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1999 Stingray 4.3 Alpha 1 motor won't tun over

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Oldsaltydog

Regular Contributor
I'm considering purchasing a 1999 Stingray with 4.3 mercruiser and Alpha1 outdrive. Cosmetically, it's in beautiful condition. The owner states that he has it serviced every year, takes excellent care of it and it has low hours. Based on outer appearances, I would have to say I believe him. He then says that after a day on the water, he brought it home and hooked it up to the hose and ran it to flush it out and everything was fine and he then covered it up and put it away for the next outing. When he got it out the next weekend, he "turned the key and the motor was locked up". That was 2 years ago.
He is an older gentleman and has no mechanical experience at all. He took the spark plugs out - at my request - and stated that they were not wet, or rusty, or look like they had milkshake on them. He has not tried to turn the motor with a breaker bar. He has not tried using jumper cables or a different battery because he said all of the electronics work fine, so the battery is good. He hasn't consulted a mechanic and has not had anyone look at it.
He's selling it with trailer and all accessories for $3,000. Again, it is immaculate inside and out. I asked, and he said I couldn't bring tools and try to see what's wrong with it in his yard. He said he's selling "as is" and doesn't want me working on it at his house.
I've owned many boats, but all outboards. I've rebuilt many can engines and am actually more comfortable with automobiles. What do you think guys? Should I go for it? Hurricane Matthew dropped an 80' oak tree on my boat and I've been looking for something nice and in my limited budget since that happened.
Thanks for your suggestions, opinions, or anything else you can offer.
 
Ayuh,..... Maybe "As Is" at 1/2 that price,..... Could be the drive, Could be the motor, Will be expensive, either one,.....
 
And from talking to the owner, it may be a dead battery or a bad starter! When I asked if he tried putting a socket on the front of the crank pulley and turning it with a breaker bar, he said he had no idea what I was talking about. I was about to buy a boat just like this one for $7,500, but it wasn't in as good shape as this one, so my thoughts are, the boat's worth $7,500 if running good, so I have $4,000 to put in to the motor. If I look at it that way, I can replace the long block and have a boat in great shape inside and out.
Am I looking at this wrong? BONDO, I'm not trying to change your mind, and I appreciate your input. I've done the worst thing possible when shopping for something......I've really grown to like it. I know it, and when I start negotiating with the seller, if he's a good negotiator, he will be able to tell too. We've had a few warm days here in Savannah, and I've got to get in the water!
If I'm being stupid here, please gang up on me and let me know folks. I've worked on cars most of my life, but I know nothing about out drives.
 
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Oldsaltydog said:
....................... When he got it out the next weekend, he "turned the key and the motor was locked up". That was 2 years ago.
When you say "motor", are you talking about the starter motor being locked up, or the Engine being locked up?
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Oldsaltydog said:
And from talking to the owner, it may be a dead battery or a bad starter!
When I asked if he tried putting a socket on the front of the crank pulley and turning it with a breaker bar, he said he had no idea what I was talking about.
NEVER EVER use a breaker bar on the front crankshaft bolt to turn an Engine over if you suspect that things may be frozen up!
If you break that bolt or strip the threads, you will be pulling the engine out and sending the crankshaft in to a machine shop.
Instead, use a strap wrench around the harmonic balancer.

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As far as what's locked up, I have no idea. The boat is over an hour away from me, so I've been communicating with owner by phone and text. He's not at all mechanical and has no idea. I have only seen pics. Boat is immaculate inside and out. No discoloration or peeling paint on top of out drive cover like you usually see when that's fried. No sign of water on or around motor. He had someone remove spark plugs for him and they weren't wet, rusty or covered in sludge. I have no idea what the problem is. Could be a dead battery! He hasn't even tried jumper cables! Says it's not a dead battery because the blower works fine. But he insists that I look at it and buy it or leave. No working on it in his garage.
 
Drive the hour and check it out. Could be alot of things, maybe it's not in nuetral. Take an amp meter. Battery's been setting for 2 yrs. ? If the trailer looks good, boat looks good, drive and engine look good. Make him an offer and bring it home.
 
Thanks Old Bird, but he has already said, not tools and no working on it. Look at it, buy it, or leave. He says he doesn't want greasy hand prints all over the interior. So, I'll have to look at it with my hands in my pockets I guess!
 
UPDATE! The boat is actually owned by a woman. Her Dad is the one I've been communicating with. She took it to a mechanic who quoted $1,800 to repair it. She was told that the manifolds are rusted and locked up. Now I'm trying to figure out exactly what he actually tried to explain to her. What repair would a marine mechanic do for $1,800? I'm guessing that manifolds rusted through and the motor hydro locked? Would a marine mechanic repair this without checking out the bottom end? That's the only way I could see the repair would be around that price. remove intake, heads, exhaust manifolds, replace bad parts and put back together. Does that sound like what the mechanic would be doing?
 
If you can't walk away, then maybe get the number of the shop that provided the $1800 estimate and get them to explain what they proposed....and then decide...
 
If he will not allow you to do a good survey run away. More than likely there is more than meets the eyes. Have you checked the deck and transom for dryrot? Just because it looks good is never the reason you should by it. If he will not allow a compression test the engine is shot your just paying for the hull. Sounds like a turd to me maybe the trailer is worth something?
 
kimcrwbr1 said:
If he will not allow you to do a good survey run away. More than likely there is more than meets the eyes. Have you checked the deck and transom for dryrot? Just because it looks good is never the reason you should by it. If he will not allow a compression test the engine is shot your just paying for the hull. Sounds like a turd to me maybe the trailer is worth something?
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Yes, if an owner is not willing to allow both a structural and mechanical survey, more than likely there is something that the owner does not want revealed.
 
RicardoMarine said:
Yes, if an owner is not willing to allow both a structural and mechanical survey, more than likely there is something that the owner does not want revealed.
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Ditto...
... and sometimes its just their ignorant fear and it's minor...sometimes mechanics see a woman and "get greedy"... me, If I can't get a sea trial, I offer price of boat all up and running less price of a new crate engine.
 
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