I think you right. First things first. I'm going to pull the heads and see what he got. Pressure test exhaust magnaflux heads.

Another thing, if you have a broken exhaust valve spring or even just a misfiring cylinder it will revert water, especially on the early style 500's with the short risers.

sorry I thought you have 502s,, so you got the 500hp ,that explains the carbs,,other than the valve spring issues they are great engines,install some ISKY springs ,new seals and new retainers and run it,,

Your driveway doesn't happen to go up does it ?

or the nose of the trailer lower than the rear - how it sat at that present time ?

I thought about that myself. But my driveway is only pitched about 3" over 70' plus the trailer was jacked all the way up.

Great minds. It's already in the works hahaa! Worst case after rebuilding heads do another leak down and see what I got.

Well that little tidbit of info would have been helpful at the beginning of the thread . Still would pump out all the fuel and start over.

idk about you but Jamie services most of the boats north of New York. I think I'd beleive him more than some surveyor. reason why I had him check out my gun before I made the purchase. and why I'm a repeat customer for top end motor rebuilds. just my 0.02

So you did your homework and research prior to hiring someone you're telling me?

That's all I was pointing out. In the end you are taking a strangers opinion be it survey or mech. Do your homework on who you hire.

There are just as many Bad and shady mechanics as there are survey. That does not mean they all are is what I am saying.

I didn't knock his work cause I don't know it. I knocked his statement about all surveyors being a joke or ripoff. That is just not true, that same statement can be made about him as well and his field of work, which is all not true. Just need to know who you are hiring and what you are getting for what you pay.

Unless the hour meter froze up while in storage for 3 years, the owner had to know that it wasn't working. That would lead me to believe that he probably wasn't straight forward about other things.

Even though you didn't have the full survey in writing yet, did you not at least call the surveyor up and ask if he had any concerns before signing on the dotted line? If not, you are at least partly to blame here. Why even get a survey done if you're going to buy the boat before you get the results??