What to do with boat that sat for 18 years

[chillyattitude]

Hey ya'll I have posted on here a couple times about 50-60hp outboard motors but I have just come across a new find and I am scared. I have just picked up a 1988 sea ray 24 cuddy sorrento that has been sitting idle for 18 years. I am a novice at boats but an intermediate at old car motors. This has a 5.7 litre 350 mercruiser with only 61 hours on it. I am thinking about replacing the belts, hoses, plugs, wires, cap,rotor, and water pump. Also thinkinhg about replacing the 4 tires on the trailer and repacking the bearings. Gonna pump out the 30-40 gallons of gas left in it from 1989. Can anyone give me any suggestions on what else I should do before I try this boat out. I also am gonna run some mystery oil through thru the 8 cylinders before I reinstall the plugs. Thanks to anyone with any suggestions.

TYVM
Kerry

 

[tarheelebbtide]

Re: What to do with boat that sat for 18 years

You'll definitely need to change the lube in the outdrive and replace the impeller. The more knowledgeable here will probably have other pointers as well.

 

[Uraijit]

Re: What to do with boat that sat for 18 years

Yup, drive oil and impeller for sure.

Change the engine oil while you're at it. Probably needs a new bellows as well...

 

[danond]

Re: What to do with boat that sat for 18 years

I also am gonna run some mystery oil through thru the 8 cylinders before I reinstall the plugs.

Skip that step. Don't waste your $! The reason they call it "mystery" oil is that nobody can figure out what it does other than drain your checking account.

Rebuild the carb. Don't even bother trying to run it otherwise. Change the oil, put clean oil into the cylinders and turn the engine over by hand quite a few times. Remove the distributor and spin the oil pump with a drill before starting the motor. Spin the oil pump, turn the engine. Spin, turn. The last thing you need is to spin a bearing in an otherwise perfectly good engine. Then change the oil again, set the timing and see how she does. Make sure you don't start the engine with the drive in the "full up" position.

Run the engine on a separate tank vs. hooking it to the one in the boat while you're getting it tuned up. Wait until you have it running before banking on the tank being clean.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: What to do with boat that sat for 18 years

My 2 cents i don't know if the gimbal bearing will be frozen and allow the motor to turn.

Might be better to start the motor with the outdrive off.

Should come off anyway and broke down and inspected and resealed.

Every filter should be checked in the fuel system.

Fuel pump should be taken apart and inspected. 18 year old vanish by now.

I would run it on a external tank also before getting to the gas tank.

Alot good points everyone made.

Let us know how you made out

Good luck

 

[rthomas]

Re: What to do with boat that sat for 18 years

all of the above and then some, im doing the same thing to a boat that sat for 11 years (big boat in sig) ive had to: rebuild the trim/tilt motor/pump and rams, replace carb, siphon old gas out, new starter, new lower shift cable and impeller, new distributer and wiring harness, change oils, re soldier power steering cooler, junk the dead bennet trim tabs and replace w/ smart tabs, new bilge pump, ign switch, i still need to replace the fuel sending unit and replace some hard lines on the power steering ram, and thats just the mechanical stuff. ive also had to replace the center floor and am still working on some minor electrical stuff. ive spent about $1000 on parts and have 150+hours working on it.
if your good under the hood of a car you can do this, none of what ive had to do was overly hard, just a few $$ and a bunch of time