Hi Richard,

I understand your dilema over the value of the boat vs. the replacement
engine. You would never recoup your investment. A short block wouldn't
solve your problem either as it wouldn't include the engine heads which the
spark plug is located in. I would enlist the help of a patient mechanic
with a penatrating oil and a stud remover to get the reminants of the
sparkplug out. Change all the sparkplugs and coat the engine heavily with
CorrosionX HD or equivalent to help get the rust under control. If the
engine has rusted enough that a sparkplug failed, there are probably other
items that will fail due to corrosion during your next season. Join a
towing service!!!
"richard" wrote in message
ps.com...
we have a 1993 25ft four winns vista, up here in boston which we just
hauled out for the winter. 3 days before we were scheduled to end our
season, a spark plug blew apart. Due to rust and location, I was unable
to see if part of the plug was still in or not. My dealer/mechanic last
spring said that the engine was so rusted that they could not replace
some of the plugs and that we should consider a new engine sometime
soon. The boat ran perfectly all sprng/summer/fall. Now that it is
winter, out of the water, and not running, he suggests again that we
need a new engine and drive. This will cost $18,000-$20,000. We have no
intention of keeping this boat longer than another year as we have out
grown it. Another mechanic, who has not seen the engine, says I should
get a rebuilt short block and a few parts for about $4,500 or $5,000
including labor. What would you do? New engine and drive, short block,
or sell it as is, not running?