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1995 OMC Compression Test

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bayliner20

New member
To all:

As a new boat owner (or more accurately, a new owner of an old boat!), I would be interested in advice or opinions from anyone on my situation.

I have a 1988 Bayliner 20 foot Capri cuddy cabin (model 2152) with a 1994 OMC 5L 230HP I/O engine. *I recently had it out on the water, brought the boat up to 20 knots, but after about 5-10 minutes it died and thereafter would not go faster than 6 knots. *I brought it into a boatyard, which did a compression test of the engine, with the following results:

Cyl 1: *20 PSI
Cyl 2: *20 PSI
Cyl 3: 150 PSI
Cyl 4: 150 PSI
Cyl 5: 130 PSI
Cyl 6: 120 PSI
Cyl 7: 130 PSI
Cyl 8: 150 PSI

The first two cylinders are definitely shot, but I assume the entire engine is shot as well and not worth a repair. *Do others agree? *The boatyard will put in a remanufactured engine for about $5,000, but I'm not sure the boat is worth it. *The seats in the stern and the engine housing, both made of plywood, has dry rot. *The boat has seen better days.

What do others think?

Thanks.
--bayliner20
 
If it's the Ford 5L, I would be inclined to take the head off on that side (right) to see if there is a blow out in the gasket between 1 and 2. Rest of the results are not stellar but not a deal killer. I think it's worth the $20-30 bux worth of new gaskets you need to buy in order to check it out. If the gasket is the answer then you have saved yourself 5 grand. While you are at it, maybe send the heads out for service. That will certainly be a good thing especially if the one side head gasket already blew.
If it's a GM then 1 and 2 are on opposite sides and having those two be dead is not a good sign of engine health.

As to the seat and engine boxes, that's a winter project. Carefully remove them and use the old pieces as patterns to make new pieces. Use West system or similar epoxy as a glue and sealer as well as stainless screws to assemble and install, and it will be very strong water proof and never rot again. As long as the hull is sound, and the engine is just needs a weekend's worth of wrench turning, I'd say you can get it going without too much wallet flexing.
 
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Stop now. Don't spend another dime or minute. Put it on craigslist and let some other body try to get it going. Smart boat dollars would be better spent on something that's closer to being seaworthy.
 
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