Rebuilt vs. Remanufactured

[BuilderFL]

What's the difference and which one would you choose for a 1980 Merc 200hp. I'm torn between spending $3,500 for a used 1995-98 200 hp motor with who knows how many hours and a potential short term use before having to rebuilt either power head and/or lower unit or just repair mine. It's getting pretty old, but them again, I am too and I'm in good working order...well some days. What are your thoughts?

[THEFERMANATOR]

Here's a write up I did awhile back regarding rebuilding vs remanufacturing, and also what some people consider a rebuild. A used engine that is still virgin in many cases will be as good as any rebuild as most shops anymore just do repairs and call it a rebuild.

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/communit...ead.php?t=9554

[BuilderFL]

Theferm, excellent write-up on the matter. Are you actively rebuilding outboards, perhaps a 2.4 short block?

[THEFERMANATOR]

Originally Posted by BuilderFL

Theferm, excellent write-up on the matter. Are you actively rebuilding outboards, perhaps a 2.4 short block?

I build a few for people, but I don't do many. My back don't hold out to well after all mt wrecks and stuff, so I try to keep major jobs to a minumum. I know that 2.4L is an expensive one to build if it needs to be bored. The 2.4L's have chrome bores, and you can't bore them. The last I checked it was almost $600 to have a cylinder re-chromed, or $200 to have a sleeve put in. Have you pulled the heads to see how bad it is yet? I know you can buy 2.4L complete engines for less than the parts that go into a rebuild.

[BuilderFL]

I did pull the heads and to the naked eye, they are just fine. No scars, no marks, nothing. I will try to take a picture and post it. By the way, when I replaced the head gaskets, I did not use any RTV Silicone. Why, I figured that since they are so expensive (about $40 ea.), I could always return and/or sell them if that was not the problem.
Then I got to thinking that even though I removed all previous silicone and cleaned the two mating surfaces very well with brake cleaner, the lack of silicone on the mating surfaces could allow compression to leak, hence having the same symptoms prior to the replacement. Do you think I should go ahead and re-install them with Ultra Blue RTV Silicone Gasket Maker?

[bigshrimpin]

Just throwing this out there . . . but I have several drop on late 80's powerheads (2.4L motors with fingerports) They will bolt up to the older mids. I also have a 1981 V225 aswell.

I wonder if the cylinders are out of round. I had heard that can be a problem with the pre-83 2.4L motors b/c the head bolts are on the cylinder walls. I'd just never run across it before.

[spareparts]

use no sealer on the head gaskets

[THEFERMANATOR]

Originally Posted by spareparts

use no sealer on the head gaskets

I have always used a brush on type sealer around the outer edge to reduce salt creep. I like the black PERMATEX aviation grade brush on sealer myself. Silicone would be a no no on a regular head gasket. As for the original problem, it sounds like an odd one to me. I thought I remember you saying you had good compression that was even across the board. Normally major engine problems would show some wide variances across the board unless all of your rings collapsed at the same time(not very likely). I think a leakdown test is in order for your engine to make sure what the problem is.

[spareparts]

use another compresion tester. I had a guy call back after I did a buyers check on a pair of 225 Yamahas. The guy said all the cylinders on both engines only checked at 55 lbs, i told him to go biuy a new compresion guage, teh odds of 12 cylinders on two different engines all being the same amount low is pretty rare. He called back later and said his gauge was bad, he rechecked them and they were all at 125. make sure the tools you use don't lead you astray

[BuilderFL]

I had an outboard mechanic come by to just do a compression test and all the cylinders except one (75 lbs.) tested 25-28 lbs.