hey guys, looking for some guidance on salt water since i boat on the Ohio
river. I am looking a purchasing a formula that is in Florida that is a 99
with 502 motors. Two years rack stored, two and half years in the water
with bottom paint, bottom paint put on last year. Outdrives replaced in
december. Motors have 700 hours with 160 psi compression, but what I am
worried about is the salt water going through the engine. How bad is this?
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It's bad. If the engines are salt water cooled, they are getting near
the end of their useful life, particularly on a boat which has been
pushed hard. If freshwater cooled with heat exchangers, then you need
to worry about the exhaust manifolds, risers and oil coolers, all of
which are about due for replacement. In either case, those engines
with 700 hours on them are no bargain at any price.








My thinking would be that if the engines were fresh water cooled you may get a
few years out of them. The compression is good so the mechanicals shouldn't be
a problem. As mentioned the risers and manifolds could need replacing soon, but
they may have been replaced already.

The main thing to consider is you have a nice hull with new outdrives. If you
go into this figuring on new engines in a few years and if the boat is priced
right, it still could be a good deal. Gas engines ar relatively cheap when
compared to a new boat.
Whether or not it's a good deal really depends on the price.

Barry