98 bayliner with bad 4.3 ? head gasket

[osborne looney]

i have a chance to purchase a 98 1750 or 1800 capri open bow -- interior cracked up bad , 4.3 mercruiser no visible cracks !! but as looking at engine in boat . left front where head meets block there is a rusty water trail !!! + water in oil i am assuming head gasket ? other than that engine looks brand new. are 4.3's common for this ? head gasket and overheating ? like i stated no visible cracks preset thanks

 

[Don S]

Re: 98 bayliner with bad 4.3 ? head gasket

There has been about a thousand threads started about an engine needing a head gasket because there was water in the oil. Funny thing is, if there is enough water in the oil that it raised the oil level in the engine, you have more than a head gasket problem. If the oil level remains the same and the oil gets milky, that may be a head gasket, but not if it raises the oil level.

If you do have a raise in oil level, it's also not the manifold and risers either. If that was the case, you would have a hydrolock every time you tried to start it.

If you want to test, isolate the block, drain the water and pressure check the block at about 15 PSI. It should hold. If it don't pull the intake and check for cracks in the block just above the lifters.

 

[John_S]

Re: 98 bayliner with bad 4.3 ? head gasket

The interior condition would tell me it hasn't been taken care of. That capri still has wood in it, and make sure you do not have any soft spots in floor or a weak transom. If you find any, i'd walk. Unless the seller can prove otherwise, assume the motor is wasted. Even "free" project boats will eat up allot of $ and time.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 98 bayliner with bad 4.3 ? head gasket

i have a chance to purchase a 98 1750 or 1800 capri open bow -- interior cracked up bad , 4.3 mercruiser no visible cracks !! but as looking at engine in boat . left front where head meets block there is a rusty water trail !!! + water in oil i am assuming head gasket ? other than that engine looks brand new. are 4.3's common for this ? head gasket and overheating ? like i stated no visible cracks preset thanks

Ayuh,...It sounds like a Project boat that you might be able to get runnin' for a few, to several Thousand bucks...
in other words, Free would be several times what it's worth, unless yer lookin' for Parts...

 

[osborne looney]

Re: 98 bayliner with bad 4.3 ? head gasket

NOW THAT I CAN THINK CLEARER i think you guys are correct for one to stay away !!! i know the craft has not been taken care of but i thought the trailer might be worth a few hundo -- but then i have a load of parts to dump off ? alpha out drive worth anything ? a lil confused on what to do - make a few $$ on parts then chainsaw boat apart and stuff in dumpster LOL -- thanks for the advice . always good stuff to hear in here -- thanks again