Buying a used boat with Mercruiser 228

[OneWireAT1]

Buying a used boat with Mercruiser 228
Hello, I am planning to buy a used 21' Glasply with a Mercruiser 228 engine and Alpha1 outdrive. I am looking for advise on things to inspect. I am a automotive mechanic and I am planningon including the following short list:

Compression check
Oil quality sample from pumping a little oil out from the pan via the dipstick
Lower unit drain plug slightly loosening to check for water
Temperature stability 160F ??
Oil Pressure 50-60 PSI
Good Idle
Smooth shifting


Any advise is appreciated sincerely!

 

[tank1949]

Buying a used boat with Mercruiser 228
Hello, I am planning to buy a used 21' Glasply with a Mercruiser 228 engine and Alpha1 outdrive. I am looking for advise on things to inspect. I am a automotive mechanic and I am planningon including the following short list:

Compression check
Oil quality sample from pumping a little oil out from the pan via the dipstick
Lower unit drain plug slightly loosening to check for water
Temperature stability 160F ??
Oil Pressure 50-60 PSI
Good Idle
Smooth shifting


Any advise is appreciated sincerely!

How used???? Saltwater used? Anti-freeze cooled or only sea of fresh water cooled? When were riser/Exhaust manifolds replaced? If salt used and over 5 years used in salt and totally sea water cooled, expect another 5 hundred bucks or more to replace them. If motor is over 5 years old and used mostly in salt, you have used about 1/2 its life. Buy a good service manual. CHECK FOR ROT, especially in the transom!

 

[OneWireAT1]

How used???? Saltwater used? Anti-freeze cooled or only sea of fresh water cooled? When were riser/Exhaust manifolds replaced? If salt used and over 5 years used in salt and totally sea water cooled, expect another 5 hundred bucks or more to replace them. If motor is over 5 years old and used mostly in salt, you have used about 1/2 its life. Buy a good service manual. CHECK FOR ROT, especially in the transom!

Transom and deck are solid! its a 1978 21' GlasPly mfg October .. supposed to have all glass stringers. It has been fresh water most all of its life (and looks like it). The boat is in really good cosmetic condition ... haven't run the motor yet. It is water cooled.

thank you for chiming in

 

[Scott Danforth]

When was the last time the drive was pulled and the alignment checked?

 

[OneWireAT1]

When was the last time the drive was pulled and the alignment checked?

I think that the owner really just bought this after a barn find a year ago. He claims nothing other than it runs and showed me video so far. We are supposed to take it out on the lake as a final contingency ..

 

[Scott Danforth]

Check the transom around the transom shield.

If you see signs of moisture or cracking on the inside that is a red flag

If the transom shield has caulk on the outside that is a red flag

If you look in the bilge or ski locker and you see two floors, that is a red flag

 

[OneWireAT1]

Check the transom around the transom shield.

If you see signs of moisture or cracking on the inside that is a red flag

If the transom shield has caulk on the outside that is a red flag

If you look in the bilge or ski locker and you see two floors, that is a red flag

thanks Danforth

 

[tank1949]

Transom and deck are solid! its a 1978 21' GlasPly mfg October .. supposed to have all glass stringers. It has been fresh water most all of its life (and looks like it). The boat is in really good cosmetic condition ... haven't run the motor yet. It is water cooled.

thank you for chiming in

Tell him you will sign contract that also allows you to drill 3-4 1/4" holes on the inside of transom near transom assembly, and if crud or rot come out, the sale is off. He is selling the "find" for a reason. I have rebuilt 2 transoms on I/Os. It is a job and requires lots of time and patients.

 

[nola mike]

Transom and deck are solid! its a 1978 21' GlasPly mfg October .. supposed to have all glass stringers.

It almost certainly doesn't

It has been fresh water most all of its life (and looks like it). The boat is in really good cosmetic condition ... haven't run the motor yet. It is water cooled.

They're all water cooled. Some have auto style closed systems running antifreeze, most don't. Echo the others, transom/stringers are most important. Drilling a core sample is the only reliable way to test the wooden components. Hammering, tapping, etc are fairly useless. Check for soft spots on the floor, especially in the stern, around dog house, etc.

 

[Lou C]

That for sure does not look like a salt water run engine but as was said check ALL the structural wood carefully!

 

[OneWireAT1]

Tell him you will sign contract that also allows you to drill 3-4 1/4" holes on the inside of transom near transom assembly, and if crud or rot come out, the sale is off. He is selling the "find" for a reason. I have rebuilt 2 transoms on I/Os. It is a job and requires lots of time and patients.

Thanks tank1949

 

[OneWireAT1]

Thank you all for your feedback! Anything else ? I missed here:

0. Transom / Stringer / Wood check
1. Compression check
2. Oil quality sample from pumping a little oil out from the pan via the dipstick
3. Lower unit drain plug slightly loosening to check for water
4. Temperature stability 160F ?? or 140 being that it is 100% raw water cooled??
5. Oil Pressure 50-60 PSI
6. Good Idle
7. Smooth shifting

 

[Lou C]

# 4 depends on which thermostat it has, could be either, but is probably a 140
make sure it doesn't jump out of gear when accelerating, this would be felt like a CLUNK coming from the back of the boat, that is a sign of a worn out clutch dog and lower gears
last thing, it should reach the rpm specified by Mercruiser for wide open throttle, (like 4500 or so rpm) this is important to assess the health of the engine, ignition and fuel system.

 

[tank1949]

Thank you all for your feedback! Anything else ? I missed here:

0. Transom / Stringer / Wood check
1. Compression check
2. Oil quality sample from pumping a little oil out from the pan via the dipstick
3. Lower unit drain plug slightly loosening to check for water
4. Temperature stability 160F ?? or 140 being that it is 100% raw water cooled??
5. Oil Pressure 50-60 PSI
6. Good Idle
7. Smooth shifting

check OD lube color after sea trial too!

 

[nola mike]

I would add that I'd pop the top cover off the outdrive to get a quick look at the condition of the upper gears

 

[kenny nunez]

Raw water cooled should indicate close to 160* or less at all rpms.
With the drive down in the water in neutral, steer lock to lock and listen for drive line noise that changes.

 

[ROY WILLIAMS]

my 20 Wellcraft 1978 ...the MCM470 engine . I was the service manual engine 470 and the 228 .... Mercruiser service manual .
I was the onewireat1 engine 228 ,, the manual did the specs ?
plugs /oil/ignition timing /heat exchanger or no ..
the fresh water of the 470 engine decades ..........very good ...

 

[OneWireAT1]

I would add that I'd pop the top cover off the outdrive to get a quick look at the condition of the upper gears

Thank you - good one!!

 

[OneWireAT1]

my 20 Wellcraft 1978 ...the MCM470 engine . I was the service manual engine 470 and the 228 .... Mercruiser service manual .
I was the onewireat1 engine 228 ,, the manual did the specs ?
plugs /oil/ignition timing /heat exchanger or no ..
the fresh water of the 470 engine decades ..........very good ...

engine 228 - manual - Yes , specs Yes
Fresh water system - No but It has been a lake boat to the extent that its on a non galvanized trailer.. the guy is the second owner.. no salt exposure evidence corrosion. I am looking for an estimate now to bring my first thousand to add a fresh water cooling system!!!

 

[OneWireAT1]

check OD lube color after sea trial too!

this is for water damage - correct? We plan to lake test it..