did i get a good deal or hosed?

[aphexandy]

I just picked up a '84 440 for $300 with a karavan trailer. the article in the classifieds said "attn. mechanics blah blah blah $500". the owner (a woman about 60 years old) said it had been at the dealership and it was going to cost her about $900 to fix. I know it isn't worth anywhere near that, so I hooked up one of my seadoo batteries and turned it over to see if it was seized up, and it wasn't. I figured i'd pay almst 300 for a trailer which i needed anyhow, so i bought it. got it home and checked compression (125 psi in both holes, is that normal or low?) checked spark its good too. I put fresh gas in and got it to fire up, but noticed tha there is a lot of exhaust in the engine compartment and traced it to a rusted waterbox. she said it would run for a while and then die out, so i am thinking it is just filling up the engine compartment with exhaust and killing the motor. any ideas or oppinins on my purchess?

[WATERCRAFTSERVICES]

Re: did i get a good deal or hosed?

Not a bad deal. The trailer is probably worth $300.00. It is most likely dying from the exhaust in the engine compartment. The old waterboxes were known to crack and cause this exact problem. Replace the waterbox and try it.

[aphexandy]

Re: did i get a good deal or hosed?

I just searched for them in the parts FS forum, and say that you were parting out a 440. do you have the waterbox?

[aphexandy]

Re: did i get a good deal or hosed?

nevermind, I just saw that you replied to my post, I'll give you a call. Whens a good time?

[dsolie]

Re: did i get a good deal or hosed?

125psi is low for that motor. But as long as it is equal, you are golden.