Pretty Engines

[lumina]

Hi All,

Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on "pretty engines" when looking at a boat listing.

Why, well I've never been one to worry about the paint, my focus is always on the religious maintenance and care of my engines, as well as upgrades and replacement parts. My engine room is kept clean, organized and all my equipment is maintained and looked after. That's why I didn't give the paint condition a second thought when I submitted the images.

A potential buyer looked at my paint chipped engines with some rust and oxidation and I think assumed poor upkeep.

I hesitate to just slap paint on them to make them "look good", but I'm going to at least touch them up.

How do you guys feel about it.

 

[Boatsb]

I clear coated my blower so I'm not your usual customer but a bit of touch up isn't the end of the world. The buyer should be more concerned with the moving parts.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Yes, but did you polish it to a mirror finish before you clear-coated it? Photos, please.

L, I think you could stand to touch up a few areas. It wouldn't hurt. I wouldn't turn your life upside down to do it, but it wouldn't hurt.

 

[Boatsb]

Like this?

 

[dsharp]

I would much rather see engines like yours than one with all of the hoses and clamps painted.

 

[luckydave215]

Like this?

 

[tomrealest]

It's all in the presentation. Clean is the main thing about presentation. Dirty bilges indicate lack of care or/and effort. I like my engines (not hoses and wires) white and shiney.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Damn, Dave. Wow.

 

[Avenger]

I don't think it's necessary to keep them like factory new, but paint is corrosion protection and corrosion increases maintenance cost. Naturally a concern, especially in the marine environment. So, even if you brush paint it I would say it's better to have that than bald spots.

 

[lumina]

Damn, Dave. Wow.

Dam Dave x 2.

 

[lumina]

Yes, but did you polish it to a mirror finish before you clear-coated it? Photos, please.

L, I think you could stand to touch up a few areas. It wouldn't hurt. I wouldn't turn your life upside down to do it, but it wouldn't hurt.

Agree Jim, I just never saw it as a priority, but I can see how someone who doesn't know the boat/engines would be skeptical.

 

[dottieshusband]

And ya gotta have stickers!

 

[lumina]

It's all in the presentation. Clean is the main thing about presentation. Dirty bilges indicate lack of care or/and effort. I like my engines (not hoses and wires) white and shiney.

Tom, agree, spick and spam bilges are one thing we keep up on.

 

[lumina]

And ya gotta have stickers!

Dottie, you're killin me LOL. Nice job.

I do have the stickers, I'll put them on after the touch up.

 

[saltshaker]

I've also seen boats with pristine looking engines that were actually tired and those with rough looking engines that were in top running order. I was told by the listing broker that the engines on my boat were tired and probably needed majors. When he sent me the pictures, I could see they were exceptionally clean, properly painted, newer houses etc. Those pics prompted me to look at the boat seriously and eventually I bought it. Turned out the engines only had around 1000 hours SMOH 7 years prior. Appearance isn't everything but it's what makes the first impression.

 

[Milacron]

As a used machine tool dealer and self professed "machinery nut" I would actually prefer the engines look like yours versus engines that have a "Rustoleum rebuild" with paint slathered over everything, including rust, hose clamps, hoses, etc.

Better of course would be a careful repaint where needed, even if it's with a brush, but to be sure not to cover rust or dirt and don't get paint on the hoses, wires, etc. Although I know it is common with some engine manufacturers to paint pretty much the whole thing even when new (Yanmar, for example) it seems lame to me to do so.

I was lucky my 1993 Detroit 12v71TA's have the "chrome package" and look pretty nice as they are.But over the winter I hope to spruce their appearance up even more to better reflect their under 300 hours (since block up overhauls) situation

==============

As an aside, on our months long boat search the nicest looking engine room was on a 1990 Hatteras 62 in Lighthouse Point, FL. (The boat was really a Hatteras 54ED with added aft deck and cockpit by Hatteras of Lauderdale) The full beam standup engine room was nearly pristine, complete with SS tubing to guard each engine somewhat, carpet on the floor and even a mirror on the opposing wall to reflect the engines beauty and make the room look larger.

HOWEVER.... the seller could produce ZERO records proving they were total overhaul 600 hours earlier (or was it 800, can't remember now). He even ignored our request for a past engine survey. (He had only owned the boat 2 years). In fact he could produce no mechanical records on the engines at all !

Combine that with the high price and we passed as there was definite "lipstick on a pig" possibility there. Probably not...they probably really were rebuilt but owner previous to him to slack to keep up with the records* and he didn't care. Still, even if we went forward and there were excellent engine survey results by us, the lack of records would haunt us when it came time for us to sell years later. But oh what lipstick it was....amazing looking engine room for that age boat.

======

*If anyone cares (or maybe I already told the tale here ?) I could relay the bizarre story of how I came to have the records on the overhaul of our Viking starboard engine. Port engine had records right off the bat, but starboard came down to the day before wiring the balance and would never have happened at all if not for some deep detective work on my part. Why, you might ask ? It all began with a buzzard and a motorcycle...

 

[Bob Bradley]

Damn, Dave. Wow.

Wow doesn't even come close. I circumnavigated those engines a few years ago when Dave was kind enough to give me a tour of his engine room and the San Diego Harbor. I'm not sure which was more impressive - the ER or the harbor. You really could eat off the floor, but I suspect that Dave would not appreciate it because you might leave crumbs behind.

How the hell do you have DD's (that aren't in a shipping crate) without oil under them?

 

[Milacron]

And ya gotta have stickers!

Do you order those stickers from Detroit as a sort of "kit" that comes with various ones....or order each sticker individually ?

 

[dottieshusband]

Do you order those stickers from Detroit as a sort of "kit" that comes with various ones....or order each sticker individually ?
Got em on Ebay...$31 bucks, just go to boat parts and search V71. The stickers are thick, encased in clear urathane. they stand up to the heat and POL environment.

 

[rwappleton]

X3 Stocking feet in the ER!!!!WOW!!!! I would sleep in there!