To upgrade the engine in the DREADMOOR demo, research its blueprint, obtain the Carburetor, and craft the upgraded module at the dry-dock lathe. The boat must be raised to the second level, and the old engine goes into module storage before the new one is installed. Follow the quest order closely: crafting another standard engine is not the requested upgrade.
Unlock the blueprint after the scales task
The engine upgrade belongs to the settlement's boat-improvement chain. After repairing and cleaning the vessel, complete the Softgrazer and Chromatic Scales step. John then gives you Scraps of Knowledge and directs you to research hull protection and the upgraded engine.
Research makes the blueprint available; it does not automatically craft or fit the engine. The official DREADMOOR Steam page describes improving your engine and installing boat components at the dry dock, and the demo provides the specific opening sequence.
Continue the hull-protection objectives before asking John about the new engine. That dialogue identifies the missing Carburetor and sends you to Gill and Boozer.
Buy the Carburetor through the Harpooner trade
The traders request three Harpooner carcasses and provide the Rainbow Fin bait blueprint. Craft the lure, use it at the marked predatory habitat, and keep the catch intact.
Return and sell those fish instead of processing them. Then choose the purchase dialogue and buy the Carburetor; the documented demo recording shows a 50-coin price. This is the supported normal trade route, rather than a claim that it appears in any random supply crate.
Remove, craft, and install in order
Bring the boat into the dry dock and follow the active objectives:
- Raise the boat to the second level with the control panel.
- Remove the old engine when the quest asks for it.
- Place the removed module into module storage.
- Use the lathe workbench to craft the upgraded engine with the required materials, including the Carburetor.
- Fit the new module into the engine slot.
- Return to John to report that the upgraded engine is installed.
Player experience in Mr Feudal's demo playthrough documents this sequence. Z1 Gaming's later playtest also shows the confusion caused by crafting a standard engine while looking for the actual upgrade. Read the selected recipe's name before confirming the craft.
Check research, materials, and installation separately
An unlocked blueprint can still be missing materials. A crafted module can still be sitting in your hands or storage rather than fitted to the boat. An installed engine can still need the follow-up conversation to finish the quest chain.
These are separate checks within the normal sequence, not universal fixes for a broken quest. Keep the original engine in storage rather than destroying it, and avoid performing the removal ahead of its objective. A reported early-removal quest loop has no confirmed recovery in the supplied discussion; this guide does not promise that recrafting or reinstalling a replacement resolves it.
FAQ
Where do I craft the upgraded engine?
At the dry-dock lathe workbench after researching the blueprint and gathering its materials.
Where does the Carburetor come from?
Gill and Boozer sell it during the predatory-fish trade step.
Is a standard engine the upgrade?
No. Select the upgraded-engine recipe rather than crafting another standard module.
What should I do with the old engine?
During the normal quest sequence, remove it when instructed and place it in module storage.