Powerhead question

[randlemanboater]

To me it would depend on the price.

If it runs good and has good compression numbers, then I would take a chance on the corrosion at the right price.

I would want to see that pic above before I traveled to see it in person.

[capt chuck]

I second what everyone else said. It's all in the internals and how it runs. Now......a little cosmetics go a long way. Get yourself an electrically powered Dremel Tool and go to work cleaning up the corrosion. Apply a coat of zinc chromate primer and some fresh black paint.

[Striper80]

I figured if I painted it, it would look like I was covering it up. Cleaned right up with a wire brush.
I originally emailed the guy some pics and video of it running. Here's a screen grab of the video, clearly shows the corrosion. I think he thought I would just give it away.

[spareparts]

looks just like the 88 special on my McKee. One of these days im going to clean up the corrosion and paint the power head. kinda normal for those motors, tehy had a pretty crappy paint job from the factory

[THEFERMANATOR]

Yep, pretty well normal for an older outboard that has been in the salt, or any outboard for that matter. Heck, every 5 or so years you should pull the pans, degrease one, and respray it to keep it covered. It is all part of engine maintence to keep the paint touched up. It's going to chip off, and once it starts to chip it will start coming off in pieces. Your only choice is to clean it up and repaint them. I don't care how good you clean, prep, and paint one, it is only a matter of time before the paint will start to come off again.

[Striper80]

Originally Posted by THEFERMANATOR

Yep, pretty well normal for an older outboard that has been in the salt, or any outboard for that matter. Heck, every 5 or so years you should pull the pans, degrease one, and respray it to keep it covered. It is all part of engine maintence to keep the paint touched up. It's going to chip off, and once it starts to chip it will start coming off in pieces. Your only choice is to clean it up and repaint them. I don't care how good you clean, prep, and paint one, it is only a matter of time before the paint will start to come off again.

That's what I figured. Would that be a deal breaker for you? I was trying to be honest with the guy but I won't be beaten down like I'm some sort of shiester. I figure I'd rather see the engine in its natural state than a rattle can clean up on the block.

[THEFERMANATOR]

If I could tell it was just surface corrosion and not block rot, then not it hasn't bothered me in the past. Problem is most people only know what they can see from the outside, and could care less about what is inside. From what I could see, the part that would scare me away would be the missing airbox cover.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by Striper80

That's what I figured. Would that be a deal breaker for you? I was trying to be honest with the guy but I won't be beaten down like I'm some sort of shiester. I figure I'd rather see the engine in its natural state than a rattle can clean up on the block.

In my experience if it was a deal breaker then the person wasn't really going to buy your engine for the price you were asking anyways. If someone wants to walk because of a little chipped paint, or a slight dent in some sheet metal or you name it, then they weren't going to buy it anyways. And GOOD RIDDANCE to them, because they will never be satisfied, and will haunt you for money back because it didn't run right, or they had to replace an impeller, or whatever. You don't want and don't need buyers like that. Be honest with the buyer and expect a little haggling, but charge a fair price and don't back down from the bully. Look, there will always be a some haggling on any deal. People want to feel like they got a good deal, whether they are selling or buying. It's normal. I always set a price in my mind that I want to sell an item for, then I add 10-25% to that price for haggle room, and I let myself be talked down to the price I wanted in the first place. That way I feel good, the buyer feels good and I know that usually the item won't come back to haunt me later.

[randlemanboater]

Originally Posted by Striper80

I figured if I painted it, it would look like I was covering it up. Cleaned right up with a wire brush.
[/IMG]

There you go, leave it cleaned but unpainted, show the before and after pics and offer to paint if the buyer wants you to (for a little extra $ to pay for the paint/supplies).

That way they see its just surface corrosion, it cleaned up fine, and you are not hiding anything with new paint.

BTW, I sold the Merc 150 that came on my V on Ebay, got more than I wanted for it and with the video of it running on the ad, there were plenty of bidders.