Stranded in St Augustine

[BOAT]

I don't like Colorado so we always turn south on the 70 at Crescent Junction and spend the night at Arches and then go on past Spanish Valley south all the way through Blanding until we get to Bluff. Usually at Bluff we decide if we are going to turn east to Shiprock or continue down the 191 all the way to the 40. I will take the 40 east, but not the 70 because we don't like Colorado, (did I mention that?).

We hide out in the hills around Santa Fe if we need to make anchor for any length of time. Colorado has way to many "authorities" and government types everywhere - makes me nervous.

[Herschel]

Thank You all for the support.
I am still checking out my options

I am a 26X owner in Orlando. I keep mine in the water at a marina in Sanford, but I stow my travel trailer at a self-storage facility near my home in south Orlando (very near the airport). Their rates, assuming they have space (I think they would, but haven't checked, yet) is about $120 a month. I would be happy to help you get to and from the airport and keep an eye on your boat at the storage facility. It has good security and onsite manager with cameras and all that stuff. I have a Dodge 1500 with hemi that tows Macs very well. If I can help with a short tow around central Florida, let me know. Sorry about your predicament. don't suppose you want to hear anything about "making lemonade" and all that.

[Gazmn]

Hey Norca,

So sorry to hear about your predicament. I totally missed this topic & story
I've been hoping & praying for safe passage myself. While I'm not traveling international, I do have 1400 mi's to go starting this Sat. to make Marathon Key by Monday
The NE Blizzard - biggest 1 storm snowfall in NYC, has kept me busy. & I'm behind in my preparation.

Keep me in the loop regarding your plans.

[Norca]

Good to know You are safe Gazm
The trip will go on as planned, we will launch from South Dade Marina on Sunday,
I am waiting for a qoute for a re-conditioned head, installed ready to go.
Hopefully that will be good enough to take us home, I realise there could be other problems since it overheated, but the only water lost was the volume of the header-tank, the radiator and engine had water all the time, so I think I will take a chance on that.
Hopefully some good news today.

[Sumner]

What engine is this? Also are you getting a quote from someone else besides the shop that quoted $5700. I felt that was way out of line and might not trust them after that. Good luck and glad the trip is still on ,

Sumner

============================
1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[Jimmyt]

Remanufactured long block from Autozone is in the $2,000 to $2,500 range assuming you have an inline 6. 16 hours at $100/hr for labor would be around $1,600 at a high-end shop. This lands you at $3,600 to $4,100 for a remanufactured solution. Add a few hundred for oil, belts, hoses, shop rags, and your looking at $4,500 absolute max for something you shouldn't have to worry about. Second-hand boneyard engine should be a good bit cheaper (although labor will probably be the same either way).

Boneyard engines can be a grab bag. If they give you a bad one, they will usually give you another one - but won't cover the labor you wasted installing and removing the first one... Something to think about if you're not doing the work yourself.

I'm with Sumner. Hope you went elsewhere for the repair. Sounds like the first shop was too busy to give you a good price.

[Herschel]

Hopefully some good news today

Hope news is good and you are able to relax and have a good time. When ready to go home, keep us in the loop and let us help, if you need it.

[korn_kid_12]

2000 miles, behind any jeep other then maybe an old grand Waggoner??? Count me out!! Had an 04 grand Cherokee wj, loved it, but I would rather tow the macs behind my old avalanche with less HP any day. That jeep wheel base is great for off-road, but horrid for towing a boat with the windage these boats have.

[Norca]

Sumner, it's a 4.7 litre V8 2005
Even a reconditioned hed + labour will be close to 2000$,
If I was sure everything else is OK and it will take me home it could work.
I am considering scrapping it and rent a U-Haul to take the boat home after the trip is over.
If anybody is interested in a Jeep Grand Cherokee 2005, fel free tomake an offer.

[korn_kid_12]

To bad in your in Florida I would be interested.

[korn_kid_12]

Sumner, it's a 4.7 litre V8 2005
Even a reconditioned hed + labour will be close to 2000$,
If I was sure everything else is OK and it will take me home it could work.
I am considering scrapping it and rent a U-Haul to take the boat home after the trip is over.
If anybody is interested in a Jeep Grand Cherokee 2005, fel free tomake an offer.

Is there any chance you could do the work? What you would save in labor you could have a Fresh reman long block and a new set of tools.

[Sumner]

Since that is an overhead cam motor I'm unsure what he was looking at with the bore scope as if it was the roller-rocker that would be seen under the valve covers...



If you think the motor isn't hurt and it is the cam lobe/lobes and the rocker or rockers on one cylinder (arrows -- intake & exhaust) I'd pull the two rockers under the cam out for that cylinder and see how it runs on 7 cylinders. The valve springs will hold the valve closed so the piston in that cylinder would just compress air and then the compressed air would help to push the piston back down. That should be something I'd think could be done very quickly by pulling the bearing caps off the cam enough to get the rockers out. Pull the wire off the injector for that cylinder also.

Sumner

============================
1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[Jeremysxx]

sell the heep on craigslist for $400 while you're there, get a toyota next time

[LoHo]

Yeah, but that's the thing about guys who own MacGregors...they are fix-it guys, not toss-it-and-buy-new guys.

[Catigale]

Nor A...completely missed this thread. Could we help out by getting a group together to mil gram ship your boat to you?

I could do from NYC to Canadian border at Quebec any weekend.