Russ - this might be for you Anyone else feel free alsoThinking about buying me a boat. I have no idea on gas engines never worked on one (car or boat). I assume the principles are the same except you have spark plugs for ignition rather than combustion and carburetor for balancing the air/fuel mix.So a bit on that but a focus on marine boat engines (inboard or outboard). How hard are they to work on, what to look for when going to check out a boat and common pain/$$ points.Looking for a good overview - not too much specific detail at first .....:thumbup2:thanks !!!

Find a boat you like with a four stroke fuel injected engine and we can go from there.:thumbup2:Stay away from 2 strokes as a lot of states have banned them and to eliminate a lot of maintenance and headaches go with one that is new enough to be fuel injected.Any discussion past this will just turn into a brand A is better than brand X thread.What type or style and how big of a boat are you looking for? This will help the discussion as well.

Find a boat you like with a four stroke fuel injected engine and we can go from there.

What about an older INBOARD ......... will that be 2 stroke ?? Say Volvo Penta 5.0 L ?

most older outboards are 2stroke.most older inboards are 4stroke.Volvo 5.0L is a 4stroke, usually gas, IIRC. I think they have some nomenclatures as (example) 5.0L GXiC..G = gasX = Extreme HP versioni = Fuel InjectedC = catalytic converterThe Volvo Pentas are (basically) GM/Chevy engines...I used to have a Baja 212 with a Mercruiser 502 MPI.. At 30mph, it got about 1.6MPG..

What about an older INBOARD ......... will that be 2 stroke ?? Say Volvo Penta 5.0 L ?

ROGAN had some good info. Inboards are usually Inline 4 cylinders V-6 or V-8 engines based off of GM or Ford in most cases. Usually heavier and use more fuel and are harder to work on due to the space they are crammed into on runabout sport boats. Depending on use and age the carburated engines can develop more maintenance issues than fuel injected engines. They can be more fussy when hot ect. Just my preference is to stick with a 4 stroke outboard. Power to weight ratio is better, ease of maintenance, lighter, more room inside boat, better fuel economy. But then again you didn't answer what style or type of boat your are thinking of. That will decide what your choices are in engines as well.

I always heard that the two happiest days in a man's life was the day he got his boat and the day he sold it. The easiest to work on are the inboard / outboard, with the engine inside the boat and the stern drive outside the hull. All of this type configuration will have a modern 4 stroke automotive type engine from GM or Ford. Gas hogs everyone to include the outboard only type. All are maintenance nightmares, once things start to wear out, from continual use in a wet environment, or from not using them enough, so that the seals dry out or the grease oil sets up. Anyway you go it's $$$$$ to own a boat. You have storage issues, taxes, insurance, licensing fees, expensive fuel, expensive everyting.Your better off renting for the day out of a marina.

I always heard that the two happiest days in a man's life was the day he got his boat and the day he sold it. The easiest to work on are the inboard / outboard, with the engine inside the boat and the stern drive outside the hull. All of this type configuration will have a modern 4 stroke automotive type engine from GM or Ford. Gas hogs everyone to include the outboard only type. All are maintenance nightmares, once things start to wear out, from continual use in a wet environment, or from not using them enough, so that the seals dry out or the grease oil sets up. Anyway you go it's $$$$$ to own a boat. You have storage issues, taxes, insurance, licensing fees, expensive fuel, expensive everyting. Your better off renting for the day out of a marina.

10-20 years ago this thought process was right on, not even close now days. Not sure where you get the inboard engines being easier to work on "Other than being a general automotive based engine" you can't get to anything on them without standing on your head and having a small child close by get what you dropped "This again is talking about then general sport runabout class boats". Modern 4 stroke outboards are not even close to being comparible to I/O units as far as economy goes the new four stroke outboards are far superior. Taxes storage ect ect all depend on where you live. Here in ND there are no taxes for owning a boat and they are a heck of a lot cheaper to insure "My 22' 2011 Bennington pontoon with 4 stroke Yamaha 150 is $450/year full coverage" and license is $30 for 2 years" than my vehicles and I don't live in a cramped town so storage is not an issue,I have several places for inside storage. As far as gas it is pump gas at my local station because I trailer to where I boat every day marina gas is about 5-10 cents more here. I have had 5 Sea Doo PWC units over the years and had 2 new pontoons in the last 5 years and the pontoon has been a lot cheaper to own and operate overall than the PWC's "Excluding purchace price":tongue:.

10-20 years ago this thought process was right on, not even close now days. Not sure where you get the inboard engines being easier to work on "Other than being a general automotive based engine" you can't get to anything on them without standing on your head and having a small child close by get what you dropped "This again is talking about then general sport runabout class boats". Modern 4 stroke outboards are not even close to being comparible to I/O units as far as economy goes the new four stroke outboards are far superior. Taxes storage ect ect all depend on where you live. Here in ND there are no taxes for owning a boat and they are a heck of a lot cheaper to insure "My 22' 2011 Bennington pontoon with 4 stroke Yamaha 150 is $450/year full coverage" and license is $30 for 2 years" than my vehicles and I don't live in a cramped town so storage is not an issue,I have several places for inside storage. As far as gas it is pump gas at my local station because I trailer to where I boat every day marina gas is about 5-10 cents more here. I have had 5 Sea Doo PWC units over the years and had 2 new pontoons in the last 5 years and the pontoon has been a lot cheaper to own and operate overall than the PWC's "Excluding purchace price":tongue:.

Well the standing on your head to work on it part is a given but I unclearly meant that, you don't need to go to MMI to be able to overhaul one, if the engine goes bad or something of that nature. Just undo the connections and pull it out, put it on the engine stand and go to work. Blocks, heads, cranks and cams are readily available from the automotive side. Might not match a casting number, but it'll mount up and get you back on the water. I also made sure to put in that it was my and not somebody elses. I don't think John's not talking about a inland waterway boat he's talking about a saltwater rig, or at least one that will work well in that environment. Based on his past post's about his fishing and camping spots, and a possible move to FL. Each has there own opinions about boats. I still stand by mine.

I always heard that the two happiest days in a man's life was the day he got his boat and the day he sold it.

That is a factual saying. Also, I found out the old saying of: 'Hole In Water - Through Money' is right. Been almost 30 years since I had one. Just signing on to see where this goes.

Gas marine engines are generally automotve / industrial based. Yes, stay away from 2 cycles. Also look for low teck common engines but avoid rare or limited production... let someone else experiment. I recall some neet engines we saw, installed as a subcontrator for a boat builder... but in a few years, the owners were unhappy.Marine engines have water jacketed exhausts... The cooling water exits throught the exhaust after the elbow or risers. Salt water cooled, exhausts last about 10 years, blocks 20. Even though they are industrial based, there is typically right & left hand rotations (and some reverse gears also change rotations). Be aware home mechanics may replace with none spark resistant alternators & starters... but are not considered safe & reduces value. Be cautious of fuel lines & tanks. If a boat floods, even if not sunk, may have subsequent tank failures. I had several of those over the years. We also had customers light their boats on fire (by accident) and blow the hatches off with gasoline fumes.Boats often have battery selector switches. #1, #2, both, off. NEVER switch batteries through off... it will blow the alturnator's diodes instantly.Diesel powered engines usually are standard rotation & the opposite rotation is achieved by an ider gear in the transmission.

Don't keep us hanging John, Help us out with some more details on what kind and approximate size of boat you are looking for and what the primnary use will be and if it will be salt or fresh wster use. These are major questions that will help narrow down the conversation.

Sorry guys. Been on road travelling down to Florida for a permanent move. Going to be focusing on a house .. But we ate thinking if we ever own a boat this is when to do it. A 23-26 ft Glastron is something we are liking based on layout and the sleeping compartment. Looking 1998-2005 years based on price Btw not getting emails either for thread updates *shrug* Thx guys

:thumbup2:Glastrons are nice boats"Don't rule out Sea Ray boats if still shopping", You have just eliminated the outboards from the discussion then knowing what you are looking at. Once you get to a cuddy cabin style runabout boat you are mostly into I/O units then. And based on the year boat you are looking for it should be fuel injected so No worries then from here out just buy what you like and enjoy it.

i will break the mold here. i ahve loved in new Jersey all my life, and grew up on the water. and i ahve never run 4 stroke outboards until a few years ago on our old Sea Hunt, it had a pair of yamaha 225's, that the boat was good no doubt, but the 4 strokes were maintenance hogs, rather wise i have a few 30 year old 2 cycle outboards that will run without issue. pull the cord and go.If you go with an older boat with a 2 cycle outboard, that is of the OMC/ Evenrude design, forget about the VRO pump on top, and mix your oil in with the fuel, the VRo pumps on most 2 cycle engines were known to go bad and cause the top cylinder to melt. However our latest boat, which i drive the heck out of is a 24 foot sea hunt with a (i think a 175) (not sure boat is at the marina, it will be pulled soon thought. and its the newer 2 stroke motor that is emissions compliant. and that thing is a blast to drive.The big thing that many people don't get is that a 2 stroke engine has gobbles of torque and on demand power, unlike the bulky 4 stroke outboards. especially the newer computer controlled 2 cycle engines, they are a blast to play with.Although, the biggest thing i say to watch out for and no one has yet mentioned is to check for compression. unlike gas cars most boats are under power and over run. Most of the V-8's you will find in an inboard or I/O configuration will be under displacement and the owners will run them hard.Our neighbors went through 3 sets of power plants for their 42 footer in under 5 years, all because he had to run those poor engines around at 5,000 rpms everywhere, and well a compression test will help tell it.other things to look at are transmission fluid in the transmission, most guys don't change it either, just like lower units on I/O's or outboards.....We just sold a 40 foot sea ray that had 927 hours on one motor and 440 on the other, the P/O blew up the one motor and the other one is a cranky _____ but at almost 1000 hours its understandable. but some 15w-40 motor oil and a new oil pump and she runs fine when warm.I still believe in the 2 stroke outboard, but depending on the model size, Crusader is like the main power plant you will find on an inboard, but i believe they also recently went to computerized injection. Oh how i miss the old days, i had a 28 checkmate that my dad and i used to play around with, and we stuck a leaf blower onto the motor it was a king cobra drive, and it was a big block 454 as well, with a larger then needed carb on it. shame we blew up the outdrive, OMC made good stuff, shame that the FICHT project buried them. But i blame the EPA for that.