Saltwater used engine
 

I'm a freshwater guy and found a deal on a used HP500 that's from saltwater. I'm trying to decide if it's worth the risk and how much damage can really happen to the block and heads? How cheep should it be to justify what might need to be replaced? Do I run away or go for it?

Thanks
Kyle

Also the engine has 430 hours on it, includes CMI E-tops with tail pipes and those were freshwater only use (old rope seal style). Let me know what you feel a good deal would be for this engine complete.

i am rebuilding a set of hp500 efi engines now that had a lot of salt water use,blocks were junk,going to the scrap pile,they have dart 325 aluminum heads that needed a ton of grinding&welding and re machining.i bought a hp500 carbed engine from a oso member some years back,he failed to mention it was a salt water engine,i threw the heads in the scrap pile.i will never buy anything that runs in salt water unless it has closed cooling.my advice is,walk away from the deal.jmo.

Don't be do hard on salt. After all if humans had no salt we would die. In all honesty a salt boat depends on the owner. I trailer and wash and flush every trip ...takes 2 hrs..... I bet my exhaust last longer then your salt closed systems. But 400 hr is definitely rebuild top end time anyway. So rebuilding top end and not replacing pipes is like reusing a condom.....

This is what I have to go off as the engine is out of state! I had him remove the thermostat housing to show me the inside of the intake and I'm not sure what a clean or bad salt water engine would look like internally? Does this help or should I ask to look at something different?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]564703[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]564704[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]564705[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]564706[/ATTACH]

Looks crusty... have him pull the dipstick on face time

What's the asking price? And why is he selling?

Funny I was just talking to my son about this earlier today as I have friends who live in Florida during the winter months and he said similar. He spends two hours flushing engines and washing everything down after every trip out. He is an exception however there there can be risk. Lot depends on maintenance etc. I've seen some bad salt engines and some decent. Im fortunate to not be troubled by it but many are. I see a ton of boats for sale along the coastlines but always get a kick out of it when they say freshwater only. Ya ok.

So in a nutshell I would do some investigating if the price is right. You never know. How much you talking?
How long you plan to run it etc.

I saw a couple literally complete junk hp 500 intakes from salt. Complete throw always. It's a shame.

All it takes is some time flushing, I have some stuff that you'd never know was in salt at all, and then some that is damn near junk. Those look average for salt water use.