Expert: Jeff Grigg - 2/8/2008

Question
i have a 5.0 mercruiser that ran fine at end of season,had it winterized at end of the season.the problem is that i went to start it and noww it does noot turn over. the starter engages like it should,has the right voltage to it.i tried to turn the motor over by hand and it's almost like the motor is siezed up. any suggestions?

Answer
Charlie, you could have any number of problems, some minor and some not. It could be a case of some condensation has rusted the rings to the cylinder walls. Or it could be something more major like a blown head gasket or exhaust leak, all letting water into the cylinder(s).
I would suggest taking the boat to a good service shop immediately. If they can get the engine turning over it may be OK, particularly if the problem came from condensation.
You will also need them to check the condition of the battery and starter. If they are not up to par they may not have enough punch to turn the engine over.
I would suggest spraying some spray lube like WD-40 into the spark plug holes. Leave the ignition off and the spark plugs out and turn the engine over with a starter switch to the starter solenoid. After a few bumps you may be able to get it to turn over. The battery must be fully charged.
Post back if needed.
Jeff