Opinions needed

[tashasdaddy]

My sister is down to 2 boats. both 380 searay sundancers. both boats cosmetically are equal

#1 2002 twin 8.1 horizons 562 hours, 100 hrs on risers and manifold, all Maintenance records. newer electronics.

#2 2003 twin 8.1 horizons 120 hours. no maintenance records.

which would you choose.

the cost is going to be close to each other.

i'm an outboard guy, and almost ignorant, about something this big.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Opinions needed

Ayuh,...

Personally,....

I'd survey Both of them,+ Then decide....
But,...
I'd also give alittle Added weight to the Newer, Lower houred boat.....

 

[Don S]

Re: Opinions needed

Look at the 2003 and see if it has the dry joint type exhaust manifolds and risers. In salt water, they are going to last a lot longer and make the engine safer from possible water damage.

 

[salty87]

Re: Opinions needed

more than i can afford but i like the sound of the boat that has been run regularly w/records and newer electronics. there could be a few curve balls with the low hours, and there's still 5 years of corrosion there.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Opinions needed

Don, can you explain Dry Joint Type Manifolds and Risers? can we tell by pictures, boat is 250 miles away.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Opinions needed

can you explain Dry Joint Type Manifolds and Risers? can we tell by pictures,

Ayuh,...

Instead of the water passing from the Manifold, into the Riser, Internally thru Gasketed passages,....

It's a Dry Joint, where the water is plumbed thru Hoses from the Manifold to the Riser....

You should see the Hoses in the pictures,...
Usually running from a nipple up high, midway just before the riser, on the manifold....
To a nipple just above the Joint on the riser....

Hope that makes Sense TD....

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Opinions needed

My boat has them - here's what they look like on the engine... and the second is what they look like off the engine...

 

[Bondo]

Re: Opinions needed

Wow,.... Much Different than I've seen..... 'course those I've seen were Aftermarket....

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Opinions needed

The engine picture is my boat - the other picture I "borrowed" from another web page. I don't know what those are - other than an example of dry joint manifolds. Mine are original equipment.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Opinions needed

I would take a close look at the owners too, for example, you pull into the residence and the yard is kept nice, hedges are trimmed, the house looks kept well nice cars ect. vs grass overgrown, gutters falling off, trash laying around ect. I'm not one for keeping records, but meticulous about maintainence and upkeep and all my stuff shows it too. You can learn alot about someone just by looking around and talking to them.

 

[Don S]

Re: Opinions needed

Fishermark's pictures are of the Dry Joint OEM Merc manifolds and risers. They will plug up the water passages (like the old style), but the gasket surfaces around the water passages between the manifolds and risers are not gong to be a problem. The old style gasket surfaces is what killed 99% of the engines, not holes rusting and corroding thru the riser or manifold. When the temp starts rising, then it time to replace. But you get a slow warning. The temp goes to 185? after running at 180? for years, then a couple of months later it up to 190?.
The old style manifolds usually gave up at the manifold/riser joint and allowed water in the engine, usually long before they actually plugged up and caused an overheat.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Opinions needed

thanks, that looks like a great improvement over the old style.