Looking at a boat for sale. Says it just needs the points fixed. What does that mean and whats the cost?

Looking at a boat for sale. Says it just needs the points fixed. What does that mean and whats the cost?|||Means it has electrical problems as there easy to fix so Y didn't they fix them Sounds fishy check it out real good have the owner fix it so U can test run it.|||"Points" are little metal contacts that are part of a distributor (found under a distributor cap) in engines that do not have electronic ignition. This means that this is an older motor, as electronic ignition has been de-facto standard for decades.





Points wear out over time as they are constantly contacted or worn as the motor runs. The good news is that replacing points is an easy and inexpensive fix. An auto parts store should have or be able to order the parts. The last time I had to purchase points (admittedly, years ago), I paid maybe $10 for the set. I would expect the price to still be less than $20. You might spend 15-30 minutes replacing the points depending on how easy it is to get to the distributor cap.





Considering how easy this job is, I would ask the boat owner to replace them. That way, you can verify that truly is the only issue with the engine. There might be much more significant issues that the owner is masking as only needing points. After all, why would you sell a boat with a poor-running motor for less money when for less than $20, you can make the motor run well and instill confidence in the buyer (and get more money for it)?|||points are very simple to deal with.


its the little metal contacts inside the distrubitor which control the ignition coil chrage and discharge that generates a spark.


you need a dwell tester to set new points properly. that costs about $40 at an auto parts store.





or find somebody with the tool and offer them a couple of beers to put new points in.


if south bay area cali is near you, i like coors light.





BTW it is my recommendation that you never buy a used boat wihout having a mechanical inspection performed by a qualified and experienced with that brand marine tech. spend that $50-100 to make sure you dont need to spend thousands more later on.


as simple as points are, you can probably get them installed free as part of the inspection.





and if south bay area cali works, i would be willing to do the inspection for free, just as long as it includes a thourough water testing in some good fishing spots..... i cant afford to replace my dead outboard at this point in time and want to get on the water.|||Means its a 5 dollar part and a 15 minute fix and the fact the owner hasn't fixed it yet tells me there's a lot more wrong with it and is scamming you, tell him to get it running so you can check it out or walk away.