Reply With Quoteas has been discussed many times,crate motors are not !!! set up for marine use,thats why you pay for a properly set up marine motor,they are more like an endurance racer set-up,unless your gonna run 1/4 mile drags,just fyi.
Has anyone purchased a new boat and rather than buying the Mercruiser package, used a crate 502 motor? If so, how did it run, has it been reliable. Is this even worth the hassle, or should I just spend the extra cash up front and buy the Mercruiser?
as has been discussed many times,crate motors are not !!! set up for marine use,thats why you pay for a properly set up marine motor,they are more like an endurance racer set-up,unless your gonna run 1/4 mile drags,just fyi.
Been there...Done that, Definitely MerCruiser my man. Comparison? How long do you think that crate motor will last if you took your car and drove it like a boat, nail it taking off and drive it wide open everywhere you go. Marine engines are built to take a frigging beating, and that crate motor would be trashed in no time.
I havnt had any problems with my motor. I bought a 502 put a B&M 250 blower on it plus a superchiller and mine had been running three years. Alot of guys I know have not spent the extra money on the mercruiser motor, bought the chevy crate motor, bought upgrades for either the motor or have bought superchargers and there you go. You have a kick ass motor for alot less. Maybe someone can tell me what a mercruiser motor has in it that a chevy crate motor doesnt? I agree that marine motors go through alot more abuse then a street driven motor but has far as I know, mercruiser doesnt do anything different then chevy besides their shitty black marine paint job. And the warrany. Big deal you get a 1 year warranty that last you one summer. Not worth it to me.
When you put the supercharger on it, did you have to change the compression? head studs, copper gaskets, etc...? Or did it just bolt together? Also, how big of a boat is this in?
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[This message has been edited by Racing Ray (edited March 12, 2002).]
Its in a 24 foot HTM and yes I changed the compression to 8:1 and used felpro head gaskets. Used the stock studs but you can upgrade if you want. I bought a Bravo one package with a small block. Then used all the parts off the small block, power steering pump, alt, brackets, etc, and sold the small block by itself. Yes you do have to buy exhaust but you probabley are going to do that anyway. Of course its not as easy has buying the stock mercruiser and playing around with that. But the money you would spend on the mercuiser can go into all the good aftermarket parts.
Im curious what is different as far as internal parts from mercruiser to crate? I bet you that Mercruiser is using a stock crate motor. Probaly not a damb thing different. I hear this all the time from guys who say oh a marine engine is way different.... I say bull shit!!!
It is Bullshit. The only thing that is different that I know of is the head gaskets and maybe the intake manifold. Big deal!!
I knew that Merc Rep was full of crap!!!!! I need to get him to come on this board so you can tell him more about his product!
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