Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

[chiefalen]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

Ok here we go, 1563 for a brand new crate motor straight from the dealer local to him.

I will post a link at the end, 2700 for a brand new motor merc. Shipping 300 maybe more maybe less.

Now lets explore the difference and the origin of both motors.

Both gm, both off the same assembly line, one goes to merc one goes to the dealer.

One costs more, bet you can guess which one.

Surprise the merc one.

Both the same, power curve, hp.

Oh yea you get a 2 year warranty, from merc.??

They gonna warranty a diy shade tree mechanic ,who installed himself it's merc motor ??

There it is, bet others will chime in.

http://www.michiganmotorz.com/Marine+Engines/NEW+GM+base+marine+engines

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

I doubt they come off same assembly line as GM has their on marine division for these engines and the auto does not come with the bolt on windage tray, it built in on oil pan, has sodium filled valves vs S/S. This is off the the GM website so if the parts are the same why do they say they are not?

"The same engine that powers your GM truck or SUV is specialized to create the unparalleled performance you can expect in a GM marine engine.
GM Powertrain has designed a number of important features into its marine engines, such as corrosion resistant alloys, engine oil sealing system, marine-specific camshaft designs for some applications, and cooling systems that are compatible with both salt and fresh water environments."

Because GM Powertrain knows the tremendous demand put on engines in the marine environment, GM marine engines are tested tough by being run at extensive wide-open throttle conditions, under load, when subject to the Marine GED test Schedule (Global Engine Durability)
http://www.gm.com/experience/technology/gmpowertrain/engines/specialized/marine/marine_engines.jsp

Also I use Grooms engines that sells to the public thru dealers with 2 year warranty on marine and lifetime on auto/truck. I have a reputation to stand by and have replaced to many "yea it will work" & "its the same" engines. I will not install a customer supplied engine(unless marine) or hook it but will align it for em . Customer is asking for advise and opinion and this is what I am supplying. Customer can do as he wishes as its his wallet.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

Fazrbullet, you are correct for wanting to cover your 6 for not wanting to install anything but a marine motor that you sold the customer. You deserve the markup for selling the motor, and ever penny for the labor to install it. Your knowledge and expertize, should be paid for.

And your reputation is important to maintain.

But this gentleman is buying and installing the motor himself. And when dressed with the" MARINE " water pump, starter, alternator, and fuel pump, off his old motor will perform just as well as a merc motor. And will be safe and will cost half.

And the choice is his to make, with the proper information in hand.

Good luck original poster !

 

[Bondo]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

Thank you Bond-o for your opinion. So, you think it will be just fine?

Ayuh,...

All the GM, Truck crate motors I've been able to get My fingers onto in the last 5 years or so,...
Have All had the brass coreplugs,+ Composite headgaskets, as I stated before....
Truck/ RV rated Cams, are cut So closely to a Marine cut,... There's virtually No Difference....

Personally,... I wouldn't hesitate a Second about using a GM Truck crate motor in a Boat....
Matter of fact,.. The organization I'm involoved with, has several installed in boats Now....
All with Excellent service records,+ All still Running...

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

I see it this way, I buy your boat and you tell me it had a new engine installed I think GREAT!!. I use it for several months and rawhide it one day and motor starts making noise. Being not "wrench friendly" I take to dealer, describe problem and tell em it has new engine. Tech looks/removes engine, and calls me telling me it not a marine engine. (1) He is a dealer(2) Tech has training to tell the difference(3) Has Mercury and Gm to back em up on marinizing engine details. Now I feel that I have been"screwed" and being the anal person that I am, you are going to get a NASTY phone call from me and a lawyer to meet later in a small claims court. I want the $$ for the repair to replace motor with proper marine engine per dealer & mercury/omc/volvo/ and refund on purchase price as boat value was lower than "book" because it did not have OEM or compairable item.
I have: dealer/Mercury to back me up, GM's website,Gm's brochure that states not for marine use, aftermarket engine builders that build to marine spec's
You have: Fellow on internet said it would work
Who win"s???......................... Write me a check

 

[Bondo]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

Being not "wrench friendly".

Ayuh,...

I understand that You're a working Wrench with paying customers,....
I understand that Warranties have to be honored,+ Factory Parts are used...
I understand your angle on perpetuating some of the Myths of the Boating World....

If dealing with the "Not wrench friendly" crowd,...Baffling with BS is pretty Easy.....
Talking to a Mechanic is alittle different...

Buying a Used boat on the Used private market,+ even into brokered boats is usually a Toss of the Dice....
When it says "As Is, Where Is, No warranty expressed or implied", means you wouldn't have a "Case" to begin with....
Buyer Beware is the law of the land....

That's why the Best Advice to give a None wrench friendly boat buyer is to Hire a Surveyor....
Still a Roll of the Dice, but atleast their weighted in the Buyer's favor...

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

Thats a blanket warranty no matter what you do to the motor run it without oil whatever. I'm talking about the merc one.

What happens with the merc motor if a guy puts the wrong prop on is racing it to 10 thousand rpm and the motor goes does the warranty cover that??

And one last thing we are talking about a do it your selfer who is putting the merc motor in. WHO IS GOING TO DO THE WARRANTY WORK FOR HIM???
If it wasn't installed by a merc certified mechanic?? You??

Will the warranty be valid then?? Just give a yes or no to the last one please, even if you don't give a reply to the other questions?

Thank you and you are right to be concerned about the buyer of the boat if there is one after the original poster sells the boat, should be told about the new motor and it's not a marine original merc motor but thats between him and the buyer, not you him, and the buyer .

Good thread !

 

[gussie]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

I certainly do appreciate the time and effort that you guys have made to answer my questions about re-powering this boat.

I have to be honest in saying that I wish that you guys were unanimous in thinking that the new truck engine would be, in principle, equivalent to a direct replacement for the present motor. Most of you do think that the engines? internals are the same, and my gut tells me this is true. I must say that, it seems totally illogical to me that any truck engine would not hold up to the way we will use this boat. As far as resale, my son would be absolutely direct and honest about the boats? history, quite unlike the guy that sold him the boat.

Thanks again for your input and best wishes.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

I must say i think you made the right decision in choosing the truck motor.

Good luck if you need more help just ask.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

I have to be honest in saying that I wish that you guys were unanimous in thinking

Ayuh,... You're Kidding,.. Right,..??

This is a semi-public forum, with an audience of Millions,...
And,..
You're lookin' for a Unanimous Opinion,..??

That's Laughable,.... Actually, that's down right Hillarious....

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

I said it before and i'll say it again, put 10 guys in a room and ask them about something you will get 20 different opinions.

An opinion is like backsides, everyone has one and they all think theirs don't stink.

This is the reason we try to explain the response we give in a reply give you the info, and let you make up your mind.

But i think Bubba said it best, the parts numbers are all the same in the internals, except maybe the crank, and i'll tell you what i think it's the same crank number also. Maybe a older motor might have a slightly different cam.

Good luck! Is a good thread maybe someone can learn from this one.

 

[rthomas]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

one thing no one has mentioned is having a machine shop do a costom build, a SBC is the cheapest and easiest to build and i bet for $2k or less you could put together a block with with some forged internals and some balencing.

 

[Big Boat Bay Buster]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

When I opened my 87 350 for a rebuilt, you might think it was an assembly line REJECT!! Check out the pic, you will note the different size rod bearings. You will never find an .0006 undersize!! Same was true of the pistons. Each piston had a letter stamped in it. The block had a letter stamped in it right next to the bore. When I asked the machinist what the letters were for , he just laughted. He said each piston was a slightly different size, according to the letter and used to match the out of tolerence bores. I then told him about the bearings and he laughted some more!! He also pointed out the front of the block where the holes were bored for the camshaft and the holes for the waterpump. The holes were shifted to one side, in otherwords, the block was not set up corecctly in the jig when it was machined.
It seems it was hand built assembly line reject and sold to MERCRUISER!!!!
I'm not to sure about the newer engines, but this engine was nothing more than a stock crate engine--same internals as used on other GM motors
Chris

 

[backwater dawg]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

OK--one thing no one talked about is the age of the boat-value-amount of use the boat gets---how about a good $500 used engine ??? You will be replacing all the exturnal parts anyways--I and considering that as an option as I replace my 20 year out boats 260 this spring---there has to be plenty of 350's around

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

Not bad for a 22 year old reject

 

[backwater dawg]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

Wow----an 1987 that ran 22 years---great--mine ran 21 years--blew the bottom end last spring-you can't ask for more than that---again---when you have an old boat--and replace all the external parts---why spend the $ on a new engine when a good used one will prob outlast the boat---????????

 

[Don S]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

And just how is someone going to tell a "Good" used motor from one that is mostly "Used Up" but still running? Don't say compression check, because a compression check is not going to tell you what the main and rod bearings look like. If the used engine he finds is 21 years old but still running, does he have half a season or 1 season left on it, or is the seller just feeding him a line of BS to get rid of an old engine. Or, does the seller of a used engine even know the difference between a good or bad engine. One other thought, why does he have a used engine to begin with? Did he take the engine out of a boat and put another one in, then is selling the old one. Why was he replacing it. I've seen it happen way to many times.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

Ok used " good running " motor is 1200 dollars 300 more and you got new, tax 1700 maybe.

So for 500 dollars you got a brand NEW crate motor.

I'm done here, guy made his choice and in my opinion the right one.

New crate motor straight from the dealer it's there, it's local to him, and maybe already running in the boat for all we know.

If he wants to keep this motor and boat then will run another 20 years.

 

[Revenge]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

This thread is about my engine. This engine is a remanufactured engine that has very few hours, however it was frozen. After removing the heads the engine is now free and the cylinder walls show no wear, but has some slight scratches that are not from the rings. Judging by how poorly it was installed and the loose Manifold bolts I lack confendence in the rest. At this point we don't know why it was frozen, and I am now leaning towards replacing it.
Thanks to all that replied. We value you opinions.

Thanks, Don

 

[mylesm260]

Re: Replacing Chevy 350 engine suggestions?

Use the truck engine.