MYCBC – Why Join Us › Forums › Boat Maintenance and Mods › New Outboard › Reply To: New Outboard
So after much research and discussion, we thank you all for your good advice – we have rebuilt the powerhead on our 2000-DF50/hp.
Lots of things to consider when repowering. One of the main reasons for us rebuilding, besides the money (1/3 the cost of new) is that we are only the second owners of this motor and over the last nine years we have come to know and trust it very well. The engine only has 650 hours on it as we only average about 50 hours per year (aren’t sailboats great) and the damage that caused us to rebuild in the first place was a $25 tension chain bracket and was a fluky failure, but because we needed to pull the power head to replace the part we decided to spend the extra and rebuild.
Complete new powerhead rebuild including; piston rings, main and con-rod bearings, valves and seats lapped + new guides, tappets re-shimmed, oil seals and gaskets, water jackets cleaned, rust painted, hose connectors, etc.
We looked at going with a new-ish engine, but were not comfortable risking buying someone else’s problem.
We looked it going near new, specifically with Mercury from Bridgeview but the total after taxes installation, prop, control cables, and gauge is just over $8000 for a 75hp.
We looked at buying brand-new but just didn’t want to spend upwards towards $10,000 right now.
Yes, going faster would be nice, but we are happy and confident with our choice to rebuild an engine that we know and trust.
Ps, I am proud to say that the water jackets in this 15 year old engine were almost completed clean and open. Almost no salt build up clogging the water system. I attribute this to not only vigilant maintenance fresh water flushes after almost every use, but also to flushing with a product called “Salt Away” several times a year. I swear by it, and the result are now proof positive for me by seeing the inside of our engine.
Thanks again for everyone’s thoughts, we learned a lot through this process, and by going public we hope others did too.
Darry & Leisa
s/v “happy” Windchime 🙂
