Buying small motor boat - Seller has not access to water to run engine.!

[mabbs]

Yeap that's what I'd suggest. Most 2 stroke power heads are pretty robust, third world fisherman can get 5,000 hrs+ use on Yams, as others have said corrosion is enemy no1, good practice to "fog" at the end of the season or long term storage.

 

[Uricanejack]

My 1st fishing boat was an old piece junk of indeterminate age. It floated.
I bought a nice slightly used motor for it.
My plan was just to get it covered in fish guts and scales so pretty wasn’t a requirement.
Running several miles offshore reliability was.
Even an older mercury should be ok after only 2 years.
the compression test is straightforward you can pick tester up at any car parts store.
take the plug out from cylinder and put connected for tester in place.
Make sure the leads to the other cylinder are disconnected.
turn over. It will give you max reading.
then do other cylinders.
you need to look up what compression should be.
both or all cylinders should be about the same.
if not used seizing is more likely. Hence my preference to turn over first by hand.

if it’s reasonably priced and you get it serviced properly, before use. keep it serviced regularly there is no reason you won’t end up with a reliable motor.

 

[QBhoy]

I test run my OB with hose and muffs. Yamaha and Honda
It’s my fishing boat. I always flush in driveway after using in salt water. Disconect fuel hose and run till fuel system is dry.

We had a couple of big new mercury on large rib. they have a hose connection on cowling. (Commercial use run and flushed twice a week)
Used to flush after deployment using hose attachment on cowling. Wrecked them both. In under a year of use. Not enough cooling. Unfortunately we discovered the water from the hose connection does not circulate round the full cooling system.
Replaced at huge cost now use muffs on replacements. With no issues.

If looking at a used OB. Turn it by hand if it’s not been used for a long time. It should turn quite easily if you can get at the flywheel. Biggest issue with outboards is lack of regular use.
If it does you can probably get it running, just by cleaning out the fuel system. checking the electrical connections are clean dry and free of corrosion.
Might not be such a big problem in UK if you have low ethanol petrol.
look at the prop. Some wear and tear normal. Big dings might mean he has hit something and the seals at the bottom could be an issue. Marks on leading edge of fin.

Check the steering is free and easy. If left the piston can seize up.

Those flushing ports on the new mercs are for flushing with just hose pressure and engine off.

 

[QBhoy]

Thanks. I've asked the seller if he has a compression tester and he doesn't. He said it's not been in water for 2 years but
was tested at that point. Right now I think this is too riskey for me.

I assume that if I'm going to buy a boat anyway that I'll have to do this on whatever I'm buying and should buy a tester anyway?
Would this do?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meccion-Cy...1_6?keywords=compression+test+for+boat&sr=8-6

You can buy one for a few quid these days. Very easy to perform too.

 

[rotrax]

Starting it dry will ruin the impeller in seconds.

Really?

If you regularly watch 'Saving Lives at Sea' the smaller Ribs invariably start their two stroke Mariners up for up to thirty seconds before launching off the trailer.

The local Station mechanic says no issues with this at all.

As a 50 year plus experienced small engine mechanic I have often run engines of all types briefly without cooling water, again with no issues.

Some motorcycles needed a test to see if they were going to light up as the bodywork/cooling systems might take in excess of an hour to fit - or remove - if it wouldnt go!

Impellers are very durable and easily take a short run without water.

 

[ChromeDome]

I don't know any motorcycles with impellers.

For outboards it has nothing to do with engine cooling for at short run - the friction of the impeller itself, rubbing the inside the pump house is at risk.
I've heard of, but never tested, the so-called Globe Run-Dry impellers. They claim to tolerate 15 minutes of dry running.

Admittedley frequent replacement of the impeller will mitigate the risk.

Why do you think impeller kits come with a pouch of lube?

 

[38mess]

Why not make an offer subject to satisfactory sea trial?

 

[bowler]

Agreed. Much better to find out that it runs like crap while you don't own it. Then you can walk away or negotiate accordingly. The onus is on the seller. If he doesnt play ball then move on. D

 

[QBhoy]

Really?

If you regularly watch 'Saving Lives at Sea' the smaller Ribs invariably start their two stroke Mariners up for up to thirty seconds before launching off the trailer.

The local Station mechanic says no issues with this at all.

As a 50 year plus experienced small engine mechanic I have often run engines of all types briefly without cooling water, again with no issues.

Some motorcycles needed a test to see if they were going to light up as the bodywork/cooling systems might take in excess of an hour to fit - or remove - if it wouldnt go!

Impellers are very durable and easily take a short run without water.

You’re definitely wrong there. They will wreck an impeller in no time at all. The rnli boats will go through them often.

 

[rotrax]

I don't know any motorcycles with impellers.

For outboards it has nothing to do with engine cooling for at short run - the friction of the impeller itself, rubbing the inside the pump house is at risk.
I've heard of, but never tested, the so-called Globe Run-Dry impellers. They claim to tolerate 15 minutes of dry running.

Admittedley frequent replacement of the impeller will mitigate the risk.

Why do you think impeller kits come with a pouch of lube?

In the real world impellers don't appear to suffer damage from short dry runs. The Station Mechanic at the local RNLI confirms the same.

Many motorcycles have rigid plastic impeller water pumps, especially Moto-Cross bikes.. Impellers are not always flexible synthetic rubber within an out of round chamber.

As I previously said, have you never seen - or heard - the inshore lifeboat going on a shout with the Mariner fired up well before it hits the water off the launch trailer?

Our boat is kept 150 yards from the RNLI and it is heard every time they launch on a shout.

For training they get the leg in the water before starting.

 

[QBhoy]

In the real world impellers don't appear to suffer damage from short dry runs. The Station Mechanic at the local RNLI confirms the same.

Many motorcycles have rigid plastic impeller water pumps, especially Moto-Cross bikes.. Impellers are not always flexible synthetic rubber within an out of round chamber.

As I previously said, have you never seen - or heard - the inshore lifeboat going on a shout with the Mariner fired up well before it hits the water off the launch trailer?

Our boat is kept 150 yards from the RNLI and it is heard every time they launch on a shout.

For training they get the leg in the water before starting.

Yeah. But they have a reason to do that. It’s procedure for them, rather than the alternative of fast launching it into an onshore wind and wave condition…then trying to pull start a 50hp outboard, beam on to waves. They change their impellers vastly more frequently than the casual boater.
100% it’s to be avoided at all costs under normal circumstances and not on your way to save a life ! If a dry impeller that been sat dry for any length of time gets run up…you can count in seconds the time it has until it disintegrates.

 

[rotrax]

Yeah. But they have a reason to do that. It’s procedure for them, rather than the alternative of fast launching it into an onshore wind and wave condition…then trying to pull start a 50hp outboard, beam on to waves. They change their impellers vastly more frequently than the casual boater.
100% it’s to be avoided at all costs under normal circumstances and not on your way to save a life ! If a dry impeller that been sat dry for any length of time gets run up…you can count in seconds the time it has until it disintegrates.

But the station mechanic tells me he pulls the impellers regularly and checks them.

Usually puts them back in. Never finds them 'disintigrated in seconds'

My Suzuki four stroke used on the tender was run dry during a pre purchase trial by the previous owner for five minutes while he was making an idle speed adjustment. Once it was mine I ordered a new impeller.

When I got the leg off and checked it was fine. Still in there six seasons on. The new one is in the spares box.

In over forty years of boating I have only had two impellers fail, a Yanmar 1GM10 that had a recall for bad bonding to the drive centre and a Johnson impeller in a Jabsco pump on a Bukh DV20. That had failed through running dry, but it ran dry for twenty minutes with the seacock off! I still cant work out why the engine did not seize! Strong donks those Bukh's!

Don't lend your boat to plonkers like I did................................................

 

[colhel]

I think the point is,the boat in the OP has been unrun for 2 years so the impellor will be completely dry, and running it dry for a few minutes at low rpm and no load won't tell you a lot anyway.

 

[QBhoy]

But the station mechanic tells me he pulls the impellers regularly and checks them.

Usually puts them back in. Never finds them 'disintigrated in seconds'

My Suzuki four stroke used on the tender was run dry during a pre purchase trial by the previous owner for five minutes while he was making an idle speed adjustment. Once it was mine I ordered a new impeller.

When I got the leg off and checked it was fine. Still in there six seasons on. The new one is in the spares box.

In over forty years of boating I have only had two impellers fail, a Yanmar 1GM10 that had a recall for bad bonding to the drive centre and a Johnson impeller in a Jabsco pump on a Bukh DV20. That had failed through running dry, but it ran dry for twenty minutes with the seacock off! I still cant work out why the engine did not seize! Strong donks those Bukh's!

Don't lend your boat to plonkers like I did................................................

My goodness .

 

[onemanorthree]

I've asked him to either get water there or bring to water and he is unwilling to do it.
I don't know enough about engines to take the risk, there seems to be no appetite to get water anywhere near it.

 

[Seastoke]

I've asked him to either get water there or bring to water and he is unwilling to do it.
I don't know enough about engines to take the risk, there seems to be no appetite to get water anywhere near it.

Well you need a water test not only for the engine but the boat and trailer . His chances of selling it where it is will be low , Send big plumbs

 

[Bigplumbs]

Make sure it’s ram on muffs and a hose but most importantly of all…if she’s a 2 stroke…it’s an absolute must, to perform a compression check on her.

What do you think he will connect the muffs to. Did you read the first post. I have bought more 2 strokes than most and never never had a compression test. Never had an issue yet

 

[Bigplumbs]

I've asked him to either get water there or bring to water and he is unwilling to do it.
I don't know enough about engines to take the risk, there seems to be no appetite to get water anywhere near it.

Where is it and how much is he asking. I have had and have several Fletchers. Is it much more than £7000 ?

 

[Bigplumbs]

Yes, as previously stated, but it won't tell you the same as a sea trial.

I suspect this is a boat around the £7,000 mark...................... Do you honestly think people have sea trials on boats at that value

 

[Bigplumbs]

Starting it dry will ruin the impeller in seconds.

Simply not true. It is not wise but it will not ruin it in seconds.