Take a look at this pic. I see a water pump that looks like it has been badly neglected. A bodgy water pump discharge fitting that looks like it is about to come off. The main engine block has lost its paint. Maybe as a result of overheating?

Would this picture put you off the engine as a possible problem? (Bukh Dv 20 something.)

I'm no expert but my waterpump looked like that when i bought my yacht. But it hadn't been started in 8 years
I replaced the waterpump, hose, and thermostats. Motor started to overheat so then i had to flush block out with acid a couple of times got a lot of crap out. Now runs nicely all day long. My paint job was in better nick though
Bit hard to tell what else is wrong with your motor just from pics

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sunycoastguy said..
I'm no expert but my waterpump looked like that when i bought my yacht. But it hadn't been started in 8 years
I replaced the waterpump, hose, and thermostats. Motor started to overheat so then i had to flush block out with acid a couple of times got a lot of crap out. Now runs nicely all day long. My paint job was in better nick though
Bit hard to tell what else is wrong with your motor just from pics

Its not my boat, just one that is advertised, but that pic put me off. Now i am asking if my judgement was correct.

Start the motor. Does it sound ok? Any significant smoke at start up or after when at 2500-3000 rpm or when dropping revs? Is there plenty of coolant water with the exhaust? Check the oil... dirty? Milky? Clean? How's the oil filter looking? Hopefully better than the water pump...
Let the engine run for a while. One of those cheapish digital laser temp gauges from a motor parts place will tell you if there's overheating in any part of the engine. For sure that water pump/impeller could do with a service, but it obviously hasn't been stripped down recently. If it's still pumping ok, there's no reason to suspect recent problems.

go to the back of the eng and check for burnt paint ,that dark color can be leaking exhaust gases or belt dust ,who ever owns this eng certainly does not care and look after it at all .a lot of paint missing can be from water coming in from the cockpit or from hose leaks ,it might not have over heated yet but it will if left in this condition .going on the black around the alternator i suspect belt or exhaust leak .if he allows his eng to be in this state i would be very weary of the rest of the boat .you would wonder if he changes the anodes regularly

I had a Bukh DV28, I think that setup where the cooling water enters the block on the BUKH is average and always seems to be corrosion around them and lifting the paint up etc, it's probably had heat applied to it at some point to get the two seized bolts out. Dunno about the pump but i'd be worried if it can leak salt water into the oil as its gear driven.

My view is they are an old heavy engine that are built like a tank but past their prime now. The DV20 is a very old model and was replaced by the DV24 if I can recall so it's probably had salt water running through it for 40 years now so I'd hate to see what the cooling channels look like, you could rebuild it at considerable expense but why bother just get a Beta or Yanmar and put it in.

Speaking on Bukhs I once had one run away on me and it scared the living daylights out of me so much energy in that huge flywheel!

Hi yara
The externals of an engine will tell you nothing.
You are turned off by the honest look of wear and tear on an old engine.
That look might have just as well come about from a good dose of use that has kept the engine in shape.
Probably more dangerous is a new coat of paint. A $3 spray can hides a multitude of sins.
The only way is to start it up and see how easily it starts, smoothly it runs and so on.
My engines looks like a wreck but purrs.

gary

I agree with Gary. Fresh paint would be a greater concern. I would change out all the plastic pipes for rubber and replace the worn alternator belt. The water pump might have a worn face plate but it would all depend on how it works.

I have a DV10 that looked in similar condition. Like Sunycoastguy I too cleaned out the block with
acid (brick clean from Bunnings). It burned oil, so on the forums advice I put FTC in the fuel, and that
fixed it. After five years it's still going strong. As I've said before if these engines are half decent you
can't kill 'em. So I agree with the forum, If it starts OK and runs OK, then it's OK. You can deal with
the "bits and pieces" later on.

It doesn't take much of a salt water leak to make an unsightly mess as can be seen from this yanmar raw water pump that I have apart at the moment. Just a weeping seal on this one.