My application for idiot of the year award...

[HFarr]

that link you just sent reminded me of some good times. In my car days, Late 80s-early 90s, I had a sb400 I put in an old 80' firebird espirt (came with v6) that was brutal. Until my friend took his 350 and dropped a 400 crank in it to make a 383 for his old z28. That thing could turn up the rpms in a hurry and sure enough lay down the power!

[james yarosz]

did they say where the block was cracked? Most chevy blocks crack between the freeze plugs.I have repaired them with jb weld and they have lasted for years.Most shops wont do a repair.Is there water in the oil?

[HFarr]

Actually, did you make sure it wasn't just a freeze plu leaking?

[BooShaker]

did they say where the block was cracked? Most chevy blocks crack between the freeze plugs.I have repaired them with jb weld and they have lasted for years.Most shops wont do a repair.Is there water in the oil?

He didn't say exactly where the crack was but yes, water in the oil. Water was coming out of the motor into the boat along with some oil.

[haknslash]

My old coworker who went through this on his direct drive outback a few years ago when he rolled the dice. We had a freak ice storm that lasted several days with hard freezing temps and he didn't drain all of the water like he thought he had. He bought a replacement short block and reused everything else from his old motor. He said he paid a little over a grand shipped and he swapped everything over and installed it himself. As they mentioned with it being direct drive you have a ton of access and it's pretty straight forward swap if you have a engine hoist or can rent one. He got his from a place in Texas called https://www.mabbcomotors.com/

[sandm]

I'm with hack's buddy. direct drive is a piece of cake from an access perspective. I'd replace the motor myself and then decide to keep or sell. MIGHT need some help with a forklift as not sure an engine hoist would go high enough and far enough in but even that would only be 4 or 500 to rent one for a day to do the swap.

not mechanically inclined I would be surprised if you spent a grand for a block that the whole job would cost north of 3 or 4k. your real issue will be finding a shop that has time in this day and age. seems most shops are months out for major work like that.

[BooShaker]

I don't think I'd be willing to tackle a job like this on my own...nor do I trust, well, myself, and a few buddies to take this on. But I have thought about buying the engine on my own and finding a shop to install it. Unfortunately the shop that has looked at it is the only one in town that works on inboards that I can find. If anybody is within a couple of hours from Jackson, MS, feel free to recommend a shop.

Anybody have an idea of what we could get for it without the motor? Are we talking $5k? $10k? $3k?

[sandm]

without pics and descriptions it's a moot conversation.

you'll have no issues peddling for 10grand with a clean hull and good interior. if it's used and shows it, 3-5 would be closer.

[Jimm]

You only being a couple or so hours away from Central Alabama, there are several places around Logan Martin, Lake Martin and Lake Guntersville that I would trust to do it. I have no idea about costs but if you are limited to 1 local shop you might try and look over here.

[james yarosz]

If there is water in the oil forget the repair.Block must be cracked internally.Exhaust manifolds could also have issues.