One of those "Will It Run?" videos. I'm skeptical.

[Scream And Fly]

These types of "Will It Run?" videos have become very popular on YouTube and they're definitely interesting, but with some videos I'm beginning to wonder if some of those situations were not set up for success for the sake of a good video. There are videos with people coming across cars that had been sitting in a field for 30 years, and they're able to do just a bit of MacGyver work to them, add fuel, and drive them away. Some channels seem to find a never-ending supply of cars rotting away with trees grown through them that they end up driving away after a few hours of tinkering.

Here's a boat video that's similar. I'm by no means saying that this boat in the video was set up to run just for the video, but it's impressive for something that looks like it's been sitting for decades outside. You be the judge.

[rock]

Good friend's Dad had an old Johnson 9.9 sitting in his basement for 20+ years unused. He gives it to me to do whatever with. I don't want or need it so I sell it for $100 and gave him the money. Three days later I get a text with a video of it running in a garbage can. Said it started on second pull. A few years back a buddy calls and says he has a 60 horse Merc to sell that hadn't been run for 47 years. Told him I had no interest but he says he only wants $25 so I bought. It was a Merc 60 which is a 6 horse. Me and the grandson cleaned points and carb and it started and ran like a top. It does happen.

Rock

[H2OPERF]

My brother was walking home from the bus after school one day and saw a guy hauling 2 old white 45hp mercs out to the trash pile, the guy said they had been lying is shed for years... he ran home got me and we managed to get them home on a wagon and had one running before my dad got home. We pulled the 33hp johnson off our old starcraft and ran it for quite a while until water pump craped out. Compared to an old 2cyl omc of the day the merc was cantankerous and a pia to pull start but did run good once you got it going, the johnson would fire up in 2-3 pulls everytime. I have seen many old motors fire up after years of sitting but its usually short lived after the fresh gas softens up the dried crap in the carb bowl and clogs up the jets or dried out fuel pump diaphragms/ water pumps start cracking they need help. I'm restoring a 15hp johnson right now that's been sitting for prob 10yrs, im sure it would have started but from the looks of the water pump it would have sheredded in no time.

[25two.stroke]

My brother was walking home from the bus after school one day and saw a guy hauling 2 old white 45hp mercs out to the trash pile, the guy said they had been lying is shed for years... he ran home got me and we managed to get them home on a wagon and had one running before my dad got home. We pulled the 33hp johnson off our old starcraft and ran it for quite a while until water pump craped out. Compared to an old 2cyl omc of the day the merc was cantankerous and a pia to pull start but did run good once you got it going, the johnson would fire up in 2-3 pulls everytime. I have seen many old motors fire up after years of sitting but its usually short lived after the fresh gas softens up the dried crap in the carb bowl and clogs up the jets or dried out fuel pump diaphragms/ water pumps start cracking they need help. I'm restoring a 15hp johnson right now that's been sitting for prob 10yrs, im sure it would have started but from the looks of the water pump it would have sheredded in no time.

Yeah and those super old ones like to crack rings or have zero compression as the cylinders are dry and the rings have no lubrication. I work on pretty much every motor that comes in the shop here 25 hp and less. People love to bring in their barn finds and tell me to get them running...I see at least one motor a month that has been sitting 10 yrs plus. It is surprising how little effort some of them need to get running. But...like mentioned above if you just hook gas up and go then you may break other things that didn't necessarily have to break. Those 15 hp J/E impellers love to disintegrate and go all through the cooling system. Those forces like in the video love to melt pistons and stick rings. I woulda let those cylinders soak in 2stroke oil a few days before even trying to crank it. And on those 9.9/15 J/E engines like I sent you a tuner for...every one of those the first thing I do is pull the lower unit off and then try to start it without one. Take the lower out of the question, then test for spark, compression and fuel.

[flabum1017]

We used to sell those Glasstreams back in the '80's...... the floor would rot before it even left the lot.....................

[ADDvanced]

Sure seems setup with that branch laying across it.

But.... I mean it probably got parked just because it was a POS, shift/throttle was out of sync, it obviously was unreliable since it left him stranded once already. Thing probably ran when parked; it just ran poorly or inconsistently.

That said... at no point did he check the stringer or the transom; sure seems like he's ignoring a huge aspect of running a higher HP boat without checking that stuff. I bet that hull is mostly rotten.

Idk, in my hydrostream project in my last video, I got my old Mercury Hurricane started, it took maybe 5 minutes or so. Literally just fresh gas/oil, hooked up the tank, and pulled it over after fogging it a few days before. Started on maybe the 15th pull, and revved decent. Still going to rebuild the carb quick before putting it on the water, but might not be necessary.

[Forkin' Crazy]

Those Chrysler motors were good motors. Notice I said "good motors" as in powerhead. The electronics sucked and the gearcases were weak.

After Merc acquired US marine, they took the IL four, put Merc electronics, trim, and gearcase on it. Wonderful motors then!

[keefallan]

I dont think it was "made for video". There were too many messed up things that any sane person would've have fixed before running it on the river or creek. With that being said............there's no way that those stringers arent rotten. With all the water sitting in the hull.

But I wouldnt mind getting a free glasstream.........lighter bassboat than most. It would move right right along with one of my bigger motors......just sitting on stands......

I also have no doubt, that he had to clean the carbs............unless the owner ran it dry before sitting it down. Thats entirely possible. I usually do that when I winter-up my two stroke stuff.