boat question

[Shimon]

Freeze plugs do not always work. I work on boats and see a lot of damage from freezing. 18F can do a lot of damage on a boat that has fresh water sitting in a manifold.

What HP is the engine going to be? Which version of Merc? EFI? This is just a bobtail engine and they are reusing your outdrive, right? Depending on the HP, I still say that price is right for a new, installed engine. Look online at pricing of Merc 350s that will match the specs of the engine they will be selling you.

I'm in the boat repair business and have done many, many repowers (mostly diesel) but those numbers sound fair based on the info you gave. Heck we just dropped two new Cummins QSB5.9 305HP engines in a Tollycraft and the bill was $175,000 ($80,000 for engines, the rest labor/parts). Granted different league but $5k for a new Merc gasser bobtail installed is fair by my standards in our neck of the woods. Good luck!

 

[deere755]

It is 260hp with a 4 barrel carberator. We are just getting the engine no outdrive.

 

[Shimon]

Just did a quick Google and found a couple of links with their prices for a carburated 350 Merc engine only (doesn't include installation):

$6994
$8048

Do a more thorough search and see if you can beat the price they quoted. Looks like a good price.

If you are looking for just a long block then it will be cheaper but you still need some new parts and extra labor to move the parts over and test/check old parts.

 

[mwechtal]

Update
The mechanic says we need a new engine and that a 350 is anywhere from $5000 to $7000 installed. Does this sound a little high to anyone else or is this a fair price for a boat engine. I had a friend just buy a new 4.3 v6 for $1300 for his pickup. I figure a marine engine is a little higher but not that much.

I doubt that you need an entire engine.

The first level that is usually replace in a car is the short block. You get a block with crank shaft, con rods, wrist pins and pistons and rings, and maybe a camshaft.

A long block is a short block with head assemblys, and almost certainly a camshaft. You just bolt on the old intake and exhaust manifolds, carburetor, etc.

I would be a bit skeptical about you're needing any more than a short block.

BTW, someone mentioned freeze plugs. The reason that they don't always work is that there is no such thing as freeze plugs. They are called soft plugs, and they are there to plug holes that have to be in the casting for one reason or another. Often if an engine freezes up they will push out, but this is just luck it's not why they are there.

Mike

 

[mjarrels]

Doesn't look like much has changed from my boating days... still a hole in the water to put money into... sorry about your engine!

mark

 

[deere755]

Well I got some real good news about our boat engine today. It was pressure tested for cracks and none were found. He said the flapper valves were shot and he thinks that let water get into the cylinders. He drained the oil and put new in, pulled the plugs, and squirted oil in the cylinders and it started and ran fine. He also checked the compression and it was very good he said. He plans on fogging the engine letting it run and changing oil again fogging and doing this process about 3 to 4 times to make sure the waterr is all out. He feels that changing the flapper valves is all that needs to be done and it will be good as new. Anyone have an opinion on this? I think it is worth trying rather then spending money on a new engine but I am not a mechanic.

 

[Shimon]

Well, that's certainly good news. If it runs fine then stick with it. As long as nothing is bent you should be ok. Probably had a little damage to bearings and possibly rings/walls but run it till you need a new one or a rebuild.

Is the sterndrive unit a Volvo? If I remember correctly they had a bulletin out about flapper valve failures and had some sort of fix. I'm not a sterndrive expert but I do remember that much.

 

[tommu56]

We have gotten a few forklift (marine) engines from these guys
Marine Engines

at a resonable price

tommmu

 

[BrianW]

I would think just running it for a while would boil all of the water out. Fogging it is not necessary.

 

[Coyote]

That's a good outcome! A little late now but...do you know where your drain plugs are for winterinzing your boat? Usually one on each side of the engine, and it drains all the water out of the block. I do it to mine every fall and I'm just in NC...not too cold around here even in Feb.