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VLX engine replacement $$$?


stroker-ace

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Dont read too much into this. I was just curious as to what you guys think replacing a Monsoon in a 2007 VLX might run. Yes, I can always call a dealer and get a solid #, but I dont want to bother the dealer with idle questions b/c I hate it when people do that to me. Besides, that is what the Crew is for. :whistle:

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Dont read too much into this. I was just curious as to what you guys think replacing a Monsoon in a 2007 VLX might run. Yes, I can always call a dealer and get a solid #, but I dont want to bother the dealer with idle questions b/c I hate it when people do that to me. Besides, that is what the Crew is for. :whistle:

With another Monsoon? Or are you looking for more HP or Torque? Can you do the work?

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say a boat has a bad monsoon and you want to replace it with another monsoon. no, i would not be doing the work. i can probably figure out the labor. i just dont know what one of those engines costs.

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Dont read too much into this. I was just curious as to what you guys think replacing a Monsoon in a 2007 VLX might run. Yes, I can always call a dealer and get a solid #, but I dont want to bother the dealer with idle questions b/c I hate it when people do that to me. Besides, that is what the Crew is for. :whistle:

Longblock runs around $4500 IIRC, short block considerably less. You could probably get the vortec block pretty cheap and do the rest yourself.

http://www.bakesonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=1749

Edited by 06vlx
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Longblock runs around $7500 IIRC, short block considerably less. You could probably get the vortec block pretty cheap and do the rest yourself.

cant i just buy a longblock for a 94 Silverado and drop it in there? :crazy: i can get one of those for $500!

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cant i just buy a longblock for a 94 Silverado and drop it in there? :crazy: i can get one of those for $500!

I know your joking but.......all joking aside you kind of correct.

I ran the block # on my monsoon and found out that the casting IS exactly the same as the truck casting. Furthermore, this casting is available through GM for about 900-1000 new. So if you only need a block (like freeze damage) you could pick one up pretty cheap and xfer the parts with new bearings/ rings/ gaskets you could have yourself a much cheaper engine. Of course if the engine grenaded then you'll be needing that long block.

It would be good to get an indmar gasket set though....

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I purchased a Vortec 5.7L longblock from Rapid-O Marine for $1750 + $150 shipping from Florida to Oregon. The casting number matched mine exactly. I then did the swap myself (no prior experience). Total was 3 long days of work and less than $2000 by the time I was done. Seeing what I saw when swapping the parts over and putting the engine in the boat, I don't see the benefit to buying the Indmar block for $4500. Swap the Indmar-specific parts over from the old block. If you don't want to do it yourself, get the Rapid-O long block and pay someone to do it all for you. I'm sure someone that knows what they're doing can do it very quickly and you'll still come out ahead.

Here's the thread where I discussed my project and what I learned along the way.

Just my 2 cents.

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Dont read too much into this. I was just curious as to what you guys think replacing a Monsoon in a 2007 VLX might run. Yes, I can always call a dealer and get a solid #, but I dont want to bother the dealer with idle questions b/c I hate it when people do that to me. Besides, that is what the Crew is for. :whistle:

Staying NEW and keeping it Indmar OEM, $7k parts, labor, freight, etc. start to finish. We do 10 or so motors every spring and it doesn't get much cheaper than that. Mostly because its not just the block that is cracked, its the cylinder heads, manifolds, water pump, heater & shower parts that are destroyed too so if its a freeze repair it tends to snowball.

I purchased a Vortec 5.7L long block from Rapid-O Marine for $1750 + $150 shipping from Florida to Oregon. The casting number matched mine exactly. I then did the swap myself (no prior experience). Total was 3 long days of work and less than $2000 by the time I was done. Seeing what I saw when swapping the parts over and putting the engine in the boat, I don't see the benefit to buying the Indmar block for $4500. Swap the Indmar-specific parts over from the old block. If you don't want to do it yourself, get the Rapid-O long block and pay someone to do it all for you. I'm sure someone that knows what they're doing can do it very quickly and you'll still come out ahead.

Here's the thread where I discussed my project and what I learned along the way.

http://www.themalibu...673#entry416673

Just my 2 cents.

From what I learned about Rapid-O from their web site, they only do Re-manufactured motors not new that's why they are half the price. There is nothing wrong with re-mans as long as they keep the internals the same and to the same tolerance. Indmar/GM builds everything very tight because of how our boats are used and the RPM they run at.

Personally i wouldn't put anything into my personal boat other than new after seeing the troubles I've seen customers go through with shotty rebuilds or buying a automotive block and having a major failure the first summer they have it back out on the water. No machine shop will ever build as many motors as GM so there is nobody I would trust more.

-Paul

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I am with Paul on this one...

I spent many years in the reman engine business and the castings are the same, but the internals are not...specifically camshaft, freezeplugs and other non-satainless pieces.

Also, my thinking is that if any part of the engine has a catastrophic failure, replace the whole thing (when boats are concerned at least). This question of replacement (not my boat) was spurred by the comment "...it has a cracked cylinder head..." Ya, I am sure that is all that is wrong. :crazy:

Thanks for the number, Paul. I was figuring between $7,500 and $10,000 off the top of my head.

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Staying NEW and keeping it Indmar OEM, $7k parts, labor, freight, etc. start to finish. We do 10 or so motors every spring and it doesn't get much cheaper than that. Mostly because its not just the block that is cracked, its the cylinder heads, manifolds, water pump, heater & shower parts that are destroyed too so if its a freeze repair it tends to snowball.

From what I learned about Rapid-O from their web site, they only do Re-manufactured motors not new that's why they are half the price. There is nothing wrong with re-mans as long as they keep the internals the same and to the same tolerance. Indmar/GM builds everything very tight because of how our boats are used and the RPM they run at.

Personally i wouldn't put anything into my personal boat other than new after seeing the troubles I've seen customers go through with shotty rebuilds or buying a automotive block and having a major failure the first summer they have it back out on the water. No machine shop will ever build as many motors as GM so there is nobody I would trust more.

-Paul

Of Course GM does a good job and of course there are builders out there that do shoddy work.....but I know very well that there are builders out there that can build a better engine than the mass produced ones at GM. Shoot some of those guys build 20k+ racing engines. Not necessarily disagreeing with you Paul but just stating what I know to be the truth. That said anyone going this route had better know the shop they are dealing with. There are probably more hacks out there than pros.

If it were me, I'd buy the boat at a discounted price and put an engine in it built by me and not think twice about it.

Not sure any of this matters in this case anyway :)

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I agree, but the difference is a GM build engine is a known quantity. Hand built engines, like the Corvette Z06 may have tighter tolerances, but there has to be greater variability. To decrease the variability, you'll have to pay a lot, like 20K+. Not worth it in my opinion for our application.

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in the case of $60k boats, i would lean towards factory replacement for the sake of warranty and/or resale value. you aren't going to throw a Jasper into a Z06...know what I mean? :biggrin:

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