are rusty and how much rust is there. Personally, I would NEVER go out on the water with a motor that is freed up after being rusted to a stop. Some like to throw all kinds of wonder oils at it to free it up. But in reality, all that rust and grit is headed for the bearings and it isn't going to last long.

mkast · May 11, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

I have to agree. Time for a tear down & inspection. Good time to justify a rebuild.

ron7000 · May 11, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

find out where the water came from first. depending on the type of exhaust manifolds, water in one cylinder only might mean it was just a riser gasket. Or it could be an intake manifold gasket. But it's also possible the motor block or manifold cracked over the winter from freezing. Sounds like the engine sat with water in the cylinder over the winter. Your in ny and it got cold so there may be bigger problems now than the inital cause of the water intrusion. If your goal is to save the motor, before trying to spin the engine at all remove the exhaust manifolds and both cylinder heads and visually inspect each cylinder.

bolo789 · May 11, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

thanks guys, well does any know of a place that sells reman marine engine blocks?? you see if it was my boat i would do all of the above, first i would find out where the water get in the engine from,so far only one plug hole leak out water, but who knows, i would take of the valve cover ,heads, just to make sure the block is not crack, if the block is good i would just pull the block and have it rebuild, install new risers/manifold new intake , exhaust flappers, as i said if it was mines, because i could do all these things by myself, only thing i caunt do is rebuilt the block. but he shows his problem to the boatyard mechanic, now if they sees me working on his boat, you know they would not like me for that, all he was sopose to do was keep his mouth shut and we could have save him thousand of dollars. will let you guys know what happen.

bolo789 · May 11, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

foget to mention earlyer last season he claim his starter went out, when i took his starter out the face of the starter was broken off, when i do a search on this great forum, the info i got was that maybe water is getting into the engine. and the engine might be trying to lock up. i told that to him but he ignore my warning. now this is the out come. earlier before his starter broken the face, my other friend starter broken the face, it turns out his engine gets water in it , and he lost that engine also, reason i post this is for others to take heeds . spend the extra money on them risers/manifolds, and stop been cheap, or pay the fine of a new engine when you could save it, so for all readers if your starter face comes up broken, take a look to make sure water is not getting into the engine. out

bolo789 · May 11, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

a little more info here, sorry. the engine has center risers manifold, it also has the extra extended piece between the risers and manifold, so i dont think he gets a back wash and water comes back through the manifolds. but gess what, where those risers mates with the manifolds, those area is very very rusty, so maybe thats a sighn of bad gaskets also ok thats it guys

TilliamWe · May 11, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

bolo, isn't there a saying involving a horse and leading them to water? It sounds like you tried. But at this time, since the water was in there for months, his engine is junk, or soon to be junk. By the way you describe the manifolds, one is real rusty and leaking internally. does iboats have engine and engine blocks? Doug Russell does. E basic power does too, right?

lilmandavis · May 11, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

here is a preety good builder. havent had any probs with this guy yet.. http://www.remanufactured-marine-engines.com/marine-engines.html full long blocks delivered to a commercial place or extra fee for a ramp truck!!

bolo789 · May 17, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

udate well guys, we too the engine out. from what he told me the boat is a 1989 searey 27 sundancer engine is a merc 7.4 bravo drive. he bought it 1991 and he never change the riser/manifold from then, gentlemen i took the risers off man, realy bad shape. now this is where i need some info. most of the manifold bolts is rusted off, there is to put the socket on, iam plannine to use a chizel and cut the remaining bolts head off, then heat the left off studs and use a vise grip to get them out and hope they dont break. so far only one spark plug shows rusty, we are trying to get a old drive yoke to try turn the engine by the coupler, dont know if we will get it turn, so far it caunt turn with the bolts on the damper, dont want to break them off. we throw all the olis through the intake and sparkplug hole already. mystry oil diezel oil pb blaster wd 40 brake fluid, will keep you guys posted, sory for the longggg writing.

Don S · May 17, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

I asked this before an never got an answer, but IF this all happened in salt water, the engine is now junk. No IF's or And's or But's about it. It's JUNK. Why would you waste all your time removing junk manifolds. The whole mess is JUNK. Even if it was fresh water, after this amount of time the rings are rusted to the cylinder, they are also rusted and stuck in the piston. So even if you did break it loose, is that the kind of engine he expects to run a full load and 4600. rpm?????? And if you are still possesed enough to still want to remove the manifolds. Use a Oxy/Acet. tourch to cut the heads of the bolts off. You sure aren't going to damage the manifolds.

lilmandavis · May 17, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

sounds like thats a good core engine!!! save the money and just get a new one.. lesson learned

bolo789 · May 18, 2006

Re: can we save this engine

don i love you man, just tell it as it is, and i agree with you 100%. today he keeps bigging me, and as you guys said i am kinda upses with working trouble shooting boat enging, today i took of the oupler i put some extra bolts in the flwwheel, for leverage, i use a peice of iron and pry and pry still no dice. so i told him the engine is doom. man you should see the look on the poor guy face. and he still dont belief, so i told him to try get the heads of and have a look at the pistons and maybe that will convince him. thanks don and all who help on this. iam waiting for my alingment tool i buy from ebag, this is my first time trying to aline a engine, on my own boat if i run into problem i will post thanks

can we save this engine

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