Need advice choosing an engine.

[2550SX]

Hello,

I have a 1992 Chaparral 2550XS with a base 330hp 454 with the peanut port heads. The engine has about 1400 hours on it and I can still get to 51mph on the GPS. According to the specs I can find online my boat weighs 5100lbs dry. I am considering pulling the engine to do some other work in and around the bilge area this winter and I am debating either putting the current engine back in it or take this opportunity to put in a fresh engine.

I was looking at engines online and I see this company in Florida and they offer three engines that I am interested in. I would like to hear your opinions of which you would recommend.

1. Same base peanut port 454 https://marineengines4less.com/new-7-4l-marine-base-engine-replaces-years-1991-present/ This would probably be the easiest swap as I can reuse the intake manifold.

2. H.O. 454 with rectangle port heads https://marineengines4less.com/new-7-4l-ho-marine-base-engine-replaces-years-1991-present/ This engine revs higher than the base version with more HP but I am unsure if my boat would be considered too heavy for rectangle ports. I would probably need to get an aftermarket intake manifold.

3. There is this 502 https://marineengines4less.com/new-...marine-base-engine-replaces-years-2005-newer/ but it says 2005 or newer. I am unsure why this could not be used in my boat. Does 2005 and newer mean it was designed for fuel injection and not the carburetor that I have?

All three engines appear to have fuel pump bosses so I can bypass that stupid oil filled raw water pump which I hate.

Also, while I am asking. Has anyone here had any personal experience with this company or do you have other marine engine companies that you recommend I research?

Thanks in advance for your opinions

 

[Scott06]

Hello,

I have a 1992 Chaparral 2550XS with a base 330hp 454 with the peanut port heads. The engine has about 1400 hours on it and I can still get to 51mph on the GPS. According to the specs I can find online my boat weighs 5100lbs dry. I am considering pulling the engine to do some other work in and around the bilge area this winter and I am debating either putting the current engine back in it or take this opportunity to put in a fresh engine.

I was looking at engines online and I see this company in Florida and they offer three engines that I am interested in. I would like to hear your opinions of which you would recommend.

1. Same base peanut port 454 https://marineengines4less.com/new-7-4l-marine-base-engine-replaces-years-1991-present/ This would probably be the easiest swap as I can reuse the intake manifold.

2. H.O. 454 with rectangle port heads https://marineengines4less.com/new-7-4l-ho-marine-base-engine-replaces-years-1991-present/ This engine revs higher than the base version with more HP but I am unsure if my boat would be considered too heavy for rectangle ports. I would probably need to get an aftermarket intake manifold.

3. There is this 502 https://marineengines4less.com/new-...marine-base-engine-replaces-years-2005-newer/ but it says 2005 or newer. I am unsure why this could not be used in my boat. Does 2005 and newer mean it was designed for fuel injection and not the carburetor that I have?

All three engines appear to have fuel pump bosses so I can bypass that stupid oil filled raw water pump which I hate.

Also, while I am asking. Has anyone here had any personal experience with this company or do you have other marine engine companies that you recommend I research?

Thanks in advance for your opinions

Unless money is no object or you want to improve performance I would do a compression and leakdown test on it before deciding to replace it. If you are doing the work and have the ability to lift it, its really not so much work that I would let the fact you need to pull it drive replacing it.

I cannot speak about marine engines 4 less but you should take a look at michigan motorz. I repowered in 2015-16 bought from them and it was a great experience. They do remans and new, long blocks to turnkey bobtails...

the 502 they list below is 1991-2002, somewhere there is a generation break in terms of what fits the long block . probably @alldodge or @Scott Danforth will know

8.2L (502ci) Base Marine Engine (425 HP)

New 8.2L 502ci Base Marine Engine 425 hp

www.michiganmotorz.com

 

[Scott Danforth]

The 1991 and later motors are 1- piece RMS motors. These are the Gen V motor like the OP has, and the following Gen VI motors which are better.

At 1400 hours there is no need to replace the motor. Swapping heads from the peanut ports to 188's would bump HP. Rectangular port heads are needed if you want high RPM power

There are high flowing oval port heads if you don't want to swap to rectangular port

The 502 was available only as a Mark IV or Gen VI motor

 

[2550SX]

I appreciate the replies.