Comments below.

Doug
s/v Callista

"engsol" wrote in message
...
I'm interested in a 1987 boat with an 18 horse FWC Yanmar engine which was
installed new in 1997. The engine (and installation) looks brand new. The
hitch (maybe, and that's why I'm asking) is that the hour meter only shows
180 hours, and I have no idea how those hours are distributed time-wise.

There is no way you can know this from an hour meter.

I'm concerned that only 180 hours in 7 years may mean that internal rust
may
be a problem.

That's 25 hours per year which is not so bad for a boat that is used
on the weekends during the summer months. As long as the engine
has had antifreeze which includes rust inhibitor (normally the case)
there should be no internal rust to speak of. A new impellor in the
raw water side would be a good idea.

The broker has suggested that an engine surveyer could do
a "2 hour" presale look, but I'm wondering how he'd know?

Probably wouldn't hurt to have this done. Not sure what this
procedure is, but I would hope that he/she would pull the head and heat
exchanger and look for scale in the water galleries.

So my question is....how would you know? Good deal...or pass?
Norm B

I don't see how one can tell you this. 7 years and 180 hours isn't
squat for a FWC diesel as long as it was kept up including changing
the zincs. Probably want to pull the zincs and check them.