regular car motor in boat?

poor man

Seaman
Joined
Aug 7, 2008
Messages
56
i was wondering why you couldnt use a stock car eng in a i/o boat? i dont know anything about these boats, but i have a chance to get a free boat with a thrown rod out the side of the block. thus asking the above question :)


second question
why couldnt a person make a bigger eng cover and put a "grill" in the front of it with a car radiatorbehind it and not use lake water to cool the eng???

sorry if these sound dumb but im wanting a big fishing boat that i can take out the seats so my dad and his wheel chair can move around in it, its not going to get used every day but just to go fishing every now and then... thank you
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,610
Re: regular car motor in boat?

sorry if these sound dumb but im wanting a big fishing boat that i can take out the seats so my dad and his wheel chair can move around in it, its not going to get used every day but just to go fishing every now and then

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,....

For a multitude of Reasons, your plan to use a Car motor just doesn't Work....
Spend some time searching the forums,+ it should become apparent as to Why....

In my experince,...
Pontoon boats are about the Best thing going for folks in Wheelchairs....
 

havasuboatman

Ensign
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
904
Re: regular car motor in boat?

You can use a regular car engine. The long block of it anyway. You would have to use the same size/type motor. Mercrusier big blocks start life as a GM truck motor. The long block is delivered to Fon du Lac, WI. Where the good ole boys add all the marine manifolds, mounting brackets, and the other marine goodies we're all used to wrenching on. But the base block is just like what you'd find under the hood of your GMC pick-up.
Hell, where do you think all those flat bottom jet boats get their power?
So if your boat has a 305 gm motor, you could buy a long block from autozone using the year of manufacture to order it, then just switch the marine equipment over.
But a radiator? No. Unlike your car, a boat is run at a lot higher rpm for much greater times. It wouldn't be able to dissapate the heat. No air flow through.
I have used a factory crate motor to get a burned engine back on the water to save a customer some $$. (with his consent, of course
 
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