Basic cost of rebuild

[MAXXIE]

I know it's impossible to estimate, but what ballpark am I looking at if I needed to do a basic rebuild on a 1985 volvo-penta 4 cylinder I/O? I know they might find issues when it gets torn apart, but if it just needs a regular rebuild. Any help would be great. I'm looking at buying a close to mint condition, (everything but the engine), 1985 Bayliner 18.5' I/O. The over all condition of this boat is great. Not even a water line on it, & no it has not been cleaned up just for the sale. I've been watching this boat for over a year now & bam! for sale sign. I gave it a good look over & I'll be dragging it to a local shop for an inspection of the engine this week pending weather. I was just looking for some numbers so I'm not sticker shocked. Tanx, Maxx

 

[mkast]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

Somewhere between a can of paint, $2.99 and a complete overhaul, $2000.
Until the engine is inspected/disassembled, impossible to guess.
Cost of parts very with the shop doing the work.
Shop rates very all over the country.

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

And what happened? How does a "mint" boat end up with a bad motor? A colleague did a B30 6cyl last summer and his cost from a top-notch rebuilder was $3200 and thats just the long block...nothing cheap about Volvo's

 

[donberry]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

trust me, just because she is clean does not mean you had better not check the heck out of the transom.

 

[drem312]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

my two cents.... It all depends on you,,, if this is a boat you really want and money is not an option then buy it ,restore it and dump some cash in it ..if you dont have a lot of cash and cant do any of the engine work yourself then I suggest leave it be. Some shops will tear it apart and next thing you know your $500 boat has a $4500 dollar engine build with labor.. if you can find a boat on craiglist that has a good used motor and can have the capabilty to yank the motor and put it in your new boat then it might be worth it..personally for a 18 ft bayliner I think you could find something all done and alot cheaper for what you will have into the boat. its up to you even if you get a rebuilt motor for two grand add 1500 for labor on hooking it all up in your boat,,, paying a marine mech adds up very quickly,,,then you might have all the other unknown problems,,,floor/transom rot..old gas in the tank,filters, fuses that have been sitting bilge pumps, batteries, lights all safety equipment etc etc that all adds up quickly ,,, and what about the outdrive?? that can be another 1500 for a used one!! my advice again if you can do some of the work its ok if not then buy one you can test run on the water and like I tell people who ask me run it on a lake for an hour and have it looked at who knows what they are talking about..

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

1985 volvo-penta 4 cylinder I/O?..... Bayliner 18.5' I/O.

Might want to be a little more specific on what you have. Didn't some of the Volvo's also use the basic 3.0 liter GM engine? Or am I thinking OMC. Anyway - find out a little more specific what engine you ar elooking at.

 

[MAXXIE]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

Thanks, these are the type of answers I was expecting. I know it might be a walk away deal. The guy said there's nothing wrong with the motor, he was running it this past summer, but the fan belt is off now. I asked why & he said it was running hot & he was trying to find out why. I'm thinking blown head gasket and/or warped heads. I've decided to tow it up to a local shop & let the mech at least take a look at it. I know he will have a good idea of what the real deal is on the motor. I know, Bayliner, Bayliner, Bayliner, bla bla bla. I have a 17' Bayliner with O/B that runs perfect now, it's just that I want an I/O & a little more room & this fit's the bill. I have a buyer for my boat right now for the same price I can get this one for. As long as the engine won't run me more that $5 or 600 I'll buy it.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

Why would the seller take any belts off to look for an overheat problem?
Something does not sound right...

It is possible the water pump on the front of the engine seized up and threw the belt but who knows how hot he let it get and what damage was done.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

Howdy,

If I couldn't take the boat to the lake and run it at WOT, I would keep looking.

 

[SawDust{RM}]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

Outdrives should serviced once a year, although most folks don't, the over heating issue could be as simple as a new impeller is required. the once a year outdrive servce should include impeller replacement. On the other hand the water pump maybe trashed, the Engine may have overheated & Hydrolocked.
Good Luck

 

[MAXXIE]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

I stopped at the local shop where the boat I currently own was stored & had maintenance done yesterday. I explained the situation to the owner, I just wanted him to give it a quick once over (nothing major) & give me his best guess on the engine's condition. I also told him If I decided to buy the boat & he ended up being totally wrong I would not hold it against him in any way. I know there's only so much you can do without tearing it down, I just wanted someone that knows what there talking about look it over. He was a total ****. Very rude with everything he said & didn't even want to talk to me about it at all. I also told him I would pay for his time. Nothing doing. I'll try another shop, there's another one not too far away. As far as the price of this boat...I'm not offering any more than $500, unless he can run the motor.

 

[proshadetree]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

I hate to say this but most shops look at a older boat and say not me. Unless they are surrounded by older boats they just pass. Most of the time there is so much wrong with them they wind up taking the boat for the repair fee. Why spend 5000 dollars on a 80s boat and not just upgrade? The shops around here are split into two groups New boats and older boats. The guys with the new boats are covered up with warranty work, repairing stupid things owners do to them or just services. The older boat guys really do not want your boat, look behind their shop they have plenty. If it looks to be major they just pass. The ones working on older boats should not be snotty, they will look at your boat and charge you for their time. Shops are there to make money not help a man out. Some people at these shops however are great folks and will bend over backwards to serve the boating community. Many saw my old baylinner and told me do not do it, you will sink more into it than you can buy a newer boat for. But a newer boat would have cost more and I might still have to do the same repairs to it.

 

[MAXXIE]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

Ya, I'm in a tough spot. I can't afford the upfront money for a newer boat. That's why I'm involved with this one. I could spread out the repairs over time & afford it that way. I notice that most people on here have really nice newer or brand new boats. I wish I could do that, but I can't. It's quite easy to sit there & look at it from their point of view & say, "it's not worth it, just buy new". I have a strong feeling that this might be a great deal, I don't get the feeling he's jerking me around, but that's just it, You never know. I could just tell him that if he's bullsh*tin' I'll break a leg for him. Then maybe an arm the next week.

 

[proshadetree]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

I have an 88 baylinner. Looking back on the pics I say what was I thinking. When I take it for a ride I know exactly what I was thinking.500 with a trashed engine is still a deal If the hull is perfect. Best of my memory you said it was. I gave 500 for mine no floors parts in boxes and a busted engine. I have 3000 in her now.

 

[sqbtr]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

Unless you are mechanically inclined, ie (able to do ALL the work) one trip to the shop could put you completely upside down in that boat. Around here that boat would bring $2,500 tops if it were turn key with no rot. I've only got about 3,500 in actual dollars in my old Bay that would go for $1,500 on a good day

If I figured in my labor at half the shop rates around here you would have to add $9,000.

Fact is I enjoy working on my boats as much as being on the water.

Owning an old boat is a lot of work, once you think you have all the problems taken care of you still have the basic maintenance items every year.

Volvo's are not cheap, but, many parts interchange between models. Do your homework and ALL your own work and you could have a fairly inexpensive boat.

JMHO

 

[Brucetafer]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

i got my AQ131A VP with a 275 outdrive.... the boat is in Great condition, rebuilt trailer, 1000 trolling motor, all kinds of toys and nice stuff... but the motor ran like ****.... so therefore, i bought it 3 grand under what he wanted, the motor ran, the outdrive was rebuilt, he had around 5000 in new parts to get it going... so now i have a ton of brand new parts and a good looking boat.. now im ripping her apart to find the timing was off a tooth... those b230 blocks are everywhere... i went to my local junkyard and found 10 of those motors... i would get it if the boat is in GREAT condition.. and if worst comes to worst and the motor is shot, pull it, go get a used good motor (seen b230 blocks go for around 1000 rebuilt) and slap her in there and enjoy!!! they call Bust Out Another Thousand 's boats for a reason... id buy it in a heartbeat if you have the time to fiddle with it... most people ive talked to say these b230s are almost indestructable... BUT the parts are expensive... sierra makes a bunch of aftermarket ones too... i love my engine...

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

People are pretty much echoing the same experiences with the older Volvo engines. Many of the shops don't want to touch anything older than 1989 when Volvo was using the AQ series. There's no such thing as a factory rebuild or a new block around anymore. Yes - junkyards are a source of used engines and there are several sources for new parts:
http://catalog.alloemvolvoparts.com/
http://www.ipdusa.com/
http://www.rprusa.com/
http://www.fcpgroton.com/?gclid=CJ3d8dmXyaYCFQlPgwodmQahHQ

There are tons of resources for engine help, it just takes a little time to find them.

I'll just repeat what others have said and say that it can be done. If you like wrenching on the boat and you have the time, it's possible and can be enjoyable. There's the flip side of being a pain in the rear at times as well. Never even think of doing this for investment purposes. Look at it from the viewpoint of enjoying your boat.

 

[2stroke1971]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

I am in the process of rebuilding an aq125 at this moment. Also from an 85 Bayliner I might add!
The ONLY way this works is because I do EVERYTHING. Im going to come in at around $500 for the project.
There's a conundrum at work here......sometimes it seems that if all you can afford is an old boat, than you may not be able to afford to have it professionally serviced.
If you CAN afford a $5000 motor job, than you could just buy a better boat from the get-go.
Me, I fall in the category of being FAR too broke to do anything BUT work on my own stuff.

 

[MAXXIE]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

By no means is it going to be an investment I can flip for a quick buck. I want it for the extra room in the boat, & it's all I can afford right now. Who knows? The damn thing might run as good as he said it does. Like I said he's asking $1000 & the best offer he will get from me without the motor running is $500 tops. I'll be stopping by there today or Saturday & I think I'm going to just say "Here's $500, I'll hook it up right now, no questions asked, take it or leave it". I have a feeling the motor is fine. Lets see what happens????

 

[proshadetree]

Re: Basic cost of rebuild

As long as you can do that with the knowledge the engine is junk, you will be ok. If it turns out to be good you are miles ahead.