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engine leaking and not sure if we should pull out- help

Anna_Licorice

By Anna_Licorice
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Anna_Licorice Contributor

Anna_Licorice

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Hi,

 

I'm new to the forum and unfortunately I have a question and need help already! (BTW this forum has been invaluable when we have been researching- so thank you to those that keep it running.)

 

The boat (2001) we just got surveyed has come up with a good hull (somethings to put on the 'to-do' list but nothing to worry too much about).

 

However, the engine (beta- 28) is leaking- oil and water, and the thermostat (I forget the name of it- though it was the thing that is connected to the engine to tell you how hot the engine runs) has been disconnected.

 

The suggestions made were that this engine could take between £1000 and a £a-new-engine to fix.

 

This is our first boat, and so we would like to ask do you think it is worth continuing with the sale, in a similar situation would people usually walk away when confronted with replacing an engine? In your experience, is it best to have the brokerage deal with fixing this issue before we proceed with purchasing, or should we negotiate on the price and then find our own place to have her fixed?

 

On the brokerage website it states that boats will be repaired following a survey- and that if we put in a lower than asking price offer (which we did- £2000) lower than the repairs- if they fall within that range will be up to us to cover. So if the repair costs £2000 they say that the owner has already paid that by accepting the lower offer. But, that's crazy because we put in an offer of what we were happy to pay for the boat- not what amount we were hoping to repair!!! Arrrr!

 

Many many thanks for any replies

 

Anna

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nicknorman Veteran II

nicknormanDonate to Canal World

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My first instinct is to walk away. It will be your first boat, (without wanting to sound rude) you don't know anything about boat engines, and so you will be a hostage to getting it fixed by someone who may look at you merely as a source of income. Especially as you seem to be in London where everything is double price! There are lots and lots of boats around with good engines so I think you are just making a rod for your own back.

 

That said if this boat has something which makes it uniquely desirable for you, and/or it is at an exception price then maybe not, but only you know that. I doubt it though!

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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That said if this boat has something which makes it uniquely desirable for you, and/or it is at an exception price then maybe not, but only you know that. I doubt it though!

 

52' Liverpool boat from 2001 - £39,950

 

Richard

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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How did you know that anyway??!!

 

So, not really a uniquely desirable boat then nor exceptionally cheap (especially if it has a duff engine!).

 

The OP has listed Ewart as their boat name, so I googled 'ewart canal' and found it on brokerage. The advert has the same engine, so I'm assuming it's the same boat

 

Richard

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Flyboy Experienced

Flyboy

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Hi,

 

I'm new to the forum and unfortunately I have a question and need help already! (BTW this forum has been invaluable when we have been researching- so thank you to those that keep it running.)

 

The boat (2001) we just got surveyed has come up with a good hull (somethings to put on the 'to-do' list but nothing to worry too much about).

 

However, the engine (beta- 28) is leaking- oil and water, and the thermostat (I forget the name of it- though it was the thing that is connected to the engine to tell you how hot the engine runs) has been disconnected.

 

The suggestions made were that this engine could take between £1000 and a £a-new-engine to fix.

 

This is our first boat, and so we would like to ask do you think it is worth continuing with the sale, in a similar situation would people usually walk away when confronted with replacing an engine? In your experience, is it best to have the brokerage deal with fixing this issue before we proceed with purchasing, or should we negotiate on the price and then find our own place to have her fixed?

 

On the brokerage website it states that boats will be repaired following a survey- and that if we put in a lower than asking price offer (which we did- £2000) lower than the repairs- if they fall within that range will be up to us to cover. So if the repair costs £2000 they say that the owner has already paid that by accepting the lower offer. But, that's crazy because we put in an offer of what we were happy to pay for the boat- not what amount we were hoping to repair!!! Arrrr!

 

Many many thanks for any replies

 

Anna

Can you see where the oil & water is leaking from? Is it leaking externally or is it dissapearing inside the engine?

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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When the surveyor showed me on the iPhone it looked like it was oozing 50ml and maybe more- but then he said he turned the engine off after that.

 

OK, that sounds like a lot. The engine is 15 years old, so it may well need more work than just a few seals replacing.

 

Richard

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nicknorman Veteran II

nicknormanDonate to Canal World

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The OP has listed Ewart as their boat name, so I googled 'ewart canal' and found it on brokerage. The advert has the same engine, so I'm assuming it's the same boat

 

Richard

I see. And there was me thinking you were telepathic! But it now says x which is probably why I didn't clock it.
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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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Man! You guys are speedy!

 

We do this a lot! You aren't the first person to ask such a question about a boat they are thinking of, and discussing a real boat is always easier than working with a hypothetical one

 

Richard

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Paul C Veteran II

Paul C

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The irony is, an oil leak or a coolant leak aren't massively complicated or expensive* items to fix. But, if the temperature sensor has been disconnected, that immediately arouses suspicion - one wonders why? If the thermostat were removed, its understandable (but erroneous) as an attempt to aid cooling performance.

 

Oil leak could be: crank seal (either end), sump gasket, rocker cover gasket, or something more simple still like the lift plunger thing simply being loose or something.

Coolant leak could be a core plug or a leaky water pump, thermostat housing, etc

 

I am wondering head gasket failure? But they don't normally leak externally on failing, more likely leak coolant into oil; oil into coolant; oil into cylinder; coolant into cylinder, etc.

 

Worse case scenario for the oil leaks is that it needs the engine removed to get to the seal, due to the position of the engine/bulkhead, or other stuff.

 

 

 

* Expensive only because some boatyards/mechanics charge so much, for what is relatively simple jobs.

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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Worse case scenario for the oil leaks is that it needs the engine removed to get to the seal, due to the position of the engine/bulkhead, or other stuff.

 

The worst case scenario is worn/broken rings causing increased crankcase pressure forcing oil out of the seals

 

I don't know what is wrong with this engine

 

Richard

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Paul C Veteran II

Paul C

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Well yeah.........also worth mentioning, if its been left with the leak for some time, further damage may have resulted.

 

I am surprised the surveyor did not feel it worth diagnosing further. After all, it could be a good bartering point and get you ££££ off the asking price of the boat, and you could be with no overall loss or a gain.

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Anna_Licorice Contributor

Anna_Licorice

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The worst case scenario is worn/broken rings causing increased crankcase pressure forcing oil out of the seals

 

I don't know what is wrong with this engine

 

Richard

It's a Beta 28, for a 52ft, because I think it was installed before the boat got stretched. It used to be a 42ft.

So, could it be the little-engine-that-could has been put under too much pressure for too long?

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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It's a Beta 28, for a 52ft, because I think it was installed before the boat got stretched. It used to be a 42ft.

So, could it be the little-engine-that-could has been put under too much pressure for too long?

 

I wouldn't have thought so. The power to run a boat doesn't change greatly with length. It's more likely that it has been well used for 15 years.

 

Richard

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Anna_Licorice Contributor

Anna_Licorice

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Well yeah.........also worth mentioning, if its been left with the leak for some time, further damage may have resulted.

 

I am surprised the surveyor did not feel it worth diagnosing further. After all, it could be a good bartering point and get you ££££ off the asking price of the boat, and you could be with no overall loss or a gain.

 

The surveyor did tell us that we could use this to negotiate. I guess I'm just concerned, because of my inexperience, and because engines are pretty important!!

My question is really if we should. I was kind of thinking that hull integrity and then engine reliability were the two main things with a boat. Anything else from the survey I thought I could deal with.

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Bee Veteran

Bee

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If it was me...... I would bargain to get another couple of thousand off and try to get an identical engine (Look at Kubota on e bay, that'll be the base engine) and swap it all over. You need a friend with spanners and a bit of courage. However, as nicknorman said, its not a particularly unique boat. Probably best to keep looking.

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Guest

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It's a Beta 28, for a 52ft, because I think it was installed before the boat got stretched. It used to be a 42ft.

So, could it be the little-engine-that-could has been put under too much pressure for too long?

Depends how it has been used TBH. If it has been on rivers a lot, it may have been a bit underpowered. On canals it should have been enough power if correct propeller fitted. Now many hours are on the clock?

If the hull is what you want, and you can get a nice new engine out of the deal, it might be worth considering.

Is there any record of who stretched it, and what is the surveyors opinion of the workmanship?

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