New Engine Needed

[Reel'Laxin]

Here is the deal. Got down to the cottage Friday to enjoy friends that were in from NC. Opened up the boat and let it down into the water. Tried to start the boat and the engine went into hydro-lock. (This must have happened the weekend before ??? not really sure) After spending most of the next couple of days looking and examining the boat we found out that we possibly bent? or broke? a rod. lost compression in one of the cylinders. We just baught the boat USED this spring and have had it out on the water since April. What I'm hoping for is a new or used engine. If anyone has or knows of any one selling a 305 or 350 newer vortec GM engine. My boat is a 2000 21' Seaswirl with a Volvo Penta outdrive. We are out of Portbay.

[borderline 350]

Dear Aldave,

Your chances of finding a marine vortec used in the North East are very slim to none. (I had one until last summer, then it sold!)Either have Hank @ Port Bay) at L & M pull it and have the block sleeved and rod or rods and pistons replaced. That way you know what you will have and it will have a local warranty. Contact Dan Martin at F.A (585-872-2132) in Webster for details and delivery time. I am guessing the engine rebuild at approx. 2000 to 2500 plus Hanks labor (worth every penny!).

Not a low cost repair!! good Luck!!

Sincerely,

Jet Boat Bill

[Trap Jaw]

Your best bet would be to get a reman'd motor. A lot less down time, and it will end up costing about the same money as a rebuild. Jasper is the way I would go. They are great with warranty work, and you get a 3 year warranty to boot.

Aren't boats fun.

[seasquirrel]

FYI I replaced 4 motors in my old '96 Seaswirl Striper. I spent the extra money and put in a JASPER Remanufactured motor in it. BIG MISTAKE!!! True they had a 18 month warranty on the original motor, but not on the other motors that were replaced. I had three Jasper motors replaced in just under 18 months. I would have been paying out of pocket again if that motor cut loose again. By the way, you have to send the motor back to Jasper while they tear it down to decide if it was their fault or not. Granted, they admitted fault every time and it didnt cost me anything other than downtime. If I had to do it again, it would go to Hank at L&M for a rebuild. I asked Jasper nicely to give me a new 18 month warranty on the last motor but they wouldnt budge. Most of that warranty ticked away during the winter months also. I told Jasper I would do them dirty every chance I could and they could have cared less. Good luck, I feel for you. By the way I spent about 7 grand originally thinking I would do it right the first time. New coupler, bellows, gimbal bearing, carb. job, etc. I traded that boat in (at real boneing) before the warranty expired because I didnt trust it. I told the whole story to the marina I traded at. I heard later from the guy that the motor had problems again the very next season. Sorry for the rant. I'm still pissed!!!! Think i will go have a beer

[chowder]

For better or worse I have a fair amount of experience w/ 'reman' components, from inexpensive electrical stuff to very expensive engines and hydrostatic transmissions and all I can say is that the overall quality (if you can call it that) of most of this stuff has declined substantially over the past 15 years or so. Whenever we have the chance I try very hard to get our local and very skilled Ag mechanic to rebuild our components himself. Then we know what we have. Although most of my commercial experience is in Ag equipment, my fishing/boating hobby has steered me to believe there are few differences between marine and Ag rebuilders. You are close to an excellent marine mechanic (Hank at L&M, right in Port Bay) - be wise and consult someone who really knows what he is doing instead of being 'penny wise and dollar foolish'. -Andy

[Trap Jaw]

Well, maybe they have gone down the crapper. I just know from my experiences, which granted are about 8 years ago. I put a new motor in my truck that never had a lick of problems, still see it driving around. And I was impressed with the service they gave on my buddy's Jeep. The first motor they put in was bad from the start. Jasper sent someone over to examine it and brought along another motor. He determined it was their fault and did a second swap. Granted it took an extra 4 days, but they didn't give him the headaches squirrel got. I guess in anything you'll get the good and the bad. My experiences have been good, others have been bad. Maybe mine were good because they were automotive engines, posible they have a bunch of slack-jawed idiots working in the marine division.

My opinion has always been to get new or like new. I'm not knocking Hank. He knows his stuff, and if it weren't for the fact that I'm 6 hours away I'd go to him for everything. In my area there is no one that I would trust to even look at my boat, let alone touch it with a wrench. I didn't look to see that alddav was in the area. I'll partially retract my previous post. Yes, talk to Hank. I would also still look for some sort of crate motor, maybe not Jasper, but look into a GM crate.

[Reel'Laxin]

Well it's been almost two weeks and as you can imagine I have had alot of different opinions on this issue. I have talked to Hank, Art Ertle and Krenzer Marine. In the end I decided to take the advice from Art Ertle. He had told me about a guy up in Clayton that is a Volvo Penta expert. French Creek Marina and a guy by the name of Hans. Seems to be a very nice marina, Hans went to Volvo and studied with them for two years. I spoke to him early last week and drove the boat up this weekend. I hear what everyone is saying and like all of you I have my doubts on "Remanfactured" engines, but I also understand that not all of them will be bad. I hope that I'm on the better side of everyones bad experience. I will let you know how I make out.

[Trap Jaw]

I know you said you already took it somewhere, but this just popped up. Figured I would pass it on.

http://erie.craigslist.org/boa/1861582295.html

[lakebound88]

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