Engine/Outdrive swap??

I have found that both the block and head on my 1985 mercruiser 140 3.0L (inline 4 with a pre-alpha I) have a crack in them and the outdrive needs some attention. I have a couple of options:
1 - repair engine - weld crack in block & get a new head, fix outdrive.
2 - swap engine with a newer engine and newer out drive.
I have found a shop to fix the old block, but was thinking that I might be smart to swap the engine with a newer one and a newer out drive. Do any of you all have any insight on this, especially keeping the old engine and updating the outdrive to an alpha II or ........

Thanks-
David

 

You have a third option

4/ Throw away boat

An option requiring serious consideration , to be frank.

 

Advise

Dear David,
Try To Use New One, For My Experiences Cracked Engines Have Lots Of Problems. But You Can Repair The Old Engines And Keep It For Emmergency.
Thanks

 

Don't discount Jack's idea..... in an '85 you may well have hull deterioration as well, and you should give the entire boat structure a thorough inspection before making a decision.
If you decide to repower, and are intending to keep the boat, I'd put in a rebuilt 3.0/Alpha. You can fix worn out crap forever, but there comes a point where it's cheaper to just bite the bullet and put in a crate-fresh, warrantied, professionally rebuilt power package. I think a brand-new motor would not be worth it, unless the boat is really nice. When you're twenty miles from the dock and the worn out old drive snaps a driveshaft, you'll understand.

 

Im just going of what Gonzo says and what Ive seen on ebay. America seems to be awash with boats. Just go buy another!!

 

I had posted earlier, when you asked about water in the oil. I had the same problem with a cracked block between 2 and 3 cylinders. I ended up buying another boat. However I still have the old one. Just as an option I found what I thought was a reasonable price on a brand new complete engine. You can go to their web site at MichiganMotorz.com. and check it out.