1969 mercruiser 160 carburetor

[thestigmach1]

I've decided to put a new carb on my old engine since the original Rochester needs rebuilt and I can buy a new holley or edlebrock for not much more than a kit. My question is does anyone have experience with either on this engine and which one does the engine like better?

 

[Scott Danforth]

the kit should be $30 a new holley or edlebrock will be about $500.

I personally would rebuild the carb you have.

 

[Grub54891]

I'd imagine you would have the crab rebuilt at a shop for that kind of money. As stated above, Watch some videos of crab rebuilds, get a manual, and have at it. They are not hard to rebuild.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... In yer other thread, yer gonna put a turbo on it,....

If so, yer gonna need a carb to match the turbo,....

 

[thestigmach1]

That kit price is from oreillys and the new price is from summit racing. I know someone is going to start going on about using marine carburetor on it but I can't find a marine carburetor anywhere for this engine. As far as the turbo goes from what I've been told by shops I need to put a carb on it that the engine likes and get it to run good on that before I try to turbo it.

 

[Bondo]

As far as the turbo goes from what I've been told by shops I need to put a carb on it that the engine likes and get it to run good on that before I try to turbo it.

Ayuh,..... So you have absolutely No experience puttin' a turbo on a naturally aspired motor,..??

In that case, forget 'bout the turbo all together,....

It ain't that ya need a carb the motor "Likes",....(btw, never heard of such a statement)
A turbo motor has to built from the block up to be a turbo motor,....

Just slappin' a turbo on a dead stock motor is pretty much a guaranty it's not gonna run Right, 'n will probably explode at some point,.....

Yer motor was once offered with a Quadra-jet 4bbl. carb,......

 

[thestigmach1]

No I haven't put a turbo on before which is why I went and talked to a shop that does turbos. They said provided that the cam I have is in good shape it'll be fine for low boost applications. I'd have to do a lump port on it first for sure. He said most of that motor was built heavy enough that as long as everything is in good shape it'll handle a low psi boost set up such as 5psi. That's what they had on the 250 on YouTube and it made over 260hp but I'm not that ambitious with it. Some engines run better on different carbs hence where I'm coming from with "like" the carb. I had an old 360 in a old dodge pickup and it wouldn't run for anything on a holley but ran beautifully on an edlebrock. There's not as many 250 chevys sitting around to steal different carbs off to find out so I figured I'd see if anyone on here had experience with it either way.

 

[Bondo]

Well,... the motor came with a 2bbl rochester, a 2bbl Mercarb possibly, 'n a Quadra-jet,....

Take yer pick,....

'n as ya already know,... do NOT use an automotive carb,....

'course, ya also know ya can't use the automotive exhaust manifold either,....

Basically, yer plan ain't gonna work, 'n will be a floatin' Bomb if ya try it,...

For anybody readin' along, the rest of the story is Here,...

 

[Scott Danforth]

lump ports on your motor are a waste of time in a boat. as indicated in your other thread, a turbo in a boat with a gas motor is also not a smart move.

the 250 was used in boats for almost 30 years. there are literally thousands of them out there. and there are millions of small block marine motors out there. for the price of a new carb from summit, you can buy a running boat on a trailer with a water logged hull. just look on craigslist for the adds that say trailer $300, must take boat.

saying you cant find something is because you are not looking. do NOT use an automotive carb. you will blow up.

since your dealing with a boat (unlike a car), if there are any fuel vapors, they settle. in a car, it is dispursed under the car. in a boat they build up in the bilge and will blow you to pieces, especially if you attemp to use an automotive exhaust system like in your other post. you want to put an automotive turbo on automotive exhausts. that is 1500 degrees of fire starting / explosion igniting stupidity

in a boat, the warmest part should be below 200 degrees to prevent ignition.

 

[thestigmach1]

Not being able to find what I'm looking for is not from lack of trying. I've been trying to find a used 350 marine motors for it for months now doing exactly what you said on Craigslist. The problem is I live in northwestern missouri, where they apparently don't believe in anything good about a boat. The closest marina is over 2hrs and I get more reliable answers from my dog than those idiots. Hence the reason I'm on a forum. You guys say certain things won't work because of ventilation issues. Which is fine I agree. But contrary to what you guys think I'm not going to just slap things in there and go boating. The setup includes a lot of ventilation added using blowers that run at all times the engine is running and cooling fan with fresh air directly circulating. As far as the turbo issue goes and blowing up the motor I'm working with a shop on deciding exactly what needs to be changed to support it. That issue is handled. I only needed to make sure the outdrive could handle the extra thrown at it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

when (and not if) your boat blows up and kills you, lets hope it doesnt kill someone else.

cooling fans do not go in boats - its a source of ignitions and against federal code CFR 33 Part 183, so is your thought of running automotive exhaust. there is a reason that things need to be marine certified SAE J1171.

you might want to read up on CFR 33, Part 183. this is what is enforced by the Coast Guard. This is not only us telling you its a bad idea. it is international law, backed up by federal law and enforced by the local LEO's

 

[Bondo]

I've been trying to find a used 350 marine motors for it for months now doing exactly what you said on Craigslist.

I guess I shoulda merged these threads awhile ago, now yer c&pin' 'tween 'em,....

What's yer Budget for buyin' a motor, or smarter yet, a donor boat,..??

How much do ya think it's gonna cost ya to turbo yer motor,..??

Btw,... I've lived in the sticks all my life,.... sometimes ya gotta travel to get stuff,.... Widen yer search,....

 

[thestigmach1]

I've been searching up to 4hrs away and haven't found anything worth my time to go get. I'm not going further than. Upon further searching on ebay I found a turbo that belongs to a Volvo penta. If it is what I think it is that eliminates the whole problem of automotive things.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Upon further searching on ebay I found a turbo that belongs to a Volvo penta. If it is what I think it is that eliminates the whole problem of automotive things.

I guarantee that turbo you found is for a Volvo turbo diesel, which would be all wrong for a 250 gas engine.
Turbos need to be matched to the engine and application.

 

[harleyman1975]

This thread reminds me of the one where the guy had a hole in the oil pan and wanted to drive his boat 20 miles with a broken connecting rod...and claims to have made it! :lol:

 

[Scott Danforth]

As indicated, the only VP turbos out there are diesel

in fact, the only water cooled turbos on petrol powered motors are on high end race motors (think of the Mercury Racing 1350 and 1650). however these motors also have a supercharger for low end, have twin turbos and a pile of water to air intercoolers. (the long block alone is $67k) complete motor and drive just shy of $225k

unless the VP turbo is brand new in the box. the guy is selling it on ebay because its junk. no-one pulls off a perfectly good turbo to sell.

then you would need to have a custom (never made) marine water cooled exhaust system for your 250 cubic inch motor to bolt the turbo up to. I know a company that will make custom marine exhaust manifolds for any application, their price start at $2k for a simple set of marine headers for a v8. fabricating a complete wet manifold out of stainless would probably be about the same.

most boosted boats are blower application. The belts are special static free for marine application (similar to a class I, div II environment applicaiton), and the housings are anodized for corrosion.