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Repowering Sterndrive & Inboard Marine Engines with 2010 EPA Exhaust Emission Regulations

Things have changed significantly over the past year and PPT is getting flooded with customers wanting to repower but not understanding how these new rules effect their options. Until recently, the same requirements as applied to NEW BOATS were scheduled to apply to new engines used to repower older boats.  

EPA Rules for Repowering with Turnkey Bobtail Engines (currently this does not apply to longblocks)

If the original EPA rule would have been enforced this would have meant that the only way to repower an older boat would have been with a new catalyst equipped marine engine. However, recent revisions to the EPA regulations now allow older boats to be repowered or serviced with new engines not equipped with emissions control built after Jan 1, 2010. There are some options in the provisions, so individual manufacturers’ programs may vary.

REPOWERING your pre-2010 sterndrive or inboard boat with a turnkey bobtail marine engine or Longblock can be summarized with 6 OPTIONS:

1. Repower with a new catalyst equipped Mercruiser or Volvo Penta MPI turnkey bobtail marine engine. (See Note Below)
2. Purchase a new non-catalyst equipped Mercruiser turnkey bobtail marine engine. (See Note Below)
3. Repower with a new Crusader or Marine Power non-catalyst equipped turnkey bobtail marine engine. (See Note Below)
4. Go with a Mercury Remanufacturing or CPO turnkey bobtail marine engine. (See Note Below)
5. Go with a Partial Engine and re-use your existing accessories. (See Note Below)
6. Go with a New or Remanufactured longblock and re-use your existing accessories. (See Note Below)

NOTES:
1. Repower with a new catalyst equipped Mercruiser or Volvo Penta MPI marine engine (See Available Products)
Mercruiser does not include the catalyst option as standard equipment on all models. Therefore you need to make sure the cost of the engine includes the catalyst option. There are no Carbureted catalyst equipped marine engines available. Therefore if you want a non-catalyst equipped new Mercruiser carbureted turnkey bobtail, the only way to make this happen is option 2.

2. Return the Old Engine for a New non-catalyst equipped MerCruiser Carbureted or MPI marine engine (See Available Products)
A brand new turnkey bobtail marine engine without emissions control can be used to REPOWER a boat not originally equipped with an emissions control engine if the new engine is not compatible with the older application. However the only carbureted models available from Mercruiser will be the 3.0L and 4.3L models. Please note that the non-catalyst equipped engines are not inventoried and therefore will normally take between 4 - 6 weeks for delivery. Be aware that EPA now requires you to return the old engine you are replacing to Mercuiser to "Offset" the new engine being put into service

Federal law mandates that the engine being replaced must be returned to the manufacturer of the new engine – EPA Code 1068.240. This is similar to the Automotive sector’s “Cash for Clunkers” program that required destruction of the car to receive a rebate. The ability to purchase engine with no emissions control is the “rebate”. Simply return the old engine in the returnable engine container. This satisfies the return of the old engine. All freight for these returns is paid by Mercury/Mercruiser. 

3. Go with a Different Manufacturers Product Line (See Available Products)
Until further notice, outside the state of California Crusader and Marine Power can still sell new non-catalyst equipped turnkey bobtail marine engines WITHOUT requiring the old engine be returned. This will likely change in the very near future. Please note that Crusader only offers Inboard marine engines while Marine Power primarily offers inboard marine engines but also does have a product line that replaces both Mercruiser & Volvo Penta sterndrive marine engines. In these cases you will likely have to re-use some of your manufacturers sterndrive specific accessories such as the flywheel housing and shift bracket. Read More on Sterndrive versus Inboard Configurations...

4. Go with a Mercury Remanufacturing or CPO Product (See Available Products)
Mercury Remanufacturing offers factory Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) MerCruiser marine engines and Mercury Remanufacturing’s own line of Plus Series remanufactured sterndrive and inboard marine engines that can be used to repower pre-2010 boats in 49 states, and pre-2008 boats in California.

By refreshing existing engines Mercury Remanufacturing can offer product at a fraction of the cost of new by passing along the savings. Because these are engines that are returned to factory specification, and Mercruiser stands behind these products with a factory-backed warranty and service support. Read More on Mercury Remanufactured Products...

Whether Certified Pre-Owned or Plus Series, each Mercury Remanufacturing engine comes standard with a factory backed one-year limited mercury P&A warranty. These engine may also qualify for up to two years of Mercury Product Protection. Certified Pre-Owned MerCruiser engines have been brought back to a fully functional state after going through the CPO process. Read More On CPO Products...

5. Go with a Partial Engine (See Available Products)
At this point the new partial enignes do not require returning the old marine engine being replaced. However the EPA is beginning to require that the purchasing customer sign an affidavit indicating they will destroy the old longblock being replaced renderring it inoperable. This achieves EPA's desired purpose being that the NET effect will not be adding un-catalyzed emissions into the atmosphere. Read More on What's Included with a Longblock... 

6. Go with a Remanufactured or New Longblock (See Available Products)
At this point the new longblocks do not require returning the old longblock being replaced. However the EPA is beginning to require that the purchasing customer sign an affidavit indicating they will destroy the old longblock being replaced renderring it inoperable. This achieves EPA's desired purpose being that the NET effect will not be adding un-catalyzed emissions into the atmosphere. Read More on What's Included with a Longblock... 

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