Re: My boat has a knock, I don't know how it happened.
I need to get a block that's stroked is there anywhere I can find one. I have to be able to dress the block with with the Mercruiser parts, The MPI i believe is off of the 377 6.2. Could someone enlighten me on what my options are. I looked at Rapido but they have nothing stroked.
My understanding is you'll have to get a "regular" block and have it "stroker clearanced". The block I used was casting #880 and the stroker clearancing can be done by a local reputable machine shop and isn't terribly expensive. Check around locally for a block, a machine shop may have access; if all else fails I have a few in the garage.
As far as displacement goes, there are several ways to arrive at cubic inches you need:
4.00 inch bore x 3.75 inch stroke - 377 ci (#1)
4.00 inch bore x 3.80 inch stroke - 383 ci (#2)
4.03 inch bore x 3.75 inch stroke - 383 ci (#3)
Don't quote me on this, but I think the Merc stroker is #2.
You could also have the crank ground. My understanding is you can grind as much as 0.030". In fact, some guys prefer grinding 0.030" as this allows for bigger radii at the throws (which is where many cranks break), resulting in a "better" crank. Again, this is at the word of several reputable engine builders, not me.
Going with a local shop is probably an option that should be seriously considered. All else being equal, a warranty is only as good as whoever is backing it, and you'll find that a lot of warranties are secured through third parties and there is a lot of red tape.
I went locally when I did my 383 last season. There was an issue with the block after only a few hours, and while there was no written warranty the owner of the shop fixed it for free.
Also, you'd be surprised at how quickly the legal process can work if the company sees you are serious. To my understanding, Merc is owned by Brunswick, and unless it's "bet the company" litigation they tend to like to get the small stuff settled quickly. It would probably cost them well in excess of $10K to have their outside counsel show up for a one day hearing, and about the same to draft motions and letters. To avoid exposure to negligence and being hit with damages in excess of replacement costs for the engine, it's a better business move to get you a new engine and stipulate that you can't disclose the details of the settlement.
Make sure you have all of your documentation now. And have it IN WRITING. You don't want to decide in six months to go after them and rely on the memory and interests of the local dealer at that time.
Just my $0.02.
