Hi everyone - I need some help and advice on some used Marine Power Engines that I recently purchased. They are 2004 4.3 V6 EFI VORTEC fresh water cooling with 600 hrs.
They were pulled out of a boat that was being re-powered and advertised on Craig's list as good running engines. I called and talked with the seller and he said that there was absolutely nothing wrong with them but he just wanted more power and was the reason for the re-power. I went to the marine engine repair shop that pulled them out of the boat and they confirmed the story. "they are great engines nothing wrong with them. The owner is crazy to re-power but that's what he wants." I quizzed the owner of the shop which is a good size repair shop here in Seattle and he said that he ran them quite a bit and they had no issues.
I told the shop I wanted them ran before I bought them and wanted to do a compression check. The shop owner said it would be some work to get them running since they were out of the boat at this point. I then said I would at least want a compression check done.
Long story short when when I called the owner to talk further we worked out what I thought was an amazingly good price for the engines and was so excited about these engines I didn't do the compression check or any checks for that matter.
Im not not an expert but do my own oil changes and relatively simple repairs on my boat engines such as impellers, changing oil, etc.
Once in possession of the engines I wanted to run them and change the oil since the last change was January 2013. I checked the oil level and that is when I noticed the oil was milky looking and much different than old oil I have seen before in my other engines. This is when I started to get worried and found thru research it was a sign of water getting I the system. I was hoping it could have been condensation from sitting or not being run up to full temperature or cleaning or something. Here is where I am at now and symptoms.
1. Oil is milky colored
2. Under the oil cap was ice cream like gunk
3. When I hooked everything up to test run the engine they wouldn't start.
4. spark plugs are fouled looking and had some condensation on them.
5. Changed spark plugs restarted giving a little throttle and the engine started and needed throttle to keep going but shortly after would idle fine with no need to throttle. My understanding is no throttle should be needed with EFI engines.
6. After warming up a bit I drained the oil which is all milky brown.
7. New oil and filters
8. Pulled plugs on the starboard side of motor one was black, one was perfectly clean but had water on it and in it. The last was less black than the first.
9. Was hoping the condensation was just from them sitting or getting pressure washed changes in temperature but I am fearing that is not the case.
From what I have researched it could be the head gasket, exhaust manifold, cracked block, etc.
from theses symptoms is there any way to narrow down what the repair is? Definitely head gaskets? Definitely the exhaust manifold? Both or something else?
I am not really sure where to go from here and feel like I have been totally ripped off but also I should have known better and checked them out more thoroughly.
Tomorrow I plan to check the compression in all cylinders and see what that tells me.
By chance I happened to have a lot of mutual friends with the guy that sold me the engines. Before I contact him about this I want to know what is needed to repair the engine and how much it might cost. The other engine has the same colored oil and can only assume it has the same issues.
Thanks
They were pulled out of a boat that was being re-powered and advertised on Craig's list as good running engines. I called and talked with the seller and he said that there was absolutely nothing wrong with them but he just wanted more power and was the reason for the re-power. I went to the marine engine repair shop that pulled them out of the boat and they confirmed the story. "they are great engines nothing wrong with them. The owner is crazy to re-power but that's what he wants." I quizzed the owner of the shop which is a good size repair shop here in Seattle and he said that he ran them quite a bit and they had no issues.
I told the shop I wanted them ran before I bought them and wanted to do a compression check. The shop owner said it would be some work to get them running since they were out of the boat at this point. I then said I would at least want a compression check done.
Long story short when when I called the owner to talk further we worked out what I thought was an amazingly good price for the engines and was so excited about these engines I didn't do the compression check or any checks for that matter.
Im not not an expert but do my own oil changes and relatively simple repairs on my boat engines such as impellers, changing oil, etc.
Once in possession of the engines I wanted to run them and change the oil since the last change was January 2013. I checked the oil level and that is when I noticed the oil was milky looking and much different than old oil I have seen before in my other engines. This is when I started to get worried and found thru research it was a sign of water getting I the system. I was hoping it could have been condensation from sitting or not being run up to full temperature or cleaning or something. Here is where I am at now and symptoms.
1. Oil is milky colored
2. Under the oil cap was ice cream like gunk
3. When I hooked everything up to test run the engine they wouldn't start.
4. spark plugs are fouled looking and had some condensation on them.
5. Changed spark plugs restarted giving a little throttle and the engine started and needed throttle to keep going but shortly after would idle fine with no need to throttle. My understanding is no throttle should be needed with EFI engines.
6. After warming up a bit I drained the oil which is all milky brown.
7. New oil and filters
8. Pulled plugs on the starboard side of motor one was black, one was perfectly clean but had water on it and in it. The last was less black than the first.
9. Was hoping the condensation was just from them sitting or getting pressure washed changes in temperature but I am fearing that is not the case.
From what I have researched it could be the head gasket, exhaust manifold, cracked block, etc.
from theses symptoms is there any way to narrow down what the repair is? Definitely head gaskets? Definitely the exhaust manifold? Both or something else?
I am not really sure where to go from here and feel like I have been totally ripped off but also I should have known better and checked them out more thoroughly.
Tomorrow I plan to check the compression in all cylinders and see what that tells me.
By chance I happened to have a lot of mutual friends with the guy that sold me the engines. Before I contact him about this I want to know what is needed to repair the engine and how much it might cost. The other engine has the same colored oil and can only assume it has the same issues.
Thanks
