Looking 2011 Volvo 5.0GXi and SX outdrive surveyed for used boat purchase.

[moretti]

Just had my offer accepted on a beautiful Chris Craft launch 20. Think this might be a rare find in UK as I have never seen one for sale. Anyway boat has been lifted out and kept on a stack for last 6 years, so not needed antifoul etc, and she looked very good when I viewed her. All I need to assure myself of is the engine and outdrive. Have used Volvo Paul in the past but he informs me he only does diesel engines.

Can anyone recommend someone who can look at a Volvo 5.0GXi V8 270hp with SX outdrive. Engine has 98Hrs and boat is in Portsmouth. Thanks

 

[simonfraser]

does it have an intercooler if you are going to use it in salt water ?
petrol not always available in UK marinas

 

[moretti]

does it have an intercooler if you are going to use it in salt water ?
petrol not always available in UK marinas

Hi Simon, it has been used in salt water at Portsmouth coast for the last 6 years. I have just assumed it was capable of salt water usage. The sea trial took place in salt water. Would I survey highlight this?

Petrol is available at my marina.

 

[simonfraser]

Hi Simon, it has been used in salt water at Portsmouth coast for the last 6 years. I have just assumed it was capable of salt water usage. The sea trial took place in salt water. Would I survey highlight this?

Petrol is available at my marina.

salt water and hot engines is a very corrosive mix
has it been rinsed out after use ?

some 'lake' boats do not have intercoolers so your engine rots, rather than just the exhaust / intercooler

 

[moretti]

salt water and hot engines is a very corrosive mix
has it been rinsed out after use ?

some 'lake' boats do not have intercoolers so your engine rots, rather than just the exhaust / intercooler

Thanks Simon but i am wondering how could such a thing be reliably verified? I could be told anything.

At the moment it feels like I am missing something about petrol engine'd boating that I never considered, due to the US market loving petrol boats even for coastal use. Almost all top of the range US boats, cobalts, formulas and chris craft have Inboard engines.

I know VP did a fresh water cooling version of these...is there a way of finding this out?

 

[GrahamHR]

Since around 2001 all VP petrol engined boats have had an engine flush inlet; it connects into the water supply before the impellor allowing fresh water to be used to flush the engine and exhaust components. Whether a previous owner used it, impossible to tell.

My VP petrol engined boats had retrofitted closed cooling the latter from new, so only the intercooler and exhaust components were exposed to salt water. Combined with VP's Neutrasalt system, the manifolds and risers for the 2004 one were almost corrosion free after 9 years use in salt water.

 

[simonfraser]

'My VP petrol engined boats had retrofitted closed cooling the latter from new, so only the intercooler and exhaust components were exposed to salt water. Combined with VP's Neutrasalt system, the manifolds and risers for the 2004 one were almost corrosion free after 9 years use in salt water'

a survey would confirm the above, or if you post a new thread and ask what this looks like you'd be able to tell yourself looking at the engine and other components
the threads need to be quite specific to get the best advise on this forum

 

[moretti]

Since around 2001 all VP petrol engined boats have had an engine flush inlet; it connects into the water supply before the impellor allowing fresh water to be used to flush the engine and exhaust components. Whether a previous owner used it, impossible to tell.

My VP petrol engined boats had retrofitted closed cooling the latter from new, so only the intercooler and exhaust components were exposed to salt water. Combined with VP's Neutrasalt system, the manifolds and risers for the 2004 one were almost corrosion free after 9 years use in salt water.

I would imagine evidence of use of the Neutrasalt would be available in the service history? Is Neutrasalt a permanent installation or can this be flushed via a temporary setup?

 

[julians]

My view is that I wouldnt worry whether a non closed cooling system engine has been used in salt or not. Its a slight positive if it has a closed cooling system, but if it doesnt its no big deal (IMO) ,.

It takes decades of use to get to a point where the coolant passageways in the block get bunged up with corrosion, and its more likely that something else will fail causing the need for a new block before corrosion kills it.

The exhaust manifolds need replacing every few years regardless of whether a closed cooling system is fitted because raw water is always passed through them regardless of whether fresh water cooling is fitted. The time period between replacing the manifolds is longer when the boat is used in fresh water, but they still need replacing periodically. The manifolds are relatively cheap.

A closed cooling system adds more complexity and parts that need maintenance - ie the heat exchange needs periodic cleaning out etc, which is not needed in a boat with no closed cooling, so having closed cooling is not a silver bullet to having no maintenance to perform.

All outboards use salt water to cool them , none have a closed fresh water cooling circuit (as far as I know) , and nobody says dont use an outboard in salt water.

Its good to flush the system with fresh water after use if thats possible, just to extend the life of various components.

Just get a survey and buy based on condition - dont worry about using it in salt water - just maintain it as per the hand book, and it'll be fine and the least of your worries.

 

[moretti]

My view is that I wouldnt worry whether a non closed cooling system engine has been used in salt or not. Its a slight positive if it has a closed cooling system, but if it doesnt its no big deal (IMO) , it takes decades of use to get to a point where the coolant passageways in the block get bunged up with corrosion, and its more likely that something else will fail causing the need for a new block before corrosion kills it.

The exhaust manifolds need replacing every few years regardless of whether a closed cooling system is fitted. The time period between replacing the manifolds is longer when used in fresh water, but they still need replacing periodically. the manifolds are relatively cheap.

All outboards use salt water to cool them , none have a closed fresh water cooling circuit (as far as I know) , and nobody says dont use an outboard in salt water.

Its good to flush the system with fresh water after use if thats possible, just to extend the life of various components.

Just get a survey and buy based on condition - dont worry about using it in salt water - it'll be fine and the least of your worries.

Thanks Julians, Boat has been dry stacked for last 6 years, so I'm hoping this is a plus point in all of this. Would you expect an engineer doing the servicing and winterising to flush fresh water through the engine as part of routine maintenance?

 

[julians]

Thanks Julians, Boat has been dry stacked for last 6 years, so I'm hoping this is a plus point in all of this. Would you expect an engineer doing the servicing and winterising to flush fresh water through the engine as part of routine maintenance?

In an ideal world the flushing should be done after each use - so I guess you'd expect the owner to do it as part of his/her end of day routine, but I wouldnt expect to see any evidence of that, unless I could talk to the owner and ask him in order to get a feel for how well maintained it was. But its also possible that it was a service that was provided by the people that dry stacked the boat on behalf of the owner, in which case they'd be able to confirm that they did do it.

For the purposes of buying the boat (in the absence of any evidence to the contrary) you should assume that it was only flushed once or twice per year as part of the annual service, just get a good surveyor to inspect and advise. The manifolds are the items that need periodic replacement, you can usually see salt water marks (white streaks) running down the outside of them if they have leaked slightly - and they do this when they are starting to corrode. but if they have been replaced recently they should be fine . Check the various bills and see when they were last replaced, if they havent ever been done, then budget for a set of manifolds or take that into account in your price for the boat. Other signed of blocked manifolds/cooling passageways is an overheat at highish revs, but again a surveyor should look for that during the sea trial.

A good surveyor will know what to look for .

 

[moretti]

In an ideal world the flushing should be done after each use - so I guess you'd expect the owner to do it as part of his/her end of day routine, but I wouldnt expect to see any evidence of that, unless I could talk to the owner and ask him in order to get a feel for how well maintained it was. But its also possible that it was a service that was provided by the people that dry stacked the boat on behalf of the owner, in which case they'd be able to confirm that they did do it.

For the purposes of buying the boat (in the absence of any evidence to the contrary) you should assume that it was only flushed once or twice per year as part of the annual service, just get a good surveyor to inspect and advise. The manifolds are the items that need periodic replacement, you can usually see salt water marks (white streaks) running down the outside of them if they have leaked slightly - and they do this when they are starting to corrode. but if they have been replaced recently they should be fine . Check the various bills and see when they were last replaced, if they havent ever been done, then budget for a set of manifolds or take that into account in your price for the boat. Other signed of blocked manifolds/cooling passageways is an overheat at highish revs, but again a surveyor should look for that during the sea trial.

A good surveyor will know what to look for .

Thanks again this is all good stuff. Hopefully someone can recommend a good VP engineer.

 

[simonfraser]

Thanks again this is all good stuff. Hopefully someone can recommend a good VP engineer.

start a new thread 'rcommend me a surveyor for a petrol inboard in xyz location'