WOW! You explain everything so simply that even a guy like me understands!

That sucks. I would just add clean or replace the flame arrestor. CG requires it be cleaned each year. Great video!

Good job on the video. I'm in a similar situation but fortunately I'm able to do the work myself. I hydro locked my motor a few days ago but mine is due to broke exhaust flappers. Great job explaining everything. I have a Volvo Penta SX outdrive. My VIP I had had a Mercruiser drive like yours. Believe it or not if you have a little bit of mechanical ability you can do all that work yourself. Best of luck and happy boating! 👍

Brilliant video - just had a flapper nightmare!!! Thanks from Sydney Australia

Nice video - totally opened my eyes, but I wished I could have seen this before I bought a used boat. Fortunately, my 2004 chapparal was well maintained and haven't seen these problems. Glad you were able to solve the engine issues! Buyers be aware!

I’m so grateful for this platform. Thank you

Very informative video as usual! I'm going to look at and take a test lake ride in a 1997 Four Winns 18 ft. bow rider 4.3GL for sale this weekend. I will heed your advice and closely examine those exposed items, and question the owner about the other things.

Your on 🔥 . Thanks for the confidence boost through your experience.

Yea, good lessons here. Unless you have maintenance records from the previous owner, assume nothing was done and go through every maintenance item before you take it out. Cooling system, exhaust system, lubrication, etc.. Check it all! . Sterndrives are fickle beasts and need to be maintained or they can be a nightmare to own. The good thing is once these items are done, you can usually go several years before needing to do them again assuming you've care for it properly. Keep the outdrive down during storage, winterize the boat properly, don't run the motor with the outdrive up beyond the trim stop, etc..

Thanks for the video..., I think my first boat will be from a reputable dealer..., and now armed with this info I know what to ask. Once I get use to keeping up with the maintenance, and learn even more about how the boat operates, I'll even trust myself to buying another boat used from a private sale. After all that you showed that can be damaged and/or worn out parts that cannot be seen I'll assume into the price of the boat the cost to having them specific parts replaced... its like buying a used car and figuring it automatically needs new brakes.

Thank you for this awesome video. We just blackout of a 2007 Chaparral 210 SSi. It had low compression in two of its pistons and a lot of electrical issues. I was bummed, I really like this brand of boats. We ended up getting a Pantoon boat.

Thank you so much for making these videos. I'm buying my first I/O. Looking at glastron, larson, Chaparral or four winns. This I great information!!!!!

Great Video. The only thing i disagree with is. The mechanic saying poor maintenance and sitting was the problem. The problem was the boat was overheated bad. Then the guy tried to cover up the damaged rubber boots. Had you known that from jump street you would have had this all done before going out and hydro locking the motor. I do agree. That the boat should be good to go for seasons to come. Just remember to always grease the gimbal on the out-drive. Have fun boating.

Looks like you got everything up to spec. One word of advice- get a second battery and put in your engine room. Always good to have an extra- one hard wave can make the plates in the battery touch each other and reduce the battery capacity.

I have the same engine & alpha one gen 2 outdrive on my houseboat. I bought it spring 2020 & it sat for about 14 yrs. I did all the mechanical work myself but missed the exhaust flappers. Hydolocked it last summer once & twice this summer. Unfortunately I will be rebuilding my engine this winter because the previous owners didn’t take care of it. Thank for your post.

How, that's alot of bad things that were wrong with that nice boat. Aleast your back on the water for a few more weeks👍 And a good start next season.

Awesome video and info.

Thanks for sharing man!

And THIS is why I'm forever an outboard person. No stern drives for this dude. More space in the boat, fewer moving parts, and I can access anything I need to by popping off the cowl.

I love lake Minnetonka! A buddy of mine had a home on the water. He was on a peninsula. I think the road to his home was Hardscrabble Lane. His next door neighbor built a huge stone home right next to his. I wonder if they bought his house and tore it down when he sold it? The new huge stone home, it reminded me of an old college building, was almost on top of my buddy's house and I'm sure cost millions to build. This is going back 10 years or so. I live in the La Crosse area and have a cottage on Pretty Lake in Waukesha county about 45 minutes west of Milwaukee. Thanks for your videos! I've got a 17' Glastron with a '94 Mercrusier 3.0 Litre. I've been dealing with bogging issues the last couple of weeks. I changed the fuel filter at the base of the engine, the filter just inside the carb. Cleaned out the tube going from the fuel filter to the carb. Changed the spark plugs. I'm waiting for the spark plug wires, rotor and distributor cap. I've never done any of this work before but the marina is so expensive and a hassle not to mention by the time they do everything the season would be over. The bogging has gone away, I've also run three cans of Seafoam through 15 gallons of non ethanol gas which I have to drive to the next county to purchase. The problem I'm having now is after a few minutes at full throttle I hear a popping sound. I back down the throttle to no wake and I hear a ticking which goes away after about 5 minutes of no wake speed. The popping comes back at full throttle followed by the ticking which again fades after five minutes at no wake. Any idea what this could be? I'm going to winterize my boat this year with the help of your video! I am a little ticked off at the marina because I've paid for maintenance and tune ups in the past. When I attempted to change the fuel filter, I had a hard time getting the bolt loose. I didn't realize there was a piece of wire wrapped around it. I finally got it loose and off and bowl was so rusty inside, there was chunks of gunk and a stone filter in there! It might have been the original filter! The spark plugs had a huge amount of rust on them and somebody told me they were very old.

Lol. love "coach living in a van down by the river" (chris farley) stance you take when you talk..

👏🏼 Awesome video! Thanks

Great video, and I do feel your pain. I do appreciate your honesty in regards to your mistakes of inspecting the boat properly before purchase. You should make videos on how to inspect and test a boat before buying one, that would be really helpful for novice people like myself. keep up the good work ;)

Love the videos. Thanks for the info

Thanks for sharing, my grandpa told me years ago when you buy a used car, truck, boat, whatever it may be, you're just buying someone else's troubles......well, from my experience he was at least half right.

Great video pal !!!

Thank you for video.

I grew up on Lake Minnetonka. I've brought a boat or two into Bayside during that time and they do good work and are honest.

I have Almost same scenario. I purchased my first ever inboard/outboard yesterday. I have had dozens of outboards in the past, but this is my first rodeo with this type. I bought a 97 Harris Flote Deck. 21’ long, and immaculate. 359 hours. I bought this boat from a dealer. Who told me it tested out perfect. I took his word, because he owns a multi million dollar business. After I paid him in cash, I started to hook it up. It was at this point he said, Oh yeah, the boat leaks!!!!! WHAT!!! He said but don’t worry, it’s only the lower exhaust boot. It’s no big deal?? So at this point I can’t do a darn thing about it. Fast forward next day ( today ), I started replacing the lower boot, long story short, all four boots were CRUSTY!! They were all in need of dire replacing. No doubt they were the factory boots. 23 years old!!! They were fried like yours were on the inside, so I am hoping I don’t have the horrible luck that you had. 🙏🙏🙏. I have $246 in parts. I am hoping he will reimburse me, but not holding my breath.

Thanks Chris. Very informative. I bought my first used boat three years ago and I guess I lucked out. It was a one owner 1998 Rinker Captiva 192. I have enjoyed three Summers on Lake Michigan with it now. Not one issue yet. The original owner took pride in the boat and had all the Maintance done by a shop. I replaced the Blower hose / drier vent as I call it just because it was showing it's age with some small cracks, after 20 years it was time. This Spring I'll replace both batteries as they are five years old now... I've kept them on trickle charges but I think age wise it's just time to replace. Why try one more season then get stuck way off shore at the wrong time. What are your thoughts on hull Maintance? I kept mine in a dock all last Summer and of course when I pulled it out it was very dirty! I did the toilet bowl cleaner trick and did a fresh coat of wax but I could not get the Prop and lower drive unit looking shinny and new. Any tricks for that or can I just put on a fresh coat of paint to protect the lower drive? Thanks and have a great day!

sorry to hear your story... you have cool vids! keep up !!

Very informative

Great video!

Amazing the engine wasn't ruined.

One Thing... Don't forget to change out the Thermostat and inspect the thermostat housing too for blockages. if that is not working properly it can cause poor flow to the exhaust manifolds and risers too. thermostats cost 15.00 and make all the difference too.

Hey Chris I also can feel your pain and worry about your engine and is it going to go bad later. I recently bought a 1987 Chris Craft with a 4.3L and Alpha One Gen 1 outdrive. Started it in my drive. and I did not notice that there was not enough water being pumped into the engine. We took it to the lake and it seamed to run great so I got it up to speed when I asked my neighbor who wa with me if he smelled something burning. YEP! Stopped the boat and smoke poured out of the motor compartment. Quickly opened the lid over engine and the rubber boots were smoking and the manifolds could have cooked a steak!!!! All parts in the outdrive that were plastic were melted like yours if not worse. In taking out the impeller and housing to replace I noticed that the drive shaft from the upper to the lower unit has a lot of wobble and the bearing feels rough. Can you give me advice as to should there be any play back and forth in the drive shafts upper bearing???? And is there any videos out there on how to check the bearings and replace if they are bad. Thanks for this Video as it makes me feel like I am not the only one that made a MISTAKE!!! LOL

how you clean out that engine is easy cost you $10 ..... just use one gallon of DIESEL FUEL flush it out by no spark to plugs so will not start. and spin on a new oil filter and crank over engine for 5 mins off and on so starter will not get super hot so like 30 sec each time until you hit 5 mins... then drain it out all the diesel fuel and install a new oil filter and new oil... i do this for a living and i have done this many times and it cleans out everything all water and old oil is gone...

Looks like ya didn't do fresh belts though? Hope belts at the end weren't originals but hopefully you got away with it. Like one expensive tow bill and/or ruined holiday weekend and fresh yearly maintenance (& checking fluids etc) is soooo cheap! Great vids!

Hey mate great piece of information. I am buying a used Fourwinns H180SS it’s 10 years old, the accelerator lever feels bit hard. Is this an indication that the cables may be rusted or is it any expensive affair? Thanks for your guidance

Great video, thank you for taking the time to go through in detail over everything. But how in the world was this much damage done to a 100 hour motor? Did the previous owner run it full throttle all the time? Run it dry, not knowing it gets damaged?

Thanks

Super informative. Thanks, Chris. Question for you re: water in my mercruiser. I boated a bunch as a kid and boat a used boat last summer. 1996 Chris Craft -with Volvo Penta Mercruiser. I had a few things tuned up on it at the end of the season, then had it winterized. Yesterday, I put in the water for the first time. To be honest, this was the first time getting off the trailer by myself. Cutting to the chase, I...did...not ...put...in..the plug. I noticed the engine sounded weird, saw the bilge was full of water, turned on the bilge pump & turned around managing to get back to the launch & back on the trailer. I think the engine was 3/4 under water for about 30 - 45 minutes. I haven't tried to restart it, I've sprayed the engine with WD-40 and have a dehumidifier running in the engine compartment as we speak. Do I need to take it all apart? Curious to hear your thoughts! thanks

Wow that is horrible, Hopefully it saves others from the same nightmare.

I bought a boat that had not run for two years. It has a merc 3 and alpha one gen one, and last weekend I started it for the first time and no water came out and then a bit of smoke and some rubber pieces that I've identified as the exhuast shutters. The engine only ran for about 60 seconds. Now I'm waiting to get it in to service and I'm praying I don't end up having to spend as much as you did.

Awesome video. I bought an '88 Searay for $1000 under the impression that it ran fine and has always been winterized. now I'm getting ready to yank out the motor and replace a bunch of stuff. Shoulda known better!

Are you still an I/O guy? I bought one last year and now need an engine replacement due to hydo-lock. Im neck deep into it so too late to switch to an outboard. I was wondering if you still have your I/O?

They would not just give you the boat, to bad, attorney's ... Best thing I ever did was too get a partner to share the costly fun of boat ownership. God bless you!

I know how you feel exactly same thing happened to me and I payed a serveyer to look at it who said the boat was in good condition before hand. also the stringers were rotten on back half and gear oil leaking from prop .oh yeah nearly forgot and hydrolic steering dosing work . But didn't notice these things because it was all covered up , and still finding things . Payed full price .

Hello from just across the river in Wisconsin. This was a great video I'm currently boat shopping for a boat of approximately the same year would love to learn more of what to look for when buying a used boat.

You have great videos, thanks mate! Nice Chaparral, btw. I just got a 2013 H20 19'. Similar to yours.

Nice video, had allmost the same because the inlet in the lower end was clogged. What i dont get: what was causing the right bank becoming warmer then the left bank? First thought was: the head gasket? Clogged riser?

Hi Chris thanks for you videos and time. I’m close to buy my first boat, a Chaparral SSI 196 Sport, 2001. I need some coaching for the purchase....

I like yr vids👊🏻

Great video I have a mercruiser 4.3 excellent information!

The transmission shaft does not rotate because the motor coupler broke. Do you think that is the reason why the water does not circulate inside the motor?

If your exhaust and riser manifold gets hot fast when sitting idling dead give away your lift impeller isn't working. Day boats don't idle like that on the water so you might get away with a bad impeller. But no matter what. And this happens so many times. Poor maintenance. Bad lift pump makes your engine radiat heat idling because your risers are getting enough water. Then the flapper melts and gets stuck open allowing water to suck on the head but only when shutting off and starting your notice it. A dead give away of a bad lift pump is not being able to put your hand on the riser where it dumps to the water exhaust. Change the impeller. Shift cable simple but most people think.. oh gee my rpm jumps up when shifting into foward or reverse. Adjust the shift cable. Wrong. Wrong. It takes a few years owning a Merc to finally get it. And when you do. You'll realize how well they work. I'm melting things....... 🤔🤔🤔 Ya because your running manifolds dry because the lift pump is bad and I don't understand how it works 🤔🤔 split that lower.

My question is about the old fuel. I have a boat that been sitting for at least 3 years. Gas tank was full. Starts right up, after replacing points and condenser, and runs fine, although it's overheating. So, new thermostat and impeller going in this weekend. What to do about the fuel? i read it's probably bad, but how to get rid of it or should I just run it and keep adding new?

Time for some Corsa Captain side exits!

hey why was one side hotter than the other ? Did they fix that? Having same issue with mine. Thanks !

Been there as well, buying a boat without the proper knowledge. Engine was overhauled poorly using automotive water cooling pump ... but that was not the issue. It had a 1997 Volvo Penta 3.0L with a bad cooling design (bypass to exhaust directly). Had three (!) cracked manifolds before I found out, including the fun of water ingestion. Nowadays I know every aspect of the engine, know what to look for, feel it and listen to it. My biggest advice would be when buying on older boat, always get an experienced someone with you. Even when the boat is good, you need to be learned how to work with these engines as they are maintenance sensitive, especially when raw water cooled. And don't forgey the sterndrive ... can be a costly matter as well.

Hi Chris, what do you do for a living?

Ditch those one piece manifolds, they are known to crack internally and leak water into the cylinders. That's why Mercruiser got rid of them after a just a few years.

Hi chris I really like your video I would like to buying a boat from you .let me know of you have from 25ft to 33ft boat

Chris, I essentially am going through the same process. Thanks for all the replacement part info. One question: did you have to replace the 3/4” water line hose that connects from the back of the gimbal housing up to the motor? I had the same complete meltdown of the water impeller, boot, and pipe going up into the bell housing. I’m replacing it all myself, but the Gimbal housing is another level of hassle so I was wondering if that hose was melted as well. The lower bellow on the exhaust piping is melted on mine as well.

I know you posted this three years ago but this is the exact same thing that happens to me with Hydro lock after towing my kids and just buying the boat two weeks before never had put it under load now I’m trying to figure out what to do.

I know this was a few years ago but I wouldn't be surprised if his next problem is internally cracked one piece exhaust manifolds liquid locking the engine. They stopped making the one piece a long time ago do to the problem. He would have to replace them with the older two piece system which at one time they had a kit for.

what marina/mechanic??? Those prices are amazing!!!

wow That engine is a ticking time bomb good luck

I'm looking at my first boat and know nothing!! This boat is 40yo, eeek! I thought, what do I do if the motor does what you explained and I'm stuck!?? What did you do? How do I get it back to shore?

How long was your boat in the shop??

Have 7.4 liter engine ( 454 big block ) just replaced flappers and it looks like it hydro locked on after coming to quick stop after a sailboat cut across my bow, thought the engine seized but it appears I may have gotten a little lucky.

My husband & I just bought a 2001 see ray. Looked great, ram great when the guy too us out on it. It looked very well maintained. The guy seemed very honest too. He grew up on a boat/lake so was very knowledgeable. He stayed that him & his wife just putted around on the lake almost every night. Well we bought the boat for $10k, brought it home filled it with gas & took it out on our private lake we have. Tom our little nephew's out on the tube. Didn't beat it or anything & all of a sudden it lost power basically, got hot & then stalled & wouldn't start again. So we got it home too it to the local marina that the previous owner took it to & they said the motor was shot & it would cost $6600 too fix!! Holy crap I thought. It seems like a lot but I don't know. Should we get another opinion?? It's a 4.3 mercury??

Hey how do you know if your Mercruiser is a gen 1 or gen 2? I’m confused on mine. It’s on a 2002 Bayliner Capri

What was the reason for the dieseling?

Good old P town where I grew up.

Just look at it.😮

Have same with my '06 3.0 mercruiser. Rebuild here in holland is almost the same as new engine with outdrive. Should've seen this vid before buing haha

Your fuel/water separator filter being completely full of water (since it was never changed) may have been one of the root causes. Poor fuel flow may have lead to the engine running lean....lean is HOT...especially in the exhaust components. That may have been what lead to the early demise of components on a low hour boat. Changing that filter should be part of yearly maintenance. Even more so if you put gas from an automotive gas station containing ethanol. Ethanol attracts water.

It probably hydrolocked because of the bad Bat Wing one piece exhaust manifolds. Get rid of them! the conversion kit will cost you about a grand. Convert it to conventional 2 piece Merc manifolds/elbows. The bat wings fail due to core shift during casting and they can crack and put water right in a cylinder. A known problem on these Mercs. I had bat wings on my OMC 4.3 and they never failed but I had to replace them every 5 years in salt water. I converted to Volvo Penta 2 piece exhaust similar to what you need to do.

Is this boat still running?

Can't spell families w/o lies. Good luck, should be good boating for a while. Take them for a ride for sure!

Can you please share the name and/or address of the shop?

You shoulda knocked on wood after saying "unless I wanna rebuild the motor"... lol

1st sign of a real problem was that it had a distributor in the first place. I thought caps and rotors left shortly after the dinosaurs.

You pointed to the throttle cable and said it was the shift cable.

Just got stuck out on the lake July 3rd, 30 minutes into the day 😂

Nice video. Now step up your game and do all that troubleshooting and repair yourself. You seem like a very capable talented mechanic. You also get the satisfaction of doing it yourself and no labor bill. Boat mechanics and shipyards ain't all that

That previous owner must have been running nitrous through it for the small amount of hours and the exhaust melting

I'd bet dollars to donuts the flappers caused the hydro lock. When their gone and you stop quickly the water runs up the exhaust right to the motor.

I don’t understand why you showed us a gimbal bearing in a bag. Nice video though. The reality of boating. You can’t always go by hours. Age had taken its goal.

Man 2600 Is good for all that parts and labor I paid 2grand for just a tune up water pump and a riser.

First problem. Mercury

1:48 😂😂

You got ripped dude not good. But so many people abuse boats it’s unreal

You are lucky the hydrolock didnt bend any pushrods or connecting rods

I’m at about the same just like you

Shits more complicated then my bmw.

Not using a boat is worse than using it a lot..

One oil change would have been enough if you pulled the drain plug on the oil pan, the water sits on the bottom. learn more about everything or it will cost more in the long run, First run of the season watch your temp everywhere every minute.

Black soot from a petrol engine means burning rubber. See that when buying a boat? -Walk away.