I need a refurbished block for my 2000 Mercruiser...my current block is an '87???

[Porschesolutions]

If you've read my posts in the past, I bought a boat from a deceased friend's brother who misrepresented the boat & has vanished. Life lesson: always insist on a test ride.

In the past year I've performed a full top end rebuild, new cap, rotor, plugs, wires, shutters, oil (4x), water impeller kit & lower end fluid. I took it out for a 10m joy test & it proved fine. 5 days later I took the family out & I'm quite sure I've spun a bearing, lost oil pressure and need a new warranted shortblock to replace what's in the motor. The engine supplier I chose requested casting numbers from the heads and block to ensure I got the correct motor.

My boat: 2000 VIP 184 Viva, 4.3 mercruiser, 2bbl carb, SN0L614688 on the flame arrestor cover.

My engine's heads: "113's" as it should have: Vortech heads with a 8-bolt Vortech intake.

My block: 14093683...683 being the key-word: this is a non-balance shaft block from 1987 I've been told by two people.

I've ready today that the harmonic damper and flywheel different for balance-shafted motors vs non-balance shafted motors...and my 683 block is not balance shafted as it should be for that era of 4.3 Mercruisers. My supplier does not have the block I need which is perhaps a 3663.

The motor was NEVER smooth and I feel a correct balance shaft Harmonic damper & flywheel was mated to a non-balance shafted SB resulting in the unsmooth frankenstein I ended up with that has since lost oil pressure & developed a rod knock early on into my only venture out on the boat longer than 15 minutes.

Questions: Where can I find a reference that shows what my correct SB motor, balance shaft, oil pan, and flywheel are supposed to be for this boat? Ugh...

 

[alldodge]

Unable to find 14093683, found that ended in 38
14093638...350...87-95...2 or 4...Roller or flat tappet cam, one-piece rear seal

 

[Porschesolutions]

Block is a K256, has 2SG1 on it as well, and had the rear bellhousing stamp as 14093683, which according to my Texas-based motor rebuilder is a Mercruiser motor from 1987 (non balance shafted). I can double-check that tonight but wrote it down carefully as I did this.

I'm worried my SB got replaced with this '87 SB where my correct damper and flywheel are for a balance shaft motor.

 

[alldodge]

I'm sure it was replaced with a 1987, and lets just hope it was a truck motor. If it was out of a car it will have the wrong cam in it. This link below shows where the block and head casting numbers are, and also gives a list of info

https://www.mortec.com/

 

[Scott Danforth]

some light reading https://forums.iboats.com/forum/eng...history-of-the-4-3-liter-with-casting-numbers

this is a re-hash from an engine builder journal article.

your block is a pre 94 non-balance shaft.

 

[Porschesolutions]

Yes def a non-balance shafted motor...so all you 4.3 experts: ya'll think I'm right in the the engine vibrated to the point of bearing failure assuming the motor was swapped in place using the proper harmonic damper & flywheel?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... At this point, it don't really matter,......

I'd buy a late model short block, 'n do the swap,.....

Examinin' the balancer, 'n flywheel might give ya a better idea whether they came from the original motor, vs: the earlier vintage replacement thrown in there,.....

If things are painted black, it's probably the originals, as Merc uses black motors,.....

I believe that if they're the originals, then the poor balance of the parts, may well be the cause of the motor's demise,....

 

[Porschesolutions]

is there any reference that you know of Bondo that shows what the correct harmonic damper and flywheel should be??

Like I said: i believe the block was lost a time ago, someone swapped in this older block, but the harmonic & flywheel are for a balance-shafted motor. I don't mind getting a newer balance shafted motor but don't want to repeat this lost block issue due to vibrations. :/ Mark

 

[Rick Stephens]

Wow Mark,

What a mess. Sorry to hear. I'm running kind of a mismatched setup like you have. A block that is pre-balance shaft, but post rollers and blocked off mechanical fuel pump, along with Vortec heads and intake. I am running the external balanced harmonic balancer. It is definitely different than the internally balanced harmonic balancer.

I wonder how they got an internally balanced balancer to work with the timing cover on the no balance shaft block? They are different diameter. You sure as shootin need the right one depending on which block you have.

 

[Bondo]

is there any reference that you know of Bondo that shows what the correct harmonic damper and flywheel should be??

Other than chasin' part numbers,..... Nope,......

Did ya peruse Scott's link,..??

 

[Porschesolutions]

Hi Rick, could you shoot me a few pictures of your harmonic damper? Here's the only pic I have...

Yeah Bondo I did, looked there last night too.

 

[alldodge]

It would probably help if we fully understand what your wanting to do. Part numbers can be looked up, builds accomplished. The issue to think about, is you can probably get a truck long block out of the junk yard (cheap) and swap your stuff. You can also go with a vortec model like the boat originally had

 

[Bondo]

You can also go with a vortec model like the boat originally had

Ayuh,..... It would be crazy to not go '96 or later,.....

 

[Rick Stephens]

Here ya go. The big difference that I have seen is the diameter is smaller on the ones that fit the plastic timing cover used with the internal balance shaft. If you have the one made for a balance shaft motor it doesn't come all the way up to the timing mark tab. I don't know if the seal surface is a different diameter or not.

 

[achris]

2000 should be a serpentine belt. Do you have a single flat belt (serpentine) or 3 Vee belts?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Damper stubs are different lengths on various years too

 

[Porschesolutions]

I’ll have to resize the pics in the am but yes, I have a serpentine and no, my harmonic damper looks nothing like yours...

my # is <a href="tel:5129056005">5129056005</a> if you want me to text you a pic or two, but my harmonic damper is about 1.25” thick and solid looking with (perhaps) holes drilled for balancing.

 

[Rick Stephens]

I’ll have to resize the pics in the am but yes, I have a serpentine and no, my harmonic damper looks nothing like yours...

my # is <a href="tel:5129056005">5129056005</a> if you want me to text you a pic or two, but my harmonic damper is about 1.25” thick and solid looking with (perhaps) holes drilled for balancing.

Mine is also about that, holes drilled to balance it and all.. The v-belt shivs are bolted to the front of mine increasing its thickness. Yours has a serpentine belt shiv bolted to the front as well. The balancer is just the part in the back.

 

[achris]

Looks like this?



Sounds like PO blow an engine (probably freeze cracked) and either didn't know or didn't care about the different 4.3 engines and just dropped the cheapest he could find in... :facepalm:

Just find yourself a mid-1996 or later short motor and swap all the 2000 gear onto it.

Chris.........

 

[Porschesolutions]

Yes mines like that on on-balance shafted motor...myntime cover appears half assed too...