jdaghir
Seaman Apprentice
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2010
- Messages
- 45
Hello, long-time lurker, first time poster here. Please be gentle with me.
I've got a 1979 Century 3000 19' bowrider. It is currently powered with a Mercruiser 228 - a SBC 5.0L with a Quadrajet and a pre-Alpha outdrive. Interior is in good shape, outdrive is functional, deck is sound, transom is good as far as I can tell, stringers are questionable. I have owned the boat for 4 years now and have been pleased with it. However, last season it was accidentally ran while 3 quarts low on oil and now it knocks horribly and runs like crap. I believe it has spun a bearing or done some other terminal damage to the lower end.
The boat isn't worth doing a proper repower with a crate engine in my opinion, but I do like the classic lines of the boat and it suites my needs. I was given a supposedly running SBC 5.7L from a 1979 Chevy K2500 truck and would like to swap it for the wounded 5.0L and get a few more years of life out of the old gal if I can do it without spending thousands of dollars and 100 hours of time.
From my research on this forum and others I believe this should be doable. I understand the truck cam in the 5.7L may not be a perfect match for a real marine cam, but since I would be stepping up from a 5.0 to a 5.7L, I think it will do okay.
I think I will need to reuse the following from the 5.0:
alternator
starter
exhaust manifolds
distributor
water pump
carb
Fuel pump
Oil Pan
oil pan baffles
Dip Stick & Tube
flexible coupling
engine wire harness
engine mounting brackets
I will need the following new parts:
marine intake & exhaust gaskets
brass freeze plugs
transom gasket if I remove the gimbal housing to do an inspection/repair if needed on the transom
epoxy and fiberglass if the stringers need work
I will need the following special tools:
Mercruiser factory service manuals #3 & #4
Mercruiser engine alignment tool
timing light
torque wrench
Am I forgetting anything? Any other words of advice or tips/tricks you can share?
Thanks!
-Jeff
I've got a 1979 Century 3000 19' bowrider. It is currently powered with a Mercruiser 228 - a SBC 5.0L with a Quadrajet and a pre-Alpha outdrive. Interior is in good shape, outdrive is functional, deck is sound, transom is good as far as I can tell, stringers are questionable. I have owned the boat for 4 years now and have been pleased with it. However, last season it was accidentally ran while 3 quarts low on oil and now it knocks horribly and runs like crap. I believe it has spun a bearing or done some other terminal damage to the lower end.
The boat isn't worth doing a proper repower with a crate engine in my opinion, but I do like the classic lines of the boat and it suites my needs. I was given a supposedly running SBC 5.7L from a 1979 Chevy K2500 truck and would like to swap it for the wounded 5.0L and get a few more years of life out of the old gal if I can do it without spending thousands of dollars and 100 hours of time.
From my research on this forum and others I believe this should be doable. I understand the truck cam in the 5.7L may not be a perfect match for a real marine cam, but since I would be stepping up from a 5.0 to a 5.7L, I think it will do okay.
I think I will need to reuse the following from the 5.0:
alternator
starter
exhaust manifolds
distributor
water pump
carb
Fuel pump
Oil Pan
oil pan baffles
Dip Stick & Tube
flexible coupling
engine wire harness
engine mounting brackets
I will need the following new parts:
marine intake & exhaust gaskets
brass freeze plugs
transom gasket if I remove the gimbal housing to do an inspection/repair if needed on the transom
epoxy and fiberglass if the stringers need work
I will need the following special tools:
Mercruiser factory service manuals #3 & #4
Mercruiser engine alignment tool
timing light
torque wrench
Am I forgetting anything? Any other words of advice or tips/tricks you can share?
Thanks!
-Jeff