Engine Survey

[Rick Johnson]

I've made an offer on a C34 and just got the results of the engine survey.  It's a 1990 and the survey says:

Needs full annual engine and transmission service
Needs Head bolt and Valve adjustment
Needs new Heat Exchanger due to age
Water pump is leaking and gasket needs replacing
Replace saltwater inlet hose
Needs coolant recover tank
Needs new engine cooling system hoses
Engine needs alignment (.008)

Does this sound like normal wear or should I be worried? My 1984 C30 I bought 2 years ago didn't have these kind of issues!

[Jim Fitch]

Hi Ken -

I've got a 1990 as well.  Mine has an M35 but the issues are all generic for a 15 year old boat.

I'd say every engine and transmission needs full annual service.
I've never checked my head bolt torque but it sounds like a good idea and easy.
I'm not sure what valve adjustment is but how hard can it be?
My heat exchanger seems just fine at its age, I'll replace mine when it leaks.
My water pump is leaking too and I just bought the gasket for 90 cents.
All my hoses should be replaced and I just purchased the one molded hose on the engine fresh water pump inlet for $18.10, the rest are standard hoses you can get at the marine store and I plan to replace all of them this year or next as I get to them.  I plan on replacing all the fuel lines to, at this boat's age it is overdue.
I just bought a coolant recovery tank at an autoparts store for about $8.00.
I'm not sure what engine alignment is unless he's talking about how the shaft lines up.  If that's it, its a doable project.

Did you ask him which of these projects he thinks you can do yourself or how big a project he feels they are?  It doesn't sound bad to me.

Jim Fitch
Sunshine
#1103

[Paul Bosquet]

Needs full annual engine and transmission service
This is not a bad idea to get the boat ready for the season. You never know what kind of maintenance the previous owner kept
Needs Head bolt and Valve adjustment
Not quite sure about the head bolt but valve adjustment would of been determined after running the engine
Needs new Heat Exchanger due to age
Not quite sure about this one, could depend on the number of engine hours and type of water where boat was used. Better be safe than sorry.
Water pump is leaking and gasket needs replacing
Would be an obvious remark after seeing the leak
Replace saltwater inlet hose
Probably has sings of wear or kink
Needs coolant recover tank
Thinking of installing one on my boat.
Needs new engine cooling system hoses
Probably has sings of wear or kink
Engine needs alignment (.008)
Indicates that the surveyor was quite diligent


Most of these comments are common repairs due for a boat that age

Paul Bousquet
Marine Surveyor
SAMS, ABYC

[Ron Hill]

Rick : I was not impressed with the generalized results of your survey.  Hope that someone didn't have to pay too much for that inadequate report.

1.  Needs full annual engine and transmission service.
My guess  a CYA - an engine, filter and transmission oil change, and clean the air cleaner - what else does it need??  The surveyor didn't say!!
2.  Needs head bolt and valve adjustment.
I guess that the head bolts have full undisturbed paint on them and the surveyor didn't know that the Universal engine does not need a re torque after the bolts are once torqued.  I assume that there is no blow by of the head gasket (trying a re torque, but most likely a new head gasket) or he would have said so.  The valves might need adjustment if the engine has over 1000hrs or you can hear valve lash while it's running at operating temp.  Did he run the engine or was the boat on the hard when it was surveyed?
3.  Needs new Heat Exchanger due to age.  
Heat exchangers are replaced when they no longer function properly and the engine overheats!!!  They are very repairable, cleanable and then retested.  If properly maintained, a heat exchanger will last through a couple of new engines!!
4.  Water pump is leaking and gasket needs replacing.  
Which water pump is leaking? The internal or the raw water pump??  The leak is 50/50 Prestone or salt water??  
Most likely the lip seal on the inside of the raw water pump needs to be replaced.
5.  Replace salt water inlet hose.  
Why??  Catalina used a super grade inlet wire reinforced type hose, so unless it's frayed/rubbed it should be OK.
6.  Needs coolant recovery tank.
The C34 didn't have a factory installed one until the M35 engine installation.  good idea to have one and I've written a number of Mainsheet articles on how to make your own.  It keeps coolant from being dumped out the overflow, but more important it keeps the coolant system "air free".  The second component of rust is oxygen!!
7.  Needs new engine cooling hoses.  
Undoubtedly saw that your hoses have the same paint on them as your engine - a dead give away.  I mentioned that I wouldn't buy a boat of yours age if the hoses were painted the same color as the engine!  I was Pooh-poohed as some owners on this C34 net think that their hoses will last forever!  Change all of the painted hoses!!
8.  Engine needs alignment (.008)  
He had to do 75%+ of an engine alignment to find this!!  Look at the flange to transmission bolt heads and see if they've been loosened lately.  I doubt it, but they could have been and alignment checked.
However, if the boat was on the hard, you CAN'T check engine alignment until the boat's been back in the water for at least 24 hrs!!!

A few of my thoughts - hope this helps.  

[Rick Johnson]

Ron, thanks for lots of good information!  I used a "recommended" surveyor and would have to say, yes I feel I spent too much for too little.  From what you wrote I think you addressed most of my concerns.  The engine has less than 500 hrs so it seems like there's nothing in the report to red flag my purchase.  I think I'll print your response and take a closer look myself over the weekend during the sea-trial.  Thanks again to everyone.