Think starboard engine blew this weekend.....

[YeOldeStonecat]

Cruising along up the CT river, just going through East Haddam by Gilettes Castle...my ears started picking up an odd "metal chafing" noise, by the time I started easing up on the gas, louder and louder "bang bang Bang BANG!" noises. Shut off engine, no smoke, no smell, limped back on port engine back to the marina. Had a receiving crowd there since wife contact people at the dock to help us into our slip on one engine only.

Removed rear lounge seats, deck plates..and gave engine a quick start. Yeah, same ugly noise, sorta like an anchor tumbling in a clothes dryer..engine idled...but...it hated it. Shut off right away.

No leaks in bilge, pulled dipstick, oil fine color. While out on the ride, oil pressure fine (~38), temp..well, still running cool (I think that engines thermostat is stuck so it's around 135-140).

Some people suggesting transmission might be the culprit. Probably be a while til the yard can look at it, our marina (Deep River)...still behind in launching and short staffed.

Ugh...feel so sick to my stomach.
What are peoples recommended reman brands? I've heard of Michigan Motorz, and Jasper, and another guy on our dock likes 1800runsnew.

 

[mrsrobinson]

I was happy with the Jasper 7.4 long block remans in my 330 sundancer.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Whelp, across 2x weekends, got her tore down a bit. Starboard engine, ran compression test, 0 PSI on cylinder 8. And I mean zero..the needed didn't even budge on the gauge. So this weekend started tearing her down, intake off, inboard head off...and found marks on top of #8 piston from smacking the exhaust valve. Valve looked seated properly, but the piston...I pushed it in with my fingers and it fell down an inch easily. So the connecting rod of the piston...gone.

Shopping engines now, looking for a reman. I'm just wondering how much of the old engine I carry over. Removing the heat exchanger to get to the thermostat housing so remove that so I could remove the manifold...the old hoses...look like such "baked in" ends on them I don't see them able to get refitted tightly again.

Trying to wrap my head around what "accessories" I should order with the reman/long block. My exhaust manifolds and risers/elbows are new 3 years ago...I had swapped those myself. I know I keep my intake manifold and throttle body..that goes over. Heat exchanger of course too. Wondering if there are cooling hose kits...with all the pre-formed/pre-shaped hosts you'll need for the entire engine.

 

[mrsrobinson]

A Jasper Long Block is your friend

 

[Chris-380]

My previous boat came with a jasper 5.7 (320hp) VP with only 4 hours on it. I put 100 hours on it in 2 years, sold it. Still running strong 4 years later, probably another 200 hours or more on it I heard stories on jasper, wasn’t my experience at all

 

[mrsrobinson]

My 330DA had less than 1 hour on both 7.4 Jasper long blocks. The manifolds and risers were new as well. I upgraded the engines to full system antifreeze cooling, including the manifolds. They performed flawlessly for the 5 years I owned the boat. The previous owner installed them for the sale. If I had done it I would have installed more new parts that are difficult to get to once the engines are in the boat.

 

[Little Ducky]

I have one Jasper remanufactured in my boat. All good.

See which company your marina/mechanic will stand behind and go with that one. That way if you should have any warranty issues they would be taken care of without issue.

Rebuilding your old should not even be considered unless you are doing it yourself and even then the loss of boating time might trump the cost of going reman.

Good luck and report back on your progress.

 

[Espos4]

If you go with a reman, ask your mechanic to double check all the torque specs on the rod and main caps. Trust but verify.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Called a couple of places today. Noticed Jasper doesn't post (or I cannot find)...pricing. Called MichiganMotorz...VERY helpful guy, on the phone almost 5 minutes and sent him an email after that and within a minute I had a reply. No remans in stock right now but a shipment expected in ~2 weeks. Also called 1800RunsNew...guy was a bit rushed. No stock right now but shipment arriving tomorrow. Their prices were the same, $3,649.00 for a remanned long block/base engine. ~400 bucks for the core. Come with gaskets, water pump, harmonic balancer, timing cover, oil pan. Will also call Atlantic Marine tomorrow, and I learned of a place right in my state (CT)..called AffordableMarine...will call them tomorrow.

 

[El Capitan]

Wow. Your signature says you're running twin chevy 350's. Surprised everyone doesn't have a dozen lying around anymore theyre so common.

How many hours on your motor?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

How many hours on your motor?

Around 740 hours.
We bought her when she had around 500. We later heard from dock neighbors, that the prior 2 owners didn't care for her too well. It became apparent to me they didn't change her oil too often. For the past 4 years I've been over compensating by changing the oil twice a season, once before winter, and once a week or two after launch and a run or two. A 2 hour cruise, each engine would consume over a quart of oil. Never ran her above 4k, usually cruised 3200-3400 rpm.

 

[frosh coach]

Called a couple of places today. Noticed Jasper doesn't post (or I cannot find)...pricing. Called MichiganMotorz...VERY helpful guy, on the phone almost 5 minutes and sent him an email after that and within a minute I had a reply. No remans in stock right now but a shipment expected in ~2 weeks. Also called 1800RunsNew...guy was a bit rushed. No stock right now but shipment arriving tomorrow. Their prices were the same, $3,649.00 for a remanned long block/base engine. ~400 bucks for the core. Come with gaskets, water pump, harmonic balancer, timing cover, oil pan. Will also call Atlantic Marine tomorrow, and I learned of a place right in my state (CT)..called AffordableMarine...will call them tomorrow.

How did you make out with affordale marine? I told Michele on a facebook group about them. They were good when i used them about 15 yrs ago for a 3.0 L

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

How did you make out with affordale marine? I told Michele on a facebook group about them. They were good when i used them about 15 yrs ago for a 3.0 L

I called and they only had pre-vortec in stock. Mine is Vortec ...8 bolt intake. Versus 12 of the earlier type.

I'll probably be going with Michigan Motorz....he (some guy named Roger) spent his time on the phone with me, answering lots of questions, and later replied quickly to an email I sent him post phone call.

I also learned of a place in St Pete FL...a bud of mine on FB just posted 2 days ago about getting an engine from them, he was very pleased with them, they're about $1k less expensive for a longblock 350 than others. AnthonyMarineEngines.
https://www.anthonysmarineengines.com/

 

[mrsrobinson]

Can you bump up to a 6.2?

 

[atrick]

I called and they only had pre-vortec in stock. Mine is Vortec ...8 bolt intake. Versus 12 of the earlier type.

I'll probably be going with Michigan Motorz....he (some guy named Roger) spent his time on the phone with me, answering lots of questions, and later replied quickly to an email I sent him post phone call.

I also learned of a place in St Pete FL...a bud of mine on FB just posted 2 days ago about getting an engine from them, he was very pleased with them, they're about $1k less expensive for a longblock 350 than others. AnthonyMarineEngines.
https://www.anthonysmarineengines.com/

I think all their Michigan Motors blocks come from Fl as I ordered two last year and they came at different times last year but both were shipped out of Fl

 

[Bill Curtis]

I called and they only had pre-vortec in stock. Mine is Vortec ...8 bolt intake. Versus 12 of the earlier type.

I'll probably be going with Michigan Motorz....he (some guy named Roger) spent his time on the phone with me, answering lots of questions, and later replied quickly to an email I sent him post phone call.

I also learned of a place in St Pete FL...a bud of mine on FB just posted 2 days ago about getting an engine from them, he was very pleased with them, they're about $1k less expensive for a longblock 350 than others. AnthonyMarineEngines.
https://www.anthonysmarineengines.com/

If you can't find one, Jegs and Summit Racing have have every flavor of marine long block you can dream up.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Can you bump up to a 6.2?

I always drooled over replacing those 350's with 383's....
If we were to keep this boat for many years, I would.
But we're getting ready to sell her by next year and likely go to a convertible sedan bridge in 2 years...to summer in up here in CT, while we relocate to FL for the colder half of the year. Budget circumstances...just don't want to bite off that much.

 

[Paolucci]

I blew my 5.7 last year....sicking feeling for sure, nso I feel for you. I bought a long block direct from Mercruiser....runs great to date. I looked at Jasper and Michigan Motors....cost was comparable for a new long block....good luck

 

[SCORPIO]

I repowerd my boat with 2 new 5.7 crate motors from Michiganmotorz a few years ago. They were great to work with and the product is first rate.
I'd go with a new engine if you can afford it.

 

[Scott06]

I called and they only had pre-vortec in stock. Mine is Vortec ...8 bolt intake. Versus 12 of the earlier type.

I'll probably be going with Michigan Motorz....he (some guy named Roger) spent his time on the phone with me, answering lots of questions, and later replied quickly to an email I sent him post phone call.

I also learned of a place in St Pete FL...a bud of mine on FB just posted 2 days ago about getting an engine from them, he was very pleased with them, they're about $1k less expensive for a longblock 350 than others. AnthonyMarineEngines.
https://www.anthonysmarineengines.com/

I had very good luck with michigan motorz when i repowered six years ago. Roger is one of the owners they took time to customize my partial engine package.