Does E3 make marine plugs?

Randy stoner

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
78
I have had excellent luck with E3 plugs in my Harleys and other gas engines and am wondering if E3s are available in Marine grade. I have a cobra 3.0 140hp chev vortec four cylinder engine and was wondering if they do.

Randy
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,952
Ayuh,....... I guess the best place to ask that question would be an E3 dealer,.....

I've never heard of 'em,....
 

matt167

Rear Admiral
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Messages
4,149
NGK and Bosch have jumped in making double and quad electrode plugs, but they are for manufacture specific requests. I think like BMW and VW and are platinum iridium. E3 in itself is a cheap plug with 3 electrodes.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
49,534
I have a cobra 3.0 140hp chev vortec four cylinder engine
Just an FYI. Vortec refers to the cumbustion chamber. the 181 cube / 3.0 liter motor in your boat is not a Vortec motor. its an industrial version of a 1962 Chevrolet 153 cubic inch motor with a longer stroke made in mexico as a forklift motor that was marginally cheap enough to use as an entry level marine motor.

E3 plugs only work ok as the burr on the edge of the electrode is there (just like the split-fires). once that burr burns off, they actually perform worse than a cheap champion.

as other stated, get a good AC Delco marine plug as recommended or get the NGK's
 

Randy stoner

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
78
Well thats a slap in the old pee pee about the motor being cheap although they are in a lot of boats. But point taken about the plugs. I have run E3s in my harley for 7 years without issue using the same plugs. It starts better and mileage is noticeablly slighty better over time. but thats just me. Others will have different opinions. What plug is best for this cheapo 181 four cylinder. It a brand new 140 hp remanufactured engine with 7 hours on it?

Thanks
Randy
 

airshot

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Messages
5,080
Well thats a slap in the old pee pee about the motor being cheap although they are in a lot of boats. But point taken about the plugs. I have run E3s in my harley for 7 years without issue using the same plugs. It starts better and mileage is noticeablly slighty better over time. but thats just me. Others will have different opinions. What plug is best for this cheapo 181 four cylinder. It a brand new 140 hp remanufactured engine with 7 hours on it?

Thanks
Randy
Not really, most industrial engines are made better than auto engines, companies don't put up with excess maintenence !! I have owned a couple 3.0 and they have been great if taken care of !!
 

flashback

Captain
Joined
Jun 28, 2002
Messages
3,963
Put an e3 in my power washer last year, a 13hp Honda and it starts on the first pull and runs well, just like it did before I changed it.

I have a neighbor with a Harley and he swaps plugs all the time, I think it's running very rich an it needs a good tune..
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
49,534
I have a neighbor with a Harley and he swaps plugs all the time, I think it's running very rich an it needs a good tune..
I have a good friend that was a Harley mechanic for 30 years.

He said most Harley owners don't know what they are doing when they adjust a carb, or put on aftermarket parts

Most cause a drivability issue and cause the motor to run pig rich
 

Scott06

Admiral
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
Messages
6,424
Just an FYI. Vortec refers to the cumbustion chamber. the 181 cube / 3.0 liter motor in your boat is not a Vortec motor. its an industrial version of a 1962 Chevrolet 153 cubic inch motor with a longer stroke made in mexico as a forklift motor that was marginally cheap enough to use as an entry level marine motor.

E3 plugs only work ok as the burr on the edge of the electrode is there (just like the split-fires). once that burr burns off, they actually perform worse than a cheap champion.

as other stated, get a good AC Delco marine plug as recommended or get the NGK's
At some point GM wasnt using the Vortec name on enough engines so they called the 3.0 a Vortec 3000. suspect nothing is different vs the 3.0 …

 

Scott06

Admiral
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
Messages
6,424
Well thats a slap in the old pee pee about the motor being cheap although they are in a lot of boats.
The 3.0 is just an entry level marine engine. For years it was the base engine in both merc and Volvo Pentas stern drive offerings. Mostly used in smaller boats as the base power plant .

What it is is inexpensive , durable , and easy to work on. What it is not is powerful.

Had one for years in my old boat beat the snot out of it tubing and skiing for years. While it’s nice to have a a bigger more powerful boat now, when my kids were young and my wife wasn’t working it was great to have a boat I could put $50 of gas in, use all weekend and still have about a quarter tank left
 

Randy stoner

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
78
My boat is a 1991 sunbird with a 3.0 120 hp I/o 4 cylinder. I replaced it with a new re-manufactured 140 hp 4 cylinder engine. As per that website listed above this is the engine I have now
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
49,534
My boat is a 1991 sunbird with a 3.0 120 hp I/o 4 cylinder. I replaced it with a new re-manufactured 140 hp 4 cylinder engine. As per that website listed above this is the engine I have now
your 1991 motor and a brand new 2023 3.0 share the exact same pistons, crank, block, head, etc. the vortec decal is a marketing gimmick.
 

Ezepeze

Cadet
Joined
Oct 21, 2022
Messages
10
Just an FYI. Vortec refers to the cumbustion chamber. the 181 cube / 3.0 liter motor in your boat is not a Vortec motor. its an industrial version of a 1962 Chevrolet 153 cubic inch motor with a longer stroke made in mexico as a forklift motor that was marginally cheap enough to use as an entry level marine motor.

E3 plugs only work ok as the burr on the edge of the electrode is there (just like the split-fires). once that burr burns off, they actually perform worse than a cheap champion.

as other stated, get a good AC Delco marine plug as recommended or get the NGK's
I have a good friend that was a Harley mechanic for 30 years.

He said most Harley owners don't know what they are doing when they adjust a carb, or put on aftermarket parts

Most cause a drivability issue and cause the motor to run pig rich
your 1991 motor and a brand new 2023 3.0 share the exact same pistons, crank, block, head, etc. the vortec decal is a marketing gimmick.
 

Randy stoner

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
78
My Harley is fuel injected with an electronic power commander that I plug my laptop into. It also has an auto tuner. It’s a 2003 road king With my laptop I can tune that Harley to pull the front wheel off the ground so I know all about Harleys inside and out. There is no carburetter on mine.
 
Top