Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

[ramster]

Here's one for the "Can't leave well enough alone guy's" I have a Volvo 5.0 GL(220 HP)in my glastron, it works pretty good, but how sweet would an all aluminum 310 HP 5.3 from a wrecked truck be? Fuel injected, roller cam, I have one in my new Silverado and it really runs nice. I think that would be a killer boat motor, and I think the bell housing is close enough, all but one bolt is the same, but I'm not sure about bolting up the flex plate and the out drive. Any one done something like this?

 

[QC]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

What about the cooling system, manifolds, raw water pump mounting, auto type starter (vs. marine), auto alernator . . . this list is longer. How are you going to control the ECM?<br /><br />Lot more going on than mounting to the drive . . .

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

You are correct quietcat, but you are forgetting... there is a marinized 6.0l engine. All the stuff from it would be a direct bolt on to a 5.3. So, why don't you either buy a boat with a 6.0l and see if you like it. or look for a wrecked truck with a 6.0 & then buy the marine stuff from one of the companies using it. it'll be very pricey, but might be fun!

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

Fuel injected, roller cam,

My 1997 5.7LX EFI Gen + has those features. Many of the engines do. Go to gmpowertrain.com and look up the marine engines, you'll get all GM's specs on them.

 

[QC]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

Originally posted by TilliamWe:<br /> but you are forgetting... there is a marinized 6.0l engine.

Your right I had forgotten about the inboard, but I would submit that this is still a VERY tall order. Would be cool, but major $ even with the wrecked truck equation . . .

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

but I would submit that this is still a VERY tall order

Absolutely! That's why you'll notice in my first response there was no statement like this:<br />"Great idea, I'd love to help you!"<br /><br />

 

[rbezdon]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

You are all forgetting that the 5.3 is ALUMINUM. Aluminum and Marine just do not go well together. If freshwater ONLY, it may be feasible but if the thing even smelled the salt water it would be toast before long.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

Vatter's comment is the reason why GM continues to build the 5.7 and 5.0 cast iron block for the marine industry.

 

[QC]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

Roger. Is that also true of closed cooling system engines?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

Vatter and KaGee, Why are aluminum inboard blocks bad news? Outboard motors are all aluminum.

 

[rbezdon]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

I think it is because the salt water reacts with the aluminum pretty strongly effectivly "rusting" out the block quickly. I think it is a problem of the inboard engine holding the water in. An outboard automatically drains once out of the water. These are my guesses but I do not know for sure. All I can tell you is I was warned strongly before putting the Aluminum Performer intake on my SMC. I was told OK for the freashwater but NO GO for salt. I only have freash water here near Chicago.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

Chris,<br /><br />Ya, and I see quite a few outboards on Ebay too, late model, that have new powerheads already.<br /><br />GM would love to stop making cast iron blocks that only go to marine use. They would prefer to supply other engines that incorporate aluminum heads and blocks which they build in mass now.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

vatter I did not forget that the 4.8 5.3 & 6.0 are aluminum engines. Obviously any use of these would require closed cooling. KaGee, it is my opinion that indeed GM will eventually stop producing the iron block engines, and go to the AL engines. They will get closed cooling, and we the consumers will just have to pay the price increase. Right along with catalytic converters & O2 sensors!

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

My Sea Craft came with a raw water cooled small block henry, and the original owner tried to go from a 302 to a 351, not realizing that the Cleveland 351 was WIDER than the venerable 351 Windsor. So back out came the 351 and back in went the 302. To give the 302 the booster shot it needed, an aluminum torker intake was bolted on ... and the boat was run in the Chesapeake and Delaware bay.<br />When I got the boat, two batteries would barely turn it over, so I ripped it down and sure enough, there was aluminum "rust" everywhere, known as aluminum oxide. Some of you out there are saying, dammit I know that from somewhere, and you would be right, you know it from SANDPAPER wrappers<br /> Brand new 302 and a hard to find, expensive to buy, and fun to paint black cast iron four barrel manifold in place, I found the outdrive was shot too ... NEVER trust an uncle to sell ya something like a boat and have it be good<br /><br />

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

oh by the way ..<br /><br />the corvette is rumbling out the factory with a SEVEN LITER aluminum engine, I would just love to slap that in Big Red, and put the cast iron 5.3 in the boat with a bravo 3 outdrive<br /><br />ah the dreams i have<br /><br />

 

[KaGee]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

Oh Ya! That new C6 will rock right off the showroom floor. Saw a program on TLC about it's developement. They took it to Germany. 165+ MPH plus with NO tweaks. SWEET!<br /><br />But, that 7.0L won't last long in the saltwater pond without an extreme amount of TLC.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

well lets see over the years pontiac bailed from the marine market, then olds bailed, then buick then chysler then ford. leaves about GM for the american market. I have seen some FWC mitsubishis here and there. soon the cast iron 5.0 and 5.7 will go the way of the dinosaur. the handwriting is on the wall. the marine market wont support a seperate engine line. so we will most likly have mandatory FWC on all engines in the next 10 years or so. that is if any of us can afford the gas to tow the boat to the ramp and still fill the boat.<br /> but eventually the marine market will get some modified trickle down motors that wont do anything quite right.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

and if we are gonna dream lets dream that merc will use these http://www.c5registry.com/Documents/ls6/INDEX.HTM<br /> sweeeet

 

[KaGee]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

"This newest Gen III puts out 385hp at 6000 rpm and 385lbs/ft torque at 4800rpm."<br /><br />EEEWWWWWEEEYYYY!!!! That is.... <br />S-W-E-E-T!<br /><br />Don't think your average drive will hold up long to that! Will it??

 

[beckmanrussell]

Re: Swap 5.0 chevy for a aluminum 5.3

Ramster, would like to hear about your Glastron. Any problems or issues? I have a 2002 Glastron 205 GX 5.0GL & SX drive.