Assembling a 4.3 MerCruiser v6 - Parts check needed

[Scott06]

And this is the 4 barrel LX version, so i have that going for me.

Worst case i replace the heads, Edelbrock intake, + jet kit.
I found the edlebrocm jet kit for $30, assuming i have the right carb.

I'm assuming i have a weber, and if i understand it's pretty close to the Edelbrock carb they list in the intake instructions...

Webber & Edelbrock are carbon copies. only diff you may see Merc used a 3 stage step up rod on some of them. Eddy parts will fit. IF you search the threads here you will find some threads where people did NOT find that the eddy jet kit for 4.3s worked well with Vortec heads. I'll see if I can dig up a link

 

[Scott06]

Webber & Edelbrock are carbon copies. only diff you may see Merc used a 3 stage step up rod on some of them. Eddy parts will fit. IF you search the threads here you will find some threads where people did NOT find that the eddy jet kit for 4.3s worked well with Vortec heads. I'll see if I can dig up a link

this is the thread I was thinking of-

https://forums.iboats.com/threads/stumbling-edelbrock-1409-4-3l-v6.670697/

in there is a link to another member who arrived at basically the same carb set up

 

[Pmt133]

this is the thread I was thinking of-

https://forums.iboats.com/threads/stumbling-edelbrock-1409-4-3l-v6.670697/

in there is a link to another member who arrived at basically the same carb set up

That is more or less where I plan to start with my calibration as well. And from what I recall it is pretty close to the mercruiser calibration for the vortec engines.

 

[Gibbles]

Well, the engine was just delivered.
I'm already feeling like this thing is getting disassembled and cleaned.

Part of where I don't like long blocks, confirming what they used.
I see some cast pistons by looking at the PN.

Should marine engines have Cast or forged?

I'm tempted to at least upgrade to a set of hypereutectic pistons...

 

[Gibbles]

"enginetech p1505 .030" is what I come up with.
$10 a piece!

 

[Scott06]

Well, the engine was just delivered.
I'm already feeling like this thing is getting disassembled and cleaned.

Part of where I don't like long blocks, confirming what they used.
I see some cast pistons by looking at the PN.

Should marine engines have Cast or forged?

I'm tempted to at least upgrade to a set of hypereutectic pistons...

Cast is fine and what is standard in GM marine engines for many years. I believe they were hypereutctic but not 100% sure.
Yes there are better pistons out there but bottom line keep detonation at bay and they will be fine.

 

[Scott Danforth]

"enginetech p1505 .030" is what I come up with.
$10 a piece!

who did the reman? Enginetech pistons are ok. however its not worth dumping more money on a stock build.

 

[Gibbles]

who did the reman? Enginetech pistons are ok. however its not worth dumping more money on a stock build.

Marine Rebuilt Engines | Machine Shop

Marine engines mercruiser 4.3 5.7 7.4 chevy 454 ford 351w

www.marineremanengines.com

They have some pretty good reviews via google and ebay.

the other seller I was looking at was in Texas, but they had some pretty valid sounding negative reviews.

My biggest gripe so far is the block deck, it should work fine but for a machine shop, they should have decked it.

 

[nola mike]

That is more or less where I plan to start with my calibration as well. And from what I recall it is pretty close to the mercruiser calibration for the vortec engines.

this is the thread I was thinking of-

https://forums.iboats.com/threads/stumbling-edelbrock-1409-4-3l-v6.670697/

in there is a link to another member who arrived at basically the same carb set up

Fwiw, Rick's calibration ran waaay lean for me. I think I'm pretty close to stock ATM (forget what I have in there exactly). Michigan motorz uses stock 1409 with stock jetting on their vortec 4.3s

 

[Gibbles]

Cast is fine and what is standard in GM marine engines for many years. I believe they were hypereutctic but not 100% sure.
Yes there are better pistons out there but bottom line keep detonation at bay and they will be fine.

Looking online, it looks like cast pistons in this gen for sure.
I found a used set of pistons/rods from this gen, and they look identical to the set that's in this engine.

I think that confirms a solid "send it" for me.

 

[Scott06]

Looking online, it looks like cast pistons in this gen for sure.
I found a used set of pistons/rods from this gen, and they look identical to the set that's in this engine.

I think that confirms a solid "send it" for me.

Keep it under 5 k rpm you will be fine

 

[Gibbles]

Well just going over the engine after getting it on a stand, and a few things I don't like at all.

They painted under the timing cover, I'm thinking the paint went on first, then the oil gally plugs and the cam bearings.

The oil filter housing?
You guessed it, painted the hell out of the inside of it!

it was coming off with brake clean pretty easily, so I got a bunch of brake clean and a little carb cleaner.
Rinsed that **** right off.

then rotating the engine I kept hearing a rattling sound.
Sounded like it was coming from one of the cylinders on the port side.
So I shined a little flashlight in there and I saw it.

The old freeze plug on the port front of the engine is still there.
Just left inside of the water jacket.

I'll reach out to the seller to see if they want to refund some $$, but it looks like I get to order some new freeze plugs.
I'm thinking they painted the block first, and then installed those things too.

 

[Gibbles]

also this thing is dirty as hell, I'm tearing it completely apart.

 

[Scott06]

also this thing is dirty as hell, I'm tearing it completely apart.

Send it back. Too many issues to assume it was assembled correctly

 

[Gibbles]

I contacted the seller this morning and he promptly called me.

Promised me that it was assembled correctly...

I sort of figured i would need to fully dissemble the engine when i made the order anyways so that's what I'm going to do.

He also said the block was cleaned in a hot tank, so some of the paint was to protect it from rust (or maybe to hide it?).

Whatever, the paint came off with carb cleaner easily.

Once i have the other engine pulled and dissembled I'll do a compare.

I also have a guy that use to do race engines, if he has the time I'll have him look over it and question my financial decisions (again)... lol

I'll post some pictures soon.

I'm also planning to fully strip the paint from the block so i can be sure it has a proper engine paint on there and to be sure the paint isn't hiding anything.

 

[Scott06]

I sort of figured i would need to fully dissemble the engine when i made the order anyways so that's what I'm going to do.

You shouldn't have to disassemble anything - that is the whole point of getting a long or short block. If it is so dirty you need to tear down something is really wrong here. You take it apart I would suspect you void the warranty...if you heard something rattling someone crating it should have too

 

[Gibbles]

Well i pulled the engine over the weekend, then started taking pictures of wiring and where everything went.
Labled wires, taped leads together, etc.

Then while looking at the pictures on my computer, i found a huge crack on the port side.

Before i swore it was only on the starboard side, and a relatively small one at that.

This crack goes up and under the cylinder head!

Had drained and flushed with rv antifreeze, then reinstalled the plugs in the block.

I started wondering if it cracked over the long cold winter, but the block is still empty with just a few drops of antifreeze dripping out the plug.

So I'm really feeling like these heads are toast.
I can get a set of correct non vortec heads for about $250 shipped, or $300 shipped for a set of vortec heads.

So I'll probably need some more jetting advice after i read through that thread.

 

[Scott06]

Well i pulled the engine over the weekend, then started taking pictures of wiring and where everything went.
Labled wires, taped leads together, etc.

Then while looking at the pictures on my computer, i found a huge crack on the port side.

Before i swore it was only on the starboard side, and a relatively small one at that.

This crack goes up and under the cylinder head!

Had drained and flushed with rv antifreeze, then reinstalled the plugs in the block.

I started wondering if it cracked over the long cold winter, but the block is still empty with just a few drops of antifreeze dripping out the plug.

So I'm really feeling like these heads are toast.
I can get a set of correct non vortec heads for about $250 shipped, or $300 shipped for a set of vortec heads.

So I'll probably need some more jetting advice after i read through that thread.

get the vortecs and a vortec intake for the power gain. Moght as well after doing all this work...

I bought a handymans special that PO cracked and did not reuse any of the castings that could have cracked. Just not worth the risk.

There must have been some water in there diluting the AF. I leave the plugs out over the winter probe the holes

 

[Gibbles]

I figure I might as well do my engine building adventure here.

This is an image of the replacement short block, nice surprise found in the water jacket as found.



It looks like to return this pig I would probably need to fork out another $400-500 bucks, so I'll go through it to be sure it's a good donor.


For the original engine, this is the second crack as I noticed it yesterday.


I can't wait to see how the cylinder heads look.

 

[Gibbles]

And this morning I had a little time, I have a second engine stand coming so I it will make it easier to swap parts between the two blocks.
So I pulled the bell housing, and the flywheel off.

I was greeted with 3 broken bolts falling out from under the coupler!
Looks like 3 of the 6 flywheel bolts are totally fkd

one half had bolts, the other half broken!?
How does that happen?
Engine alignment issues?

Shopping for replacement bolts now, I assume these should be just the standard ones from a 350 sbc, 7/16 x 20 pitch?

Thinking about something like this, but probably 6 point if I can find it.

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