Re: New Engine vs. Rebuilt
do not buy brand new from mercruiser, and try to buy as little 'mercruiser' parts as you can. When you buy mercruiser, you're stuck with only mercruiser parts and their expensive price, wether it be carburetor, fuel pump, alternator, distributor/ignition, etc.<br /><br />get a new outdrive from sterndrive engineering for $1500, that's the only aftermarket drive I would consider based on all the favorable reviews here.<br />I bought a Konrad drive, an aftermarket replacement for a mercruiser 1 drive from 1975, and that lasted me one season. Bought it for $2-3k new, lower housing was warped and I couldn't claim warranty on it. I ended up trading it in for a discount on a new alpha drive, which has lasted me since. You will take your chances with any rebuilt or used outdrive, warranty or not. One alpha drive I had that was 'rebuilt" sheared the propshaft, later found out they used a "used" propshaft to rebuild it.<br /><br />I bought a new 351w motor 10 years ago for $2800 I think, from Basic power out of NC. They have a decent website with prices. Motor came with everything minus fuel pump, alternator, and manifolds. Those I either took off from old engine or replaced outright for cheap, and motor has been excellent to this day. Basic power is a good source for or just browsing for marine parts. My recommendation is look for a new mercruiser replacement, not a new mercruiser. All the accessories will fit up to your existing powertrain, since the 5.7L chevy mercruiser setup is so common. Stay away from fuel injection, unless your really gungho to have it and understand the expense of having one. And stay away from mercruiser ignition, either get an engine with points and convert it with pertronix for $100 or just pick up a whole new prestolite, mallory, msd, or pertonix complete distributor with electronic ignition. The cost of just parts in a mercruiser distributor when they go bad can be the cost of a whole new aftermarket distributor.
