What should I do with my 3.0?

[liquidlew]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

Are you doing all these adjustments and testing on the trailer with the muffs? Try putting it in the water and then see how it starts. I had same problem with low compression in one cyl., it started lickety split and idled smooth on the trailer, but as soon as it was in the water it was a whole different story, even after a tune up. Turned out I had 2 bent valves, had the heads done and it was like magic, starts and runs so much better!

 

[Plasma George]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

1. There is no blow by coming out of your carb.
That's why I had the question marks, I wasn't sure I was using the right terms, but he said he felt "blow by" from somewhere, and that was indicating something not good.2. It has hydraulic lifters and preload is adjusted like any SBC or BBC engine.
I confirmed this with him. Help me understand what the adjustment is if he explained there is no valve adjustment on hydraulic valves.3. The proceedure for adjusting preload is in the manual, they are FREE downloads at the top of this forum (Adults Only thread)
I sent him the manual, Thanks.4. He may be your friend, but he is certainly not a mechanic.
He's a generator mechanic, obviously seeing all makes of engines as well.

Being a 22 year old boat, and that it pulls 3 adults with me tubing, gets on plane and crusies at 40mph+, isn't it conceivable that this engine could be fine for years ???? IT has mor hp than my 20' Maxum with the 120hp outboard. I'm sure it won't be seeing hours and hours of use being a pleasure boat, for recreational use.

He's not sure it's worth pulling the heads off and $1000 bill for a $2500 boat. I think he feels the "blow by" is an indication of cylinder damage beyond just a head gasket ???

Getting back to my original post/question, what should I do at this point ?. He has it running smoother and starting after 2-3 cranks and idling at 600rpm. These are all improvements over last year and adjustments the engine needed very badly from lack of maintenance for who knows how long.

 

[Bondo]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

I want to sell my boat, but need advice on what to do with the engine that's running rough.

I have a 1988 Chaparral 3.0 I/O with a Mercruiser Alpha One, with compression 60,100,100,100.
Getting back to my original post/question, what should I do at this point ?.

Ayuh,... Go ahead,+ Sell it....

Whether You think it makes Great Power or Not,...
The motor is just plain ole Worn Out,+ in need of a Rebuild......

You can avoid the Truth,... But don't lie about it...

 

[Plasma George]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

Ayuh,... Go ahead,+ Sell it....

Whether You think it makes Great Power or Not,...
The motor is just plain ole Worn Out,+ in need of a Rebuild......

You can avoid the Truth,... But don't lie about it...

He's going to redo the compression test tomorrow, but the #'s aren't accurate. More like 110-120, then in the 60s for the 4th.

I'm not concerned about great power like a perfect condition 3.0. I'm only concerned about making enough power to perform in this application, on this 1988 hull.

If I sell it to a neighbor or friend, will it run for many trips on the water, or will it implode the 3rd time out, or does noone ever know about this type.

My mechanic/friend believes the low compression is because of a scored cylinder wall from the overheating day ???? And a head gasket will not change anything.

 

[Bondo]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

If I sell it to a neighbor or friend, will it run for many trips on the water, or will it implode the 3rd time out, or does noone ever know about this type.

Ayuh,... Don is the only 1 around here with a crystal ball,+ his is Broken....

Roll the Dice, or sell it to a Stranger if it'll make you feel better....

It's a motor with a Known Issue...

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

if you had a bad intake valve it would puff out he carb .

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

dont sell it unless you state the problems. dont sell it to friend or neighbor run it till it pukes and buy a used or rebuild it. If it hits 40
mph hour worn out wow!!! i need a 3.0 to replace my 120 for sure!!

 

[bomar76]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

Find a real mechanic and have him do the tests properly.

Compression should be done dry and wet.

The wet part will show if the cylinders have worn rings or scoring. If compression doesn't come up wet it points to a valve or head gasket issue.

A leak down test would show if you had a bad intake or exhaust valve or a head gasket issue, or even really bad rings/cylinder.

It could be an issue where the lifter preload is set so tight a valve can't close all the way, burned valve, tuliped valve (lean cylinder), bad valve seat...etc

All this guy is doing is wasting your time.

 

[Plasma George]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

Not sure why you keep saying he's not a real mechanic. It's his occupation, for hientire life. I think the issue is his communication to me, then filtering what he is saying through me and me typing it here.

Can you explain what dry and wet compression tests are ? He got good compression, but he thinks the winterizing that was done may have affected the cylinders.

He's had it running for a while since then, he's redoing the compression test tomorrow.

The decision I have to make is to do major engine repair, or sell the $3200 boat from 6 months ago and look to get $2000- $2500 out of it. It's in very clean condition, people are surprised it's a 1988. It spent a lot of years stored indoors, not used.

 

[bomar76]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

A real mechanic (not someone who works on gensets) could spend NO MORE than 30 minutes with the engine, a compression tester, a leak down set, and a squirt can of oil and know exactly what is wrong, and tell you in 15 words or less what the problem is, and how deep financially in it you would be with repairs.

 

[Fordiesel69]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

Also with the ease of accesibility, at night, simply have him remove the plugs and run each piston to BDC and shine a LED flashlight in there and look for scores.

BTW, if you and him pull the head which is VERY easy to do, you can pay 250 at a mcahine shop and have all the valves done. Do a wet compression test and leakdown test and stop guessing and asking if it will blow it. With a wet compression test and leakdown test, there will be no mysteries.

 

[ken_23434]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

Dry Compression Test - Basically, all plugs are removed, gauge is screwed into one of the spark plug holes. The engine is cranked and the gauge shows a pressure. This is done for all 4 cylinders. #'s compared to each other and to the service manual for correct range.

Wet Compression test - Same as above, but after you get the # for a given cylinder, you take out the gauge, squirt in a little oil, and then reinstall the gauge and crank the engine again. If the cylinder walls are scored or you have a bad ring, the oil will partially seal up that cylinder and you will get a higher # than you did on the "dry test".

The factory service manual is available for free in the "adults" sticky at the top of the forum. The info in there will likely help out your friend.

 

[Plasma George]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

Dry Compression Test - Basically, all plugs are removed, gauge is screwed into one of the spark plug holes. The engine is cranked and the gauge shows a pressure. This is done for all 4 cylinders. #'s compared to each other and to the service manual for correct range.

Wet Compression test - Same as above, but after you get the # for a given cylinder, you take out the gauge, squirt in a little oil, and then reinstall the gauge and crank the engine again. If the cylinder walls are scored or you have a bad ring, the oil will partially seal up that cylinder and you will get a higher # than you did on the "dry test".

The factory service manual is available for free in the "adults" sticky at the top of the forum. The info in there will likely help out your friend.

Thanks for all the advice, now we're getting somewhere.

This is why he thinks there's scored cylinder walls. He described exactly the wet compression test. He first did the compression test, and the engine hasn't been touched since being winterized. He said if they sprayed stuff into the engine, this could "false seal" the rings. Now that he's run the engine he's redoing the compression test today.
He also feels the engine may very well run for a long time with scored cylinder walls. He's seen old engines running and running like this. On another note I asked him about water in the oil, he said my oil looks excellent with zero moisture.

So, let's assume it's a scored cylinder wall.
Do I have him do this repair, spend $700-$1000 more than where I am now, and ask $3000 for the boat,
OR
Don't do it, explain to the buyers there's a scored cylinder with low compression, it's a 22 year old boat, but it runs great, show the performance, and ask $2000-$2500 ?

ALSO,
I've been to 2 different Marine Dealers and both said the same thing, "we won't know the extent of the repair until we get into it and see what's going on"..."it may not be just the head gasket, could be valves, pistons, rings, etc. etc. etc." They are aoly able to quote me a head gastket replacement, and that was $600-$700 if all goes well. I think we've determned it's more than the head gasket.

 

[JustJason]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

I"m not a fan of a wet compression test... all you end up doing is loading up the compression gauge with oil. Use to much oil and the gauge blows up in your hand.

I am however, a very big fan of a leakdown test.

 

[ken_23434]

Re: What should I do with my 3.0?

If the boat runs good, then take the prospective buyer out on a test drive and demo the boat. I would tell him the compression results and let the buyer decide.

If you rebuild the engine, it will run better, but from what you have stated, it already runs pretty good. I don't think you will be able to get the $$ you put into the rebuild back.

Plus, a lot of people sell boats with a "recently rebuilt engine".

If you just rebuilt the engine, why are you selling it? Was it a cheap rebuild just good enough to sell if off?

That is what I would think as a prospective buyer. I am the type of person that would buy it, knowing is has an issue, but currently is usable. Then I could plan on the fix when my schedule and budget allowed and I would know the quality of the fix done.