Chevy engine question

[Darrenmb]

From.what i have been reading, the 350 chevy that my boat came with (1987 sun runner 225) would have been labeled as a mercruiser. However my valve covers dont look as old as the boat, and they say gm goodwrench 350, did they just use chevy engines as is or did they label it as a mercruiser? Or do i have a crate motor in there?? Engine bay is crowded and hard to see any markings on the block, intake and carb are both edelbrock units as well. So any markings that would have been up there are gone too.

The reason i am asking is because i bought this as a project to keep me out of trouble. it needed a new water pump and pulley and because it was just a 350 i went to napa for the parts (they have marine books with part interchanges) and they were asking about the motor, how many horsepower etc, i had no clue as to the answer. All the info i have is the boats an 87 has 350 chevy and a volvo penta 275 outdrive.

Any info or help at all would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Darren

 

[alldodge]

I would guess its a GM crate motor. To verify, look below and behind the distributor on the block deck for some numbers. This will let us know what year the block is

 

[Scott Danforth]

Could be the original valve covers rusted and were replaced. A 275 is a Volvo Penta drive and not a Mercruiser. Both Mercruiser and Volvo Penta get their 5.7 / 350 motors from the GM Tonawanda engine plant. So as long as the motor has stainless head gaskets, brass core plugs and marine accessories....it's a marine motor

If your motor was painted red, it is probably original Volvo Kenya with new valve covers. If the motor is Black, it would have been replaced

 

[G_Hipster]

Gm Goodwrench is a basic re-manned engine from Gm. Warranty cores etc. rebuilt and sent back out the door. I wouldn't expect it to have brass core plugs or stainless head gaskets unless the P.O. changed them out. A lot of the goodwrench engines are 8:1 compression and have the old 76cc heads.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Many GM goodwrench motors come with brass core plugs and stainless head gasket as they are often used to repower board due to bad winterization

 

[Darrenmb]

Well, motor is black, that much i know, dont know about freezeplugs or head gaskets though, but it has the heat exchanger thing on top so it runs coolant versus raw water, i am assuming that makes a difference, but i could be wrong, won't be the first or last time! Will look to see if i can see the numbers when i get home.

 

[G_Hipster]

Not to argue , but there's a difference between the crate engines Gm performance offers and the bargain basement Goodwrench 350's. Personally have never seen brass plugs on a Goodwrench.

 

[jimmbo]

Sounds like an engine replacement was done at some point. One of the joys of buying used is figuring out what the PO(s) did. Hopefully it still has the marine starter, alt, water pump, fuel pump. Whether the carb is a marine version can be determined by its model #. If it has 8:1 compression it is in line with what a stack marine engine of the 80s had. The cam might or might not be a marine profile.
Without pulling the engine and taking it apart, you will never really know what you have

 

[Bondo]

From.what i have been reading, the 350 chevy that my boat came with (1987 sun runner 225) would have been labeled as a mercruiser. However my valve covers dont look as old as the boat, and they say gm goodwrench 350, did they just use chevy engines as is or did they label it as a mercruiser? Or do i have a crate motor in there?? Engine bay is crowded and hard to see any markings on the block, intake and carb are both edelbrock units as well. So any markings that would have been up there are gone too.

The reason i am asking is because i bought this as a project to keep me out of trouble. it needed a new water pump and pulley and because it was just a 350 i went to napa for the parts (they have marine books with part interchanges) and they were asking about the motor, how many horsepower etc, i had no clue as to the answer. All the info i have is the boats an 87 has 350 chevy and a volvo penta 275 outdrive.

Any info or help at all would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Darren

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,..... I'm guessin' the original motor was labeled Volvo, seein's it mated to a Volvo drive,.....

Volvo has never used Mercruiser motors,....

There's a castin' number on the bellhousin' flange, at the top aft of the block, that'll give ya which 350 family yer motor is,....
There's stamped numbers at the forward lower starboard edge of the block's deck, next to the head, that'll tell ya where, 'n when the motor was built,...

I'm guessin' it might still have most of the Volvo accessories, minus the carb, 'n intake,...
I think Volvo used Holley carbs,... probably originally a 2bbl....
No doubt a replacement long block, 'n intake, carb,...

 

[harleyman1975]

I agree it is most likely a reman longblock. If it is closed cooling you do not need a "marine" water pump as the engine is using antifreeze to cool and lubricate the pump as well. the sea water only cools the heat exchanger and the exhaust manifolds and never goes through the circulation pump.

 

[HT32BSX115]

If it is closed cooling you do not need a "marine" water pump

Yup. and you don't need stainless head gaskets nor brass core (aka "freeze" ) plugs either.