Detroit Diesel Surveyor Recommendation

[mike.s]

If they were able to hide the hard start and start up smoke you'll still see the excessive blow by. I've always told them when I buy a boat I want it sitting for 24 hours without being run before I come for survey. I do agree on the block heater hiding start up issues and also tell them no block heaters. First thing I do when I get to the boat is go to the engine room with a temp gun to make sure its at ambient temp. I just can't bring myself to pay for someone to not do anything. When I buy a used boat I figure everything is one day away from breaking because that may be the reality, survey or no survey. I've also been able to talk the insurance provider into writing me a policy without a hull survey two times, so those boats had no surveys. One was a 40 Ocean and the other a 45 Sea Ray. If you have any mechanical ability you can tell a lot about a boat by spending a few hours on it just looking at the condition of things and if upgrades\repairs have been done well or half assed.

[SeaEric]

It may be important to know that the OP's ambitious cruising plans are for the subject (elderly) yacht. Perhaps he should share that info here as he has in a PM to me.

[Bill Wright]

Thanks Eric, I will be pleased to share what I am planning. If this 53' MY surveys ok, I plan on bringing her up the ICW from Hilton Head, SC to Deltaville, VA. After shaking her down and fixing some things (1 year) I will take her back down the ICW and across to Bimini and on to George Town, Exuma where I will gunk hole. I will return to Virgina via the ICW eventually. Your thoughts are appreciated. Bill

[Jammin']

Those are exactly my ambitious cruising plans for my elderly yacht. So far I have completed the South Carolina to Virginia part. The fixing some things is still in progress! Plan to shove off fall of 2023. I wish you all the luck, fair winds and (very mild) following seas.

[cww]

My elderly yacht was somewhat well known as a decent boat, so I bought it, hopped in, turned the keys, and my first trip was 900 miles. Only thing I had to fix was a generator impeller. Engines didn’t smoke and ran well, and they’ve been good to me. I don’t discount engine surveys, but let’s be honest, they’re more important with, say, a cat where the aftercoolers are a regular failure point and $15k just for the parts than they are with a Detroit where that covers almost the whole inframe on a natural.

[Bill Wright]

Thank you Robert and CCW for your encouraging words. Because I have had little experience with marine DD's (some military generator experience) I will be useing a surveyor to check the engines and educate me. I have progressed to trip planning and chart work. Any thoughts as to fuel burn at hull speed or less for these 871 Naturals? Bill

[mkh8911]

I used Doug Umphrey at Tri-State Marine & Industrial located in Charleston/Summerville, SC. Telephone 843-225-8126. You won't be sorry. Doug is a great guy and a wealth of knowledge and information.

[Bill Wright]

Thank you. Bill

[Briankinley2004]

Save your money and skip the engine survey, they are old Detroits. If they start quickly without excessive smoke and surging they will be good for a while. If they start hard and smoke for longer than 20-30 seconds their compression is getting low and they will need a rebuild in the near future. I bought my boat with 1292's 4 years ago. I was told the motors had 2000 hours on them with one being rebuilt at 1,800. In all the boats I've had I was talked into a motor survey on one of them, and I felt ripped off afterwards. The survey didn't tell me anything I couldn't tell from looking at the motors and running the boat. When I bought the boat I have now I figured one was rebuilt and the other motor would need a rebuild shortly. I was surprised when I went for the survey how quickly and smoke free the non rebuilt motor started. It's now over 4.5 years and 1000 hours later and both motors still start instantly with very little smoke.
If they do start hard, smoke, and surge it doesn't necessarily mean rebuild time but at that point it's time to get a qualified mechanic to look at them.

Time to bring up this thread that is a sticky

https://www.samsmarine.com/forums/sh...pression-check.

[jim rosenthal]

It's amazing how so many young people here own elderly yachts.