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Old 09-12-2008, 05:08 PM
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rigspelt rigspelt is offline
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I guess I'm about 6 months ahead of you in a similar project. My approach might be (Warnings: 1. I'm an amateur, and 2. Varies with the owner's philosophy):

Read Don's Critical Suggestions note: http://www.moyermarine.com/forums/pr...ead.php?t=2643

1. Basic external inspection of the engine and start listing issues. Digital photograph everything. Check wiring and connections, look for leaks of oil, water and exhaust gasses, signs of rust and colour changes. Condition of choke, throttle and shifter cables. Engine mounts. Prop shaft and stuffing box.
2. Check condition of plugs, points, rotor and inside of distributor -- record the findings for later reference. Their condition tells much about the status of the engine. Colour, dry/wet, deposit quality, gaps, etc.
3. Compression test.
4. Get MMI's manual and notes collection.
5. Systematically read everything on this website, start compiling notes. The place is a gold mine of information.
6. Consider removing and inspecting parts systematically, after reading ahead carefully in the manal and online. Check each device carefully for subtle signs of trouble. I found important issues with several of the old, apparently OK original parts. Go system by system (cooling, oil, fuel, air, electrical, combustion chambers, and drive train). Don's manuals and the archives have tips on everything - search the archives for each system as you check it. Spread the task over time, starting with the critical parts.
7. Check the essential peripherals: raw water cooling hose and filter, fuel tank, fuel lines/hoses/filters, exhaust and exhaust hoses, and their through hulls.

All this should provide a good sense of the baseline condition of the engine. Try rating it 1-10, where 1 is discard and 10 is virtually new engine. Then you will know whether it worth renovating, and where to start spending money if it is. Resist spending money on "nice to have" add-ons before the essentials are assessed.

Once the basics are done and after inspecting and cleaning out the cooling system, consider eventually switching to freshwater cooling.
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