Scott Abbott
Member III
This past Fall I left Deltaville, VA on the Chesapeake Bay to head back to my home marina 15 miles away. It was up river against outgoing current and wind directly in my face. Sails down, I motored for better part of a day back. Last week while winterizing I noticed oil in the bilge. Damn. It was Sunday afternoon and I had to head back to reality. I had 'Ken' my trusted marina mechanic check the A-4 out for me on Monday (he had converted it to electronic ignition for me several months ago). Report is: evidence of oil leaking from the rear engine seal and the water pump shaft seal. There is evidence of a fuel leak from the carburetor. Cost to pull engine, repair, and reinstall hovering at $2K. Problem is, I will have a band-aid engine that really needs to be rebuilt. So, decision time...
Option #1: to get a rebuilt replacement A-4 from Moyer (rebuilt: $4,840 and new block option $6.440). install labor either way $1,200 estimated. Net all-in: $6400 to $8000. Hell... maybe even the exhaust too. Make that $10K.
Option #2: find an oldie but goodie A-4 from a fellow sympathetic sailor that I can swap out. estimated cost with shipping etc and install: $3000
Option #3: put the $2K into the existing. I have had the compression test done and I have acceptable compression in all cylinders. But with an old block and 30 years of salt water living... I am waiting to see the temperature gauge to start to head over the 190 degree mark.
Option #4: go diesel... which would be awesome. However, I am being estimated $15K. Yeah right. No chance.
What to do? I have a 9.9 Yamaha mounted to the transom as a backup motor. That thing really isn't an option in chop... just gets me back in an emergency. Now it is my only motor. At least I have some time to figure this out.
Option #1: to get a rebuilt replacement A-4 from Moyer (rebuilt: $4,840 and new block option $6.440). install labor either way $1,200 estimated. Net all-in: $6400 to $8000. Hell... maybe even the exhaust too. Make that $10K.
Option #2: find an oldie but goodie A-4 from a fellow sympathetic sailor that I can swap out. estimated cost with shipping etc and install: $3000
Option #3: put the $2K into the existing. I have had the compression test done and I have acceptable compression in all cylinders. But with an old block and 30 years of salt water living... I am waiting to see the temperature gauge to start to head over the 190 degree mark.
Option #4: go diesel... which would be awesome. However, I am being estimated $15K. Yeah right. No chance.
What to do? I have a 9.9 Yamaha mounted to the transom as a backup motor. That thing really isn't an option in chop... just gets me back in an emergency. Now it is my only motor. At least I have some time to figure this out.