Ok, here's the deal. I bought a boat a couple months ago and got screwed because i did not know to check compression on 2000 90elpto. Making a long story short, It actually ran when I looked at it but when I got it home and tinkered with it, it had 0 compression on #2. Pulled side plate an saw mangled rings. I haven't torn it down further and do not know if cylinder walls are damaged. Today I found a complete 2003 90elpto on CL for $1500 that looked real nice. I offered him a thousand and said he would sell it for that. Seller said it has been sitting up a couple years but ran great. Now that I am a couple of months older and a hell of a lot wiser, I took a battery and my compression tester. Guess what? It had 120psi on 1 and 3 and 30psi on #2. I ended up buying it anyway for $300. It is absolutely complete even with shift cables. Now my thinking is that 30psi might just be bad rings and it might be a better rebuild project. Questions are: Is there something about #2 cyls on these motors that go bad or is it just a coincidence. Is there anything other than rings that could cause low compression? Anything else to check before I try my hand at rebuilding it. I have rebuilt car motors but never touched a boat motor. Thanks, Rick
