Urgent Help Crank will not start

[msargius]

I am buying a new boat a 1975 silkcraft ss215 with mercruiser 165 20' cabin + toilet. Well the guy had the boat sitting covered for two years. When we tried to make it run, it will not cranck, so he got a new starter and that made it crank. If he sprays the fuel start in the carb, the engine starts, but will shut again, as if the fuel not reaching from the gas tank. He says the fuel pump is working. The fuel is two years old, so he added some dryer to it, but still will not start. I beleive he did change the spark plugs (not sure). Well now a decision has to be made if I should drop the deal or no...(I beleive I am paying a fair price if the engine works $1350, not too many boats including trailers for this price) I am going to see him tomorrow for a decision. Is there something we could be missing? My guts say the fuel (that is my expereince with small engines). How I could know if the engine is working at this stage and did not freeze internally. He says also that he did the top of the engine head two years ago.

He also he beleives it is the carb... Is it possible to try the engine using a portable tank so to see if it is really the old fuel or no?

I will appreciate your comments, as I have to reply to him.

 

[Don S]

Re: Urgent Help Crank will not start

If you can't take a $1350, 35 year old boat for a test run. Walk away......Quickly.

70's boats that don't run are usually free boats.

 

[hshift]

Re: Urgent Help Crank will not start

How I could know if the engine is working at this stage and did not freeze internally. He says also that he did the top of the engine head two years ago.

I'd be suspicious of this boat, since it was two years ago he did the repair above, and that is also how long the boat has been sitting. Maybe something more serious and he gave up on it.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Urgent Help Crank will not start

Ditto what Don said, if you can't lake test the boat, let alone can't get it started, don't waste your time or money. The boat should be free... as it does cost a bit of money to throw it away, not every landfill takes a boat.
1 more thing, quite a bit of older boats are going to have rotted floors, stringers, and most importantly, rotted transoms.

 

[msargius]

Re: Urgent Help Crank will not start

Thank you guys ...

 

[alien4fish]

Re: Urgent Help Crank will not start

I have to agree here, even at that price point that boat should be priced at about 500 bucks and thats if you REALLY REALLY just gotta buy it, there is a TON of boats out there esp. right now That will start and run and SHIFT and go into forward and reverse etc.if it doesnt run id pass on it
OH and check Craigslist thats where i found my boat........ all of them!
Good Luck