Dr Honda inspired me to buy and attempt a Merc rebuild

[Cablebandit]

I just got home with a 2001 Challenger 1800 with a blown Merc 210. The plan is to pull the motor this week and see what the damage is. I can rotate it by hand and don't see any holes in the block so it might be a good build.

I thought I was over ever building any motors again (GM Ls1 platform) but this looks pretty simple so I thought I'd try to rescue one. I'll keep this thread updated.

 

[hfgreg]

Best of luck to you! [MENTION=16022]Dr Honda[/MENTION]

 

[Cablebandit]

Well I did a rough wash of it today while waiting for the lifting eye that should be here Thursday. Im letting the flywheel nut soak in PB Blaster as its pretty rusty. I hope it doesn't give me much trouble

 

[philipmurphey]

Keep a good tally on parts and labor cost so we can see what a rebuild would cost verses a new motor.

 

[Cablebandit]

As I buy more i'll add more
Mercury Mariner Flywheel Puller 91-849154T1 Lift Ring 91-90455-1 Lifting Eye 25.00
2000 Mercury 210 240 HP M2 Jet Drive Service Repair Shop Manual DEALER 90-877837 17.00

 

[njrealtor55]

Same here, just brought a challenger 2000 home with the 240efi. Needs 1 piston min. I'll be posting my rebuild here as soon as I can get the engine out.

I'm a dealer for the wsm rebuild kit, so send me a message when you are ready to buy parts - I'll give you a good price.

 

[Cablebandit]

Same here, just brought a challenger 2000 home with the 240efi. Needs 1 piston min. I'll be posting my rebuild here as soon as I can get the engine out.

I'm a dealer for the wsm rebuild kit, so send me a message when you are ready to buy parts - I'll give you a good price.

SWEET!!!

I was playing around yesterday and got almost got it ready to pull out in a short amount of time. My lifter/flywheel puller gets here tomorrow. My flywheel threads are pretty rusty as well as the nut so I expect the flywheel to be a chore to remove. I found the manual on ebay and made an offer that was accepted for 17 shipped.

 

[njrealtor55]

I have both manuals. Email me and I will share them with you. Jason.snyder55@gmail.com

 

[Cablebandit]

I have mine ready to pull out except for one nut on the adapter plate. My flyweel threads where the lifter eye screws in was very rusty. What ultimately cleaned them SO easily was one of those little flat head screwdrivers like you get in a little tool case at a place like Radio Shack. I think every guy has one of these little sets for small screws in eyeglasses, dvd players, laptops or whatever you work on. I just ran it around the threads to clean out all the muck and in 15 minutes the lifter tool went from not screwing in one thread to running it down to all 7 threads.

Also notice my "flywheel holder"...a chain attached to a starter bolt. The flywheel nut came loose very easily.

 

[Cablebandit]

UUUUGHHHHHH I cant get this motor loose. All 11 nuts are off. The front raises up 1/16" but the back refuses to budge. I've tried pulling it at different angles but it just won't break free. Yesterday was a day of frustration and lack of productivity. I took the exhaust chamber off as well so I could SEE that there was nothing holding the powerhead on and to spray those back studs with Pb Blaster. Maybe Monday will be more productive.

 

[njrealtor55]

that is not good. try a rubber mallet, perhaps you need to heat the exposed studs? prybar under the powerhead mounting surface?

i came down with a cold, and the upcoming weeks are jam packed until the new year, so it appears my engine removal is delayed. luckily, my father in law has a heated shop - so engine removal in the winter with snow outside is not a problem.

keep us posted.

 

[Cablebandit]

i can pry under the powerhead and get the front to lift up. i have 2 studs, one on each side, that seem to be the hold up. Today or tomorrow I will try heat, vinegar, freeze spray, penetrating oil and pressure. I'll also try hitting the studs with a center punch/chisel to introduce some shock/vibration. Odd thing is that all the nuts came right off with ease. With a new plan of attack, I am confident she will be out soon!

 

[njrealtor55]

document with photos please

 

[Cablebandit]

uggghhh. One piston disintegrated and the wrist pin took out part of a sleeve at the ports and also part of the block at that part. I feel sick. Since I have a complete (but broken motor) 210hp , is there another 2.5l merc that i can drop my crank (provided that it is good) in and be back in business?

 

[poinddexter]

I brought mine back from this. $900 at the machine shop and $150 for a new sleeve and i was back in business.

 

[Cablebandit]

Awesome! I definitely have less damage than that. Who did the work?

 

[xlonewolf1967]

holy crap. I have NEVER seen so much destruction and a piston completely gone like that... I'm doing a rebuild on a second 240 efi for my wifes boat. did mine last season and they are pretty easy to do. dr Honda is a wealth of knowledge on these as well as others. theres many posts on here to help too. both the wife and I will have our own 20' sea doo challenger 2000 sitting on the dock this up coming season. I just ordered new complete traction mat sets for the both of them on black Friday. 2 sets for the price of 1. cant beat that with a stick ...

 

[poinddexter]

Brant Custom Machine in Brantford Ontario did it for me.

 

[Ladiesman]

I just pulled my 240 out of my 01 challenger.. its got a partially melted piston so yea keep a tally of the cost for us ! [emoji1417]

 

[Ladiesman]

 

[njrealtor55]

looks like fun! i hope to pull my engine next Sunday. I'm already having a hard time waiting for spring - may have to fix it in January, then break it in around March if the river is not frozen.

 

[Dr Honda]

That looks as bad as my engine. You can pull the block back, and weld it. Then machine it... then sleeve it. BUT... most shops won't deal with that.

 

[Cablebandit]

I did what was suggested and found a junky donor with an 05 240efi. Any reason this shouldnt swap right into my 01 challenger?

 

[Cablebandit]

going to post some pics later but i bought an 02 utopia that has been left out in the sun forever totally rui9ning the interior. It has a good 05 smartcraft compatible 240 efi that i will install into my challenger.

 

[Dr Honda]

going to post some pics later but i bought an 02 utopia that has been left out in the sun forever totally rui9ning the interior. It has a good 05 smartcraft compatible 240 efi that i will install into my challenger.

That's the best way to do it. An ugly boat is cheap. Not to mention... get your parts out of it... then "Part-out" the rest, and you can make back some of the investment.