Replaing 4.3 L Short/Long block

Hi to All! I have been searching and searching...to no avail.......I want to replace my 94 4.3L short block or long block. I also am considering rebuilding the existing one. The motor is being pulled tomorrow. Anyway, does anyone have any reliable or good tips on who or where to go for a new/rebuilt short or long block. Google returns are full of bad companies and complaints. So I figure many of you on here have found reliable companies or a company you trust. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Been having issues with the motor in there now and would prefer a trouble free boating season this year so I am tackling this issue right now......Va beach is pretty balmy right now, so getting this done won't be too bad.....Thanks in advance for your responses!

Re: Replaing 4.3 L Short/Long block

Lets not use years please, that is only boat year and has nothing to do with year of the engine. Do you have a Merc serial number for your engine?
A 93 is completely different from a 94, and it's not uncommon to have a 1 year older engine package in a boat.

Re: Replaing 4.3 L Short/Long block

larr630 said:

Hi to All! I have been searching and searching...to no avail.......I want to replace my 94 4.3L short block or long block. I also am considering rebuilding the existing one. The motor is being pulled tomorrow. Anyway, does anyone have any reliable or good tips on who or where to go for a new/rebuilt short or long block. Google returns are full of bad companies and complaints. So I figure many of you on here have found reliable companies or a company you trust. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Been having issues with the motor in there now and would prefer a trouble free boating season this year so I am tackling this issue right now......Va beach is pretty balmy right now, so getting this done won't be too bad.....Thanks in advance for your responses!

Click to expand...

Ayuh,.... What sorta Troubles,..?? What part of yer diagnosis, tells ya, you need to Replace the long block,..??

Re: Replaing 4.3 L Short/Long block

Hi. The serial number for the block is OF134856. Transom is OF193022 and drive is OF245127.

Re: Replaing 4.3 L Short/Long block

The trouble I have been having is that there seems to be an issue with cylinder # 3. I had dumped a load of carb cleaner in the carb to try and clean out some gook with out starting it because the battery was dead. So I left it alone for two weeks and charged battery and tried to start it. I finally figured out it was hydrolocked. I removed all sparkplugs and liquid came out of cylinder #3. I proceeded to do a compression test starting at cylinder #1. Everything was testing fine until I got to cylinder 3 and the started started grinding again.
It seems like if there is any pressure on that cylinder, the motor wont turn or the starter wont turn it over. I have experiencce with motors, but this is a new one to me. If I remove all plugs and turn the motor over with the key, it turns over fine. So I am stumped.

Re: Replaing 4.3 L Short/Long block

larr630 said:

The trouble I have been having is that there seems to be an issue with cylinder # 3. I had dumped a load of carb cleaner in the carb to try and clean out some gook with out starting it because the battery was dead. So I left it alone for two weeks and charged battery and tried to start it. I finally figured out it was hydrolocked. I removed all sparkplugs and liquid came out of cylinder #3. I proceeded to do a compression test starting at cylinder #1. Everything was testing fine until I got to cylinder 3 and the started started grinding again.
It seems like if there is any pressure on that cylinder, the motor wont turn or the starter wont turn it over. I have experiencce with motors, but this is a new one to me. If I remove all plugs and turn the motor over with the key, it turns over fine. So I am stumped.

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Ayuh,... So yer replacin' the Whole motor, because of a Starter issue,..??

Re: Replaing 4.3 L Short/Long block

I figured I want a trouble free boating season this year, boat ran fine last year up until this issue came about. I had problems with moisture getting in the carb due to the aluminum gas tank and the etho treatment basically causing a rain forest in my tank. I plan to replace the tank this year with a composite/plastic tank. Yet, those tanks dont seem to have baffles in them and the guage flucuates wildly when underway. But as far as the motor goes, I bought it used from the 2nd owner and he did not winterize the motor in 2011. I had to replace the risers and exhuast manifolds. I also had to replace the carb. I had a local boat shop put the carb on and dial it in. Anyway, given the year of the boat, I figured maybe its time foor a over haul and good once over while its cold. Bad idea?

Re: Replaing 4.3 L Short/Long block

Replacing the engine isn't going to fix your fuel issue, I would be looking at the ring gear on the flywheel before replacing the engine. Ethanol on it's own is not a problem, the problems happen when you just let it set for loooooong periods of time.
A water separating fuel filter should keep the water out of the carb, and getting the water out of the tank before you use it again is a must.

Re: Replaing 4.3 L Short/Long block

larr630 said:

I figured I want a trouble free boating season this year, boat ran fine last year up until this issue came about. I had problems with moisture getting in the carb due to the aluminum gas tank and the etho treatment basically causing a rain forest in my tank. I plan to replace the tank this year with a composite/plastic tank. Yet, those tanks dont seem to have baffles in them and the guage flucuates wildly when underway. But as far as the motor goes, I bought it used from the 2nd owner and he did not winterize the motor in 2011. I had to replace the risers and exhuast manifolds. I also had to replace the carb. I had a local boat shop put the carb on and dial it in. Anyway, given the year of the boat, I figured maybe its time foor a over haul and good once over while its cold. Bad idea?

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Ayuh,.... I guess is a Great idea if you've got a couple of $Grand$ layin' 'round, ya wanta throw away....

Age don't mean Squat to a boat motor,...

Doin' some Testin' like a Good Compression, 'n leak down tests will tell ya the general condition of the motor...
Pressure testin' the Coolin' passages in the motor, will tell ya if there's any Cracks,....

'n,.... Swappin' the Motor, won't fix a Bad starter...

Don't you have a canister type fuel filter,..??

It should stop any water in the fuel, from gettin' to the carb....

Which carb has it got,..?