Asleep at the wheel

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Mechanics always try to make the most money for. Each job generally by ripping you off. It suits them to rip off a few people than to do good jobs on many. Maybe they dont like the travel time?
No I don't like mechanics.

Regretfully, based on several personal experiences, I have to agree.
I knew a good, honest mechanic once. But he bought his own boat and sailed away forever.

[cabo_sailor]

My father had a 53 Hatteras. Both engines were zero timed by the factory. Nonetheless the starboard engine kept over heating. He spent thousands trying to fix it. Turns out the factory reps put pure antifreeze in that engine. Once properly diluted, no more problem.

Rich


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[a64pilot]

Yeah it may have over heated but 270? I don't think so. One of you smart guys tell me what kind of pressure is required for a mix of antifreeze and water to not boil at 270.
Usually, most of the time if it didn't get hot enough to blow coolant and steam all over the place it's not badly damaged. But do by all means fix the reason it overheated to begin with before it does it again.


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[Klamathman]

Suing was never an option. Do enclosed fresh water engines have impellers? I think my first move will be to check engine oil for water. If no water then I dodged one big bullet, right? Compression check would be to check damage to rings, correct? If that checks out then it's all about identifying the root cause (likely suspects = manifold, water pump, kinked hoses) and fixing it.


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[Sailmonkey]

The impeller moves the seawater, not the fresh......


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[senormechanico]

To the OP.
Check for salted up intercoolers.
If the boat sits for a long time in salt water, the intercoolers get salt buildup.
Your post reads identical to an experience I had delivering a friend's Sea Ray 29, but with his boat, the engine computers just shut it down.
It took the Sea Ray mechanics two years to figure it out.
On my friend's boat, there's a fitting on each engine to connect a garden hose to flush the raw water side for extended storage.

[lesterbutch]

I hate to be pessimistic but engines that old make better mooring anchors!
Bite the bullet and get new or at least reconditioned engines! Remember this is
a boat, you can get into a world of s--t and possibly not be able to get home.

[Cheechako]

Your engine may not be damaged, but it does have a problem. Could be a lot of things, water pump may be the least likely. Clogged heat exchanger? Head gasket? Hard to say. But a compression test will tell you if it's a head gasket or crack etc. A compression test on a gas boat engine is no harder than on a car and shouldn't cost you to much. I would start there if the mechanic sees no obvious water leakage etc. Or first check the coolant tank for alot of bubbles when running. A clogged up water cooled exhaust manifold can overheat the engine too. Very common.
Yes, the PO could very well have known the issue. When I was looking at power boats like that, nearly every seller told me "it has a rebuilt engine"... however when pressed for receipts they would often say "well the previous owner said he had it rebuilt a couple years before he sold it to me" etc... haha

[Stu Jackson]

I bought a boat from a nice gentleman who said the engine is fine but it overheats when you push it to WOT for more than 15 minutes. I did some research and found that particular engine had a HX that was just this side of too small. I checked and replaced the impeller, replaced the hoses. But I also removed the HX and found it all filled up with crud. I cleaned the crud and the problem went away. Years later I got a bigger HX.

Point being, you've been given a lot of good advice, but whether you find a trusted mechanic or you DIY, you MUST MUST MUST employ an ORGANIZED SYSTEMATIC approach to this whole thing.

Analyze the issue, determine the parts and steps required, and do them and keep meticulous notes so you remember what you did.

Compare the engines. Is everything the same? Maybe some joker f-ed up one, but not the other.

Good luck.

PS You might also post a new thread: "Anyone know a good gasoline engine mechanic near XYZ?"

[Sailing55]

Originally Posted by Klamathman

I recently purchased a 1987 Sea Ray Sundowner 300. On my second excursion upon my 30 minute return to the marina at about 3000 rpm I idled down to moor it. Much to my surprise I saw quite a bit of white smoke (steam?) and looked at my temperature gauges. My starboard engine was showing a 270 degree reading. I immediately shut her down and limped in on one engine. Both engines have under 500 hrs on them... One of the reasons I bought it.

I called a highly rated mechanic in the California delta region and told him the previous owner replaced the thermostat. My guess was the water pump. His response to me was that if the gauge read 270 then I may have created problems with hoses (rated at 220) melting, blown head gaskets and other possibilities. He also stated that water pump was not necessarily the culprit, could be manifold. He recommended a compression check as well. Sound on the up and up?

I bought this boat for $10k and without a survey. The gentleman had poured $8k into it with electronics, windlass, outdrive service, recent bottom job and other work done on same starboard engine (thermostat, ignition and a couple things I don't immediately recall). He took us on an abbreviated test run and my first trip after buying the boat went flawlessly and we ran both engines for probably 3 hours. My question is would it be possible that the previous owner knew of this problem? He purchased the boat a year earlier for $12k, poured $8k into it and bailed quickly for $10k.


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Stu is right...you are getting some good advice here, but you need a systematic approach; it sounds like you are running around in circles.

First thing you need to know is: does the engine turn over? If so, start it for a minute or so to see if it runs normally, just for peace of mind. You can run an engine for a SHORT period of time with no coolant at all. If so, begin to troubleshoot the cooling problem at the seacocks! Then the raw water strainer to see if it is clogged, then on to the pump/impeller to see if the impeller is damaged [which will happen if it is run dry due to clogged strainer/closed seacock]. Follow the entire cooling system to the exit at the exhaust through-hull.
Move on to the engine fresh water cooling system: thermostat, clogged heat exchanger, etc. These are all things you should be familiar with anyway...
Once you have isolated the problem you can make a rational decision as to what needs to be done.
Not all mechanics are rip-offs, neither are they all competent...but it is to your
advantage to know enough about the systems on your boat to be able to tell the difference. People spend untold amounts of cash listening to "experts" because they are unfamiliar with their own boats...

Don't panic, find the cause, make a decision. And welcome to Boat World.

[Klamathman]

Thanks for the great advise. Yes, this is my first experience with a boat that doesn't sail or have an outboard (my Klamath fishing boat in years past inspired my "handle"). Much to learn and you all gave me a good start... I will keep you posted.


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[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by lesterbutch

I hate to be pessimistic but engines that old make better mooring anchors!

You don't know what you are talking about. A well maintained older engine actually has some advantages over the newer stuff. I don't have to hire a mechanic to work on the older engines for example.

[landsend]

Absolutely correct

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Klamathman

Thanks for the great advise. Yes, this is my first experience with a boat that doesn't sail or have an outboard (my Klamath fishing boat in years past inspired my "handle"). Much to learn and you all gave me a good start... I will keep you posted.

I hear ya. I put off buying a boat with an inboard for too many years. It was always easier to bring the outboard engine to the shop for fixits.

I did a LOT of reading and found that even before the the growth of the internet in 1998 there was a LOT of information out there.

These days, there is absolutely NO REASON to have to reinvent the wheel.

Good luck.

[CC45]

Hi Kalamath,
I own the same boat except its a Sundancer DA which means it has an aft birth. So i have 2 260 Merc's in them. my temp running stays at 170 deg. i would first check to see if you sucked up debri in to the out drive intake, unless you have plenty of water kicking out. next i would check for your antifreeze and make sure all water levels are up. Next, and there is no blocking, I would also pick up a new thermostat and replace it. If this doesn't resolve then the compression check. If you blown a head gasket, you would have watering coming from the heads. My Merc's are original and i have no problem with them. they are a really good eng this yr.