4.3 water intrusion in oil with cracked intake and performance mods

[daughtryd]

After a long winter nap we took the boat out and have milk shake for oil in the 1996 4.3 with 2bl carb in a Bryant 192. I did a poor job winterizing and am now paying for it. I drained the water from the block before winter but didn't get good glycol circulation into the intake. I took the engine out and have started a tear down. Found 3 cracks in the intake and so far no other cracks. (think I got a little lucky) While I have the little Gerbil out I am looking at a better intake, a 4bl carb and would like to put a better cam in it. The only Cam I can find that specifies marine use is from Lunati. I am not looking for more top end, I am looking for a better hole shot with skiers. I am sticking with the 4.3 and not doing a V8 swap. So here are the questions and would like some opinions on:
1: How do I clean the oil/water and not do a complete teardown?
2: Any intakes beside Edelbrock?
3: Carb recommendations?
4: Cam recommendations with out going to hot and needing to fight hydro lock.

Thanks for your time on passing along some institutional knowledge!

 

[achris]

1. Lots of flushing. But a full teardown, block and heads pressure tested and acid bath cleaned is the best way...
2. Edelbrock is probably the best out there.
3. Edelbrock 1409.
4. Believe it or not, the stock cam is about the best for what you're looking for. The easiest/cheapest and quickest way to improve hole-shot is to drop a couple of inches in prop pitch. And/or go to a vented prop. I tried a vented prop on mine, just about ripped the guys arms out!

HTH,

Chris......

 

[Scott Danforth]

After a long winter nap we took the boat out and have milk shake for oil in the 1996 4.3 with 2bl carb in a Bryant 192. I did a poor job winterizing and am now paying for it. I drained the water from the block before winter but didn't get good glycol circulation into the intake. I took the engine out and have started a tear down. Found 3 cracks in the intake and so far no other cracks. (think I got a little lucky) While I have the little Gerbil out I am looking at a better intake, a 4bl carb and would like to put a better cam in it. The only Cam I can find that specifies marine use is from Lunati. I am not looking for more top end, I am looking for a better hole shot with skiers. I am sticking with the 4.3 and not doing a V8 swap. So here are the questions and would like some opinions on:
1: How do I clean the oil/water and not do a complete teardown?
2: Any intakes beside Edelbrock?
3: Carb recommendations?
4: Cam recommendations with out going to hot and needing to fight hydro lock.

Thanks for your time on passing along some institutional knowledge!

pressure test your motor. I bet you find other cracks. 4.3's like to crack internally

1. - if the motor is out of the boat, pull the pan and heads, then use a can of brake clean
2 - you can also go with weiand, Holley, or any of the other manufacturers of intake manifolds. however I would suggest a marine manifold with the dual alloy casting
3 - a marine carb, either Holley or Edelbrock
4 - custom marine/RV grind, 264 degrees duration intake, 268 degrees duration exhaust. Most cam companies will make them for you

5 - make sure your motor has vortec heads, if not, upgrade

 

[bruceb58]

Hopefully you got lucky. Does your intake manifold have the drain on the front of it that you didn't open when you winterized?

 

[daughtryd]

I put winterizing off until I had to leave for a trip and then didn't take the time to do it properly. I knew what right looked like and cut corners. Age old lesson learned....again. The good news. I get to teach my kids about cutting corners and how it will not pay off in the long run.

 

[Rick Stephens]

I have a Performa intake, and an Edelbrock 1409 carb. I like them and would recommend them to other users. If you are in salt water you will want the brass water passage model. The 1409 is the easiest carburetor made for ease of calibrating. By that I mean it is really simple to disassemble and swap out parts to get it calibrated, even on the water while fine tuning. However the available 4.3L V6 calibration kit for the 1409 from Edelbrock is pretty much useless if your V6 has Vortec heads. I can help with what jets, rods and springs to start at if you do get a 1409 and you are running Vortec heads.

As stated before, you do not want to get a performance cam. Most performance possibilities for cams improve ponies by virtue of raising the RPM power curve. A boat needs full power from idle to 4800 RPM, does you no good to have a curve that starts at 2500 RPM or higher. As well, higher performance cams tend to have more valve overlap and marine engines, with wet exhaust, tend to suck water (called reversion) at idle when you add more overlap. Best recommendation is stick with a stock pickup, RV or marine cam, all very similar.

Rick

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,..... I Love yer attitude 'bout the situation,....

I think michigan motors is still sellin' cast iron Vortec intakes,.... Not sure, ain't looked in awhile,...

 

[QBhoy]

Lots of oil change flushing, then a good few oil and filter changes. If possible take the rocker covers off and clean out manually....this is where most of it will accumulate after the oil changes.

 

[QBhoy]

Could also drain oil and fill with diesel, then take plugs out and earth main king lead from coil and turn over on the key for periods of 5-10 seconds at a time. Then obviously drain, flush with oil, filter, drain and replenish as nesessary.

 

[Scott06]

Bondos right Michigan Motorz has both 2 bbls and 4 bbls cast iron vortec intakes. X2 on the edelbrock 1409 carb. Last week I was out in the lake changing step up rods and springs, testing the results.

 

[daughtryd]

Starting the process of replacing the intake with the Edel 2114/1409 combo. Jury is still deliberating on the cam, I noticed Merc has a turnkey performance package and have emailed Merc and Mich Motors about what the cam spec is in that motor along with the cam spec of my motor. I have a 96 4.3 G+ with balance shaft if anyone knows the cam specs on that year and/or the specs of the Merc 4.3, 4bbl, Alpha 4V turn key engine. Thanks in advance. And.... a big thanks for your info and keeping this thread on topic!

 

[TyeeMan]

Don't waste your time draining, flushing, rebuilding, etc. By all means grab the Mercury remanufactured power unit, it's totally worth it. The previous owner of my boat did that, 5.7 L V-8. Merc bores em .040" over so it's now a 5.8 L, 357 cubic inch. Stock h.p was 250, now it's 275. The other bonus is all your peripherals are new! New manifolds and risers, new carb, new fuel pump, new water pump, alternator, coupler, etc

Drop it in the boat, put gas and electric to it and enjoy the summer.

 

[daughtryd]

I have a Performa intake, and an Edelbrock 1409 carb. I like them and would recommend them to other users. If you are in salt water you will want the brass water passage model. The 1409 is the easiest carburetor made for ease of calibrating. By that I mean it is really simple to disassemble and swap out parts to get it calibrated, even on the water while fine tuning. However the available 4.3L V6 calibration kit for the 1409 from Edelbrock is pretty much useless if your V6 has Vortec heads. I can help with what jets, rods and springs to start at if you do get a 1409 and you are running Vortec heads.

As stated before, you do not want to get a performance cam. Most performance possibilities for cams improve ponies by virtue of raising the RPM power curve. A boat needs full power from idle to 4800 RPM, does you no good to have a curve that starts at 2500 RPM or higher. As well, higher performance cams tend to have more valve overlap and marine engines, with wet exhaust, tend to suck water (called reversion) at idle when you add more overlap. Best recommendation is stick with a stock pickup, RV or marine cam, all very similar.

Rick

Rick, Thanks for the words. With your 1409 what jets, rods, and springs did you use?

 

[Rick Stephens]

Rick, Thanks for the words. With your 1409 what jets, rods, and springs did you use?

If you are calibrating for a Vortec, start where I ended. Don't get the Edelbrock calibration kit. It is not made for Vortec.

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engi...ves/10154544-stumbling-edelbrock-1409-4-3l-v6

 

[Scott06]

On the camshaft question above both the G+ and the 4V alpha reman engine both use camshaft part number 431-803186. Don't know the specs of the cam but they are the same.

 

[achris]

On the camshaft question above both the G+ and the 4V alpha reman engine both use camshaft part number 431-803186. Don't know the specs of the cam but they are the same.

All the 4.3 V6 balance shaft engines use the same camshaft, since 1992, It started as a 431-824327, which supersedes to 803186... and is the one also used in the MPI. Specs are the best for low torque and having peak power at 4600rpm (max revs spec is 4400 to 4800)... Crane cams have one that fits the spec. It's probably the one used. Part number HR-194/271-2-12. The description and spec fit nicely in a boat engine...

Chris......

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would update the cam myself

with a change in exhaust, this is what I would run

comp cams CCA-56-450-8
Cam Style: Roller
Basic Operating RPM Range: 1,800-5,000
Intake Duration at 050 inch Lift: 210
Exhaust Duration at 050 inch Lift: 215
Duration at 050 inch Lift: 210 int./215 exh.-----
Advertised Intake Duration: 266
Advertised Exhaust Duration: 270
Advertised Duration: 266 int./270 exh.
Intake Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.500 in.
Exhaust Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.500 in.
Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.500 int./0.500 exh. lift
Lobe Separation (degrees): 112
Intake Valve Lash: 0.000 in
Exhaust valve Lash: 0.000 in.
Computer Controlled Compatible: No
Grind Number: C6 266HR-12
Quantity: Sold individually.
Notes: Adjustable valvetrain required.

dvertised Duration 266/270, Lift .500/.500


Springs: COMP Cams 26918-12
Retainers: COMP Cams 787-12
Locks: Comp Cams 611-12

pulled from this article

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/4-3-...de-155256.html

you may recognize the poster

here is his iboats thread
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engi...301413-4-3-vortec-build-up-and-traps?t=293995

 

[daughtryd]

Ok Gents the saga continues... I have the engine back together and sitting back in the boat. I have tried for a day to get the alignment correct (with correct tool)and am shooting craps. After close inspection I have not seated the back right motor mount correctly. I have looked at several threads and you tubed till i feel like a boob. It certainly didnt "auto align". It has a small gap between the mount/fiber washer on the transom mount and the bellhousing mount. I have loosened all mounts and taken the weight off the hull with the engine hoist and did the shimmy shimmy shake to the engine. That didn't work... I'm all ears... Give me that trade secret please.

As a side note. I'm keeping notes and plan on a repair/build thread for the 4.3 with slight mods.

 

[daughtryd]

The back mounts appear to be even now. I have started aligning again and am getting witness marks very heavy at the 9 oclock. The forward motor mounts are measured and are even. I have hit the alignment tool several times at 12-6-9-3 and am a little worried about hitting it to hard. I did feel the gimbal bearing slightly move. Can doing the hits on the alignment tool help with the witness mark at 9 oclock?

I'm about tapped out with reading installation manuals, youtube and forum post. I think I have exhausted my efforts. Any last minute tips before I throw in the towel?

 

[Rick Stephens]

May need to completely loosen the front motor mounts and hang the front of the motor. Then raise lower the front until you achieve perfect alignment, see where the motor mounts want to be attached.