GT-40 High Hours

[keithh2oskier]

Hi PN,

Looking to purchase our first nautique. My family has always had Mastercraft's but for the years were looking at Nautique has a better hull. Looking at a high hour 99 SN w/ GT40. Guy says it has 1700 hours and from the photos everything looks mint. Basically been a slalom boat and has spent most of its life on a private ski lake. He says it runs like a champ. Our 94 MC had 1700 on it with just replacing the heads due to a pin hole leak. Otherwise it was a very reliable boat. My dads 00 MC only has 600 on it now and runs super strong so I am not to worried but know that 1700 hours wont last for ever...

What are realistic expectations on this engine before needing a full rebuild? We would likely put 40-50 hours a year on it.

Besides a compression test, is there anything I should look out for on the TSC 1 visually that could stand out that would suggest little life left in the motor? What about the transmission? Its a CA only boat with no salt or brackish water.

I am mechanically inclined so putting heads on it wouldn't be a big deal.

[jhersey29]

Buy it at a fair price and rwbuild it this winter. My local machine shop rebuilt the motor for about 3100. Its a very easy motor to swap out the short block. I love my 99.
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[Full-Force]

My uncle has an 89 MC with the 351 in it, obviously not GT40 back then, but it is coming up on 3000 hours and runs like a sewing machine. I wouldn't let hours bother me but the price I pay needs to reflect a high hour boat.

[Davidpsalt]

Dito on Full Force ... If it is a one owner boat have an open discussion with the owner and ask for his honest feed back on how well the engine has been maintained - did he change the oil every 50 hours every season? Was he the type of owner that drove it WOT from one end of the lake to the other or did he operate it between 3,000 - 4,000 - this should give you a feel for how well it was cared for. I purchased a 2008 with 900 hours and it was a camp boat - the hours didn't worry me as it was maintained very well and because it is a Nautique - the hull and all its components are the very best in the industry hence the boat is extremely solid. I will continue to maintain it and use it properly and expect to get many years of use from it without major engine issues. I also do not have unrealistic expecatations - cables stretch over time, belts wear, etc. etc. however I am not planning on any type of rebuild or surgery for thousands of hours. PCM has told me they have Ex343's running up to 4,000 - 5,000 hours if properly cared for.

[charlesml3]

1700 hours isn't really all that many hours. I was at my dealer a few years ago and a 83 SN came in with 7000 hours on it. It was a ski-school boat. Thing ran like a champ. No need at all to rebuild the engine in it.