Engine Exchange & Cores

When an order is placed for a cylinder exchange kit, SBT ships the remanufactured assembly out first. The kit typically includes the cylinders, new pistons, rings, wrist pins, wrist-pin bearings, c-clips, and the relevant gaskets needed to bolt the top end back on. If a sleeve is damaged or the bore is beyond the maximum service limit, SBT re-sleeves the cylinder at no additional charge.

The return box and spray-foam packaging come with the shipment, along with a prepaid return label. Customers must ship their old cores back within two weeks of the delivery date. SBT uses its own carrier for the return — customers cannot use a personal or company FedEx account. The cores must be in rebuildable condition; cracked or otherwise non-rebuildable castings do not qualify.

Turnaround time varies by product. Standard-bore kits may ship from stock, while oversize kits (for example, 0.5 mm over on the Yamaha 800) can take additional business days to prepare. See the specific product page on sbt.com for current pricing, core charge details, and availability. Note that SBT does not sell cylinder exchange kits through Amazon.

Core-first engines require the customer to ship the old engine to SBT first. Once SBT receives and inspects the core, an order is written and the remanufactured engine is built and shipped — lead times on these are typically 7–14 business days after the core is received and the order is placed. The core must be in rebuildable condition: no cracks, holes, or breaks in the cases.

For engines where the core ships back after delivery, customers generally have two weeks from the date they receive the remanufactured engine to return the old one. The core condition requirement (no cracks or holes) still applies.

Either way, SBT recommends sending the core in assembled — not as a box of loose parts. Bolts don't need to be torqued to spec, just tight enough to hold everything together as a single unit during shipping. See the product page for current pricing, core charge details, and which policy applies to a specific engine.

For 4-stroke complete long block / complete engine exchanges, SBT can accept a damaged core — including one with a hole in the block — as long as the engine is complete with all bolts and nuts and no parts are missing. Do not strip the engine before sending it in.

For 4-stroke short block exchanges, the core must be in good rebuildable condition — no cracks or holes. The same "good core" requirement applies to 2-stroke engine exchanges; a block with a hole will not qualify for a 2-stroke core exchange.

Some applications are available as brand-new (non-remanufactured) engines that carry no core requirement at all, so a damaged or holed block is a non-issue. Availability varies by make, model, and year — check the product page for the engine that fits the specific PWC. See each product page for current pricing, warranty details, and whether a core exchange or new-engine option applies.

What "ready to install" means in practice: the internal work (machining, assembly, clearances) is done at SBT's facility. When the engine arrives, the internal components are already in place, so no internal assembly is required on the customer's end.

What the customer still does: remove specified external parts from the old engine (intake, exhaust manifold, electronics, sensors, and similar bolt-on items) and reinstall them on the new engine. SBT provides a parts list of what to remove before sending in the core and what to put back on when the new engine arrives.

Gasket sets: whether an install gasket set is included depends on the package selected. For example, on the Sea-Doo 787/800 engine, the Premium package includes the install gasket set; the Standard package does not. Check the specific product page to confirm what is included and whether a separate gasket set is needed for your application.