1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

[wallybme]

Thinking of buying this boat. It has a blown head gasket. It has been kept in good condition, seats perfect, floor has no soft spots engine compartment/bilge clean, glass in excellent condition, transom perfect. The only thing I cannot seem to find the type of engine but it is a four cylinder with an alpha sport mercruiser outdrive. What will be a good price. I need this for a runabout until I can finish my 21 footer cabin cruiser.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

how do you know the head gasket is just the problem? it may just be the surface problem.

 

[wallybme]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

Well I spoke to the seller, who told me that there was water in the oil, and did not know how it got there. I checked and found that there was indeed water. he later said that the water pump was not working well, and so I assumed that there was over heating followed by possible head gasket. May have some other promlems to fix as a result of that.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

Water can get into the oil via a bad head gasket, or due to leaking exhaust manifolds, or a cracked block. If the water was in the crankcase for a while, the entire motor could be junk.

Some of those 4 cylinders Mercruisers were crummy and hard to repair/replace. You might post this question in the I/O forum and see what the experts there say...

 

[wallybme]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

Here is a picture of the mercruiser

There is a kind of hose, do not know what the name is, (picture 1) but there is a hole in it. Guess there is where the water entered the engine. Not an expert, but guessing

http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/omeidea47/4-1.jpg


http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/omeidea47/7-1.jpg

http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/omeidea47/3-1.jpg



http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/omeidea47/1.jpg

 

[IMPATIENT 1]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

water has a hard time entering any running engine unless its under pressure, cause the crankpressure is generally always higher than atmosphere. prob overheated it and as mentioned cracked a head or blew a gasket. i personally would allow wiggle room for a longblock swap.

 

[mh11]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

is it me, or does the left side of the glass in that one picture look like it's lower than the other side???

there is that other guy on here restoring a boat that had to tear all that console out from sagging????

 

[BigJ08]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

is it me, or does the left side of the glass in that one picture look like it's lower than the other side???

Was thinking the same thing.

Also think the owner got a little carried away with the flame decals .

 

[jonesg]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

is it me, or does the left side of the glass in that one picture look like it's lower than the other side???

there is that other guy on here restoring a boat that had to tear all that console out from sagging????

Yep, floor is shot.
Engine is shot too.(til proven otherwise)
Instrument panel is sunbleached, nice instruments though.

It would have to be cheap to interest me, its a project boat.
It makes more sense to finish the 21 footer cabin cruiser, rather than take on a second project.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

it sure looks like the port console has settled, possible rot on the bottom of the support piece. it is just a covered plywood, not uncommon, on a bow rider. see read marks.

 

[wallybme]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

see read marks. What does this means? And yes I discovered some rot on the port side (spongy floor about 18"X18") This guy wants me to make an offer between $300- $600

 

[mthieme]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

Yup, she's a project. Is it me or is there no eye on the bow?
Does the boat and trailer have titles?
Trailer looks okay.
My personal limit for a project is $500. But it would have to be something worth while. This one doesn't do it for me. I'd go $200-$300 with papers and part it out.
Since he's in the desert, doubtful the block is cracked.

 

[wallybme]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

Comes with papers and title. The trailer is solid, just sand blasted and painted

 

[jonesg]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

see read marks. What does this means? And yes I discovered some rot on the port side (spongy floor about 18"X18") This guy wants me to make an offer between $300- $600

Tash mispelled 'RED' marks, the floor on port side is collapsing, thats causing the top of the widshield to cave in.


In your situation, with an ongoing project, it isn't going to see water anytime soon. The illegals who hang around in front of home depot will work on your boat for $100 a day, the money might be better spent having them help finish your current boat first.

 

[wallybme]

Re: 1990 maxum BLOWN HEAD GASKET

I finally got it for a good price and here are some pics of the major problems. Yes the floor needs repairing/redoing.


Here is where the seat sits. Note the fiberglass coting that was applies. It's about 4" from the seat's foundation. There was no coating on the rest of the flooring. Carpet without any backing was glued to the floor.
http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/omeidea47/3-2.jpg


Next picture is an manufacturer error, I think. Such a wide crack and not properly sealed. The opening is about a quarter to a half of an inch.
http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/omeidea47/2-2.jpg

Under the cracks there are no rot, and so I need your advice as what I do. Do I sand and reseal or reseal without sanding. This stuff is difficult to remove.

http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/omeidea47/1-1.jpg

This is how the original floor plywood looks. Here is where it is soft. No rot, but spongy when you jump on it.

http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/omeidea47/4-2.jpg

http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/omeidea47/5-1.jpg

The bow section shows many cracks but it is still solid and the drill test reveals positive results

http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/omeidea47/IMG_4331.jpg

http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/omeidea47/IMG_4331.jpg

Overall I was a bit disappointed with the craftsmanship of the boat. I guess this comes from the education I got from this site. I never expcted to see the floor with the kind of plywood. I was also disappointed with the joints of the plywood (a quarter of an inch wide and with such little coating)
The engine has a blown head gasket (checked out the machining cost) With the price I paid ($200, with the titles for both the biat and the trailer) and the work to be done (seats are in excellent condition) I think I got a good deal. I should have it floating by July 4.