Yes, just turn the flywheel. It will probably be impossible or really, really hard to do with the plugs in, and since you want to work the oil into the cylinders and rings, it's advisable to have them all out... but it's so much easier to just use your engines' starter.. squirt the oil in and hit the starter switch for a few seconds to turn the engine over... let it sit for a few minutes..then do it again... you're done. Oh, and as a general rule of thumb, unless a service manual calls for it, never turn an engine backwards.. you can break things that are only designed to move in one direction.


Probably not on the service manual. They like to sell these things to make money. Look for Seloc or Clymers, or a genuine service manual from Mercury online in eBay. Usually they go for around $30-$50.


Hope that answered your questions, with a few comments thrown in for good measure. Red skys at night....:beer:

Thanks for that wealth of information. Armed with that knowledge, I went back today and did all that was suggested. The lower unit oil looked great for having sat in there for two years. Not a hint of water. Engine was run off a portable tank.

But we were unsuccessful in starting the engine. I broke the top off of one of the new spark plugs, so we went with 5 brand new ones and picked the best-looking one of the old plugs. The engine turned over fine. The starboard side fuel rail had pressure, but the port side fuel rail did not. This particular engine has pressure-relief valves on the rail (they look almost exactly like the ones on your tires. They are called Shrader valves if I remember correctly ). The starboard side squirted fuel when we vented it, but there was nothing at all on the port side. Not even a hiss. That's how I know one side has pressure, the other doesn't :)

Where we left it was that the seller said he was going to try to tinker with it. He also said he was open to offers if I wanted to mess with it myself. I got the impression he really does not want to mess with it. He was riding with his significant other (as in motorcycles) before I got there tonight, so I got the impression his priorities may be different than when he was actively boating. Also, he has three boats sitting in his yard right now, and a fourth in the water. This particular boat is probably not on his short list.

So once again, I ask for your collective wisdom. Is this worth pursuing, or is it better to wait for something else? If its worth pursuing, how much would be a fair ballpark figure? I realize no one can give an exact answer without inspecting the boat, but i'm really just looking for a general estimate based on your personal experience. FWIW, the hull is an 87 cuddy, no weakspots that I found, solid transom (i put my full weight on the motor and made the boat bounce on the trailer). The back-to-back chairs on port side are shot and need replacing. Woodwork (I guess I have to get in the habit of calling it brightwork?) can be mostly reconditioned, but some of it will have to be rebuilt (I already have a table saw and a router and know how to use them). There are some minor dings and scratches in the gelcoat as one would expect, but it still looks pretty good. Oh, and recall that the seller has a the same engine, just counter-rotating, with a cracked block that could be used for spare parts if it were made part of any deal.

I have been looking for a used boat on and off for maybe 1.5 years, and I really like the V20s in general. More so than 90% of the other boats for sale out there. I do not have to own a boat right now (I can wait), but I surely miss being out on the water (used to sail my parents 30' Hunter before I moved too far away). Plus I have spare cash in my bank account right now (may not be true next year if my wife decides we need to redo the kitchen or replace the carpeting with wood floors). I consider myself pretty good mechanically, and can afford spending time tinkering with the engine. I'd actually consider that time well spent.

So your thoughts and opinion is appreciated. At what price does this boat become a deal, and at what price can I find a better value for my hard-earned cash?

Thank you!

Brightwork is all of the metal that needs to be ploished.. like turnbuckles, stancions, etc.

At what part does it become a deal? When he gives you a price that you like and that you know you can afford, including any work that may have to be done on the engine. I know that's not the answer you want, but it's about as true as you can get. Truthfully, a boat without a working engine is just a useless hull. Like a supermodel... pretty to look at but not very practical. IMHO:head:

Did you make any progress on the compression numbers?

Offer him $1500 and hope its just a fuel issue or something under 1K to fix. You do have the possibility to get a sweet deal if the guy just wants to unload it and you can get it running because of something simple. It is a 2000 motor which is considerably newer then than 80's original motors many V's for sale have on them.

I would think even if WORST case and the motor is not servicable you should be able to part out the motor and get something back from that and then find a used motor and put it on. Definitely a pain in the neck to do but financially if you can get the boat for $1500 or so you liability is limited.

On the flip side what part of the country are you in? There's at least 10 v's for sale within 100 miles of me here in NJ. are there fewer to choose from where you are?

the only way i would buy the boat with the information you give is to do a sea trail. starting any motor sounds good but the performance of a boat under a load and running at all speeds is a different situation.:sun:

Well if the boat is solid I would still consider it, The motor is spinning so I am guessing there is nothing to serious wrong with it.
$1500 to $2000 would be fine and if need be there are a lot of older good motors out there for cheap money.

good luck

If your original comp numbers are true--the engine will spin just fine---But you will not get it to run--and if so--very ruff.

There is not enough compression there to light the fuel.

Figure at least a re-ring and hone job!!

You're right, its not what I was hoping for, but it did cause me to think about what it's worth to me. By attempting to do it myself, I'm essentially trading my time for my money (e.g. paying someone else to fix the motor). I'm also gambling that the motor is fixable for X amount - the exact dollar value at which this makes sense is what I'm trying to figure out.

For example, someone on this site (Willy maybe?) was asking $4500 for his V20. I'll use that as a starting point - I assume that I can find something similar with a working motor for $4500. Now what's a good estimate for a decent used outboard? I would guess $3000 at least, based on some limited time spent internet surfing. Now the value of package is $1500. But that doesn't account for the time and hassle required to install the replacement motor. I see little fairness paying the same total amount (having to repower vs working motor) because of the time and effort I'd have to do in repowering. That ought to be worth something (as in reduced price). And the boat still needs the back-to-back chair replaced. That can be bought for maybe $250? Again, the time and effort to install needs to be accounted for. This boat has no electronics, either (unlike Willy's). The trailer does have cash value, but I'm not planning on entering the used-trailer business, either.

Back to the motor. My first post showed the middle cylinder on the port side with 95psi compression. All the others were much, much lower. Also recall that I said the port side wasn't getting any fuel, while the starboard was. So one could hope for at least half the cylinders firing. The motor turned over, but no cylinder ever fired. As Genie Aye pointed out, the compression is too low to ignite the fuel. And therefore, instead of it being a question just of re-lubricating the rings and getting it to start like I was hoping, its looking more likely that a major or complete teardown of the motor is required. And all of a sudden, having to throw $1000 to $2000 into the motor doesn't seem so far-fetched. Never mind the amount of effort involved...

Based on the above line of thinking, $2000 is too much, and $1500 is on the high end of what it's worth to me. Feel free to point out errors or flaws in my thinking, since I've never owned my own boat and may be misrepresenting or not fully comprehending some of the costs.

I am thinking you are nuts!!

A boat solid as a rock, with a trailer, and no motor is worth 1500 all day if its solid!!
add a good used motor for a grand you in water for $2500, not many can say that, take a good hard look at it again, and if as solid as you say, then start low and see were he goes!

Good Luck!

Peiserma...my comment about when does a deal become a deal was simply in answer to your question. Only you can determine the point at which it happens, because only you know your capabilities and your finances. It was neither a negative or a positive answer.

If, as you say, the boat is in good condition and he has a spare parts engine available then I'd be tempted to make him an offer, based on what I thought I could afford and what I was willing to do in order to fix whatever is wrong with the good engine. Only you can make that decision.

For me, since I'm a wrench turner from way back, I'd offer him up to 2.5
grand for the package, including both engines. Now understand, that's just me and I'm not you, so I'm not telling you what the value is or anything. I'm simply telling you what I would do if I were in the same situation.