Chev 502

[Rooster]

I Liked my zz502 before it sucked a valve
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...laule/5021.jpg

[n8dawg]

Question for you guys with your crate engines: Are you just buying a crate motor and dropping it in the boat? Or do you change out the bearings so it will survive a longer life? I'm also looking into buying a crate motor when the Olds takes a dive on me.
Thanks,
Nate

[supersoaker509]

I Liked my zz502 before it sucked a valve
I have one of those :cry:
http://www.geocities.com/scooter2073...r/P1010028.JPG
http://www.geocities.com/scooter2073...r/P1010026.JPG

[Morg]

502 seems to be a pretty good deal. (except for dropping valves)
Not to familiar with them. What is the bore & stroke?

[502 JET]

The 502 standard bore is 4.466 inches and 4.00 stroke.I wonder what caused them to drop a valve?

[Morg]

Thanks for the reply,
What are they doing for valve train & cam ??

[Cas]

The 502 standard bore is 4.466 inches and 4.00 stroke.I wonder what caused them to drop a valve?
most are built in Mexico?
here's my thoughts as told through a very reputable engine builder here in Sonoma. You can replace hot rods with boats.
Crate Motors (http://www.badasscars.com/techtips.html#crate1)

[Aluminum Squirt]

This is quite contradictory to both CAS and a recent HB article about crate motors. We have 2 different classes that are built around crate motors, the ZZ4 and the ZZ502. The ZZ4 class is running around 80MPH, maybe touching 85MPH is a few of the hulls. The ZZ502 is in the 90MPH range, with maybe one hull getting into the 95MPH range. These motors have been pretty reliable, needing little more than oil changes. I'm assuming most of them are jetted spot on or a little fat, as we run them at WOT for 10-30 minutes at a time. Most of the people I've talked to have had very few problems. Nobody can argue that a quality built motor, professionally assembled with good parts is going to be better than a crate motor, but at these modest HP levels, we have been having good luck. I'm trying to save the funds for a new ZZ4 right now, but if I could get somebody like Bad-Ass motors to build me a ZZ4 spec SBC for a reasonable price, I would probably opt for the pro built motor. In a race boat built around a crate motor, its an economical way to race on reliable horsepower, but a broken motor is just racing, sometimes parts break and it doesn't ruin a week at the lake that the family has been planning for a year. If you are on a budget, I wouldn't shy away from a crate motor, especially if you take care of it, but if you have the funds, I would have something purpose built for a boat with good parts in it and a professional assembling it. Just mu $.02-Aluminum Squirt
PS-Hey CAS, I wrote Bad Ass to ask some questions. Will they build a marine motor? I've been finding some shops in the Sacramento area build for the street or the water but many don't do both.

[Wicked Performance Boats]

I have run a crate 502 w/ the aluminum heads for about 3 summers (about 65 hours, don't use it much). Runs great, only issue is it burns more oil than usual, which is a well-reported trait. I just keep a quart of Castrol Syntec nearby.
Rocknpalms . . . I also just replaced my dual plane stock GM intake with an Edelbrock Vic Jr. airgap. Along with a more aggessive roller cam (replaced the stock 520 lift hydraulic with a 580 lift hydraulic roller). Also had the Berk pump overhauled and installed a Mag/Bronze A/B cut, droop, ride plate and shoe.
My boat is a 1988 Caribbean 20', 2,360 pounds, semi-v. With the stock 502, I was turning a worn Berk aluminum A/B cut at 5,200 RPMs and 63 MPH on GPS (the standard Berk HP chart would suggest about 410 HP for A/B@ 5,200, a little disappointing considering the heads, Holley 850, EMI Thunder exhaust and full MSD).
I just picked up the boat from GS and hauled it back to its home in Boulder City but was not able to run it. Been a long wait all winter to see if I can touch 70 after going to the hip.
Carribean 20, I live in Boulder City and I'll be more than glad to watertest your boat for you! j/k Look me up when you come to town. Budlight

[Cas]

PS-Hey CAS, I wrote Bad Ass to ask some questions. Will they build a marine motor? I've been finding some shops in the Sacramento area build for the street or the water but many don't do both.
Yep, Arron is doing a mild build for friend of mine right now, nothing real wild though. In talking with him, he's built quite a few of boat engines over the years.
Here's one he built-
http://www.badasscars.com/gallery/blown468.jpg
This bad to the bone, blown 468 went to George Sandy in Lake Elsinore, CA for his bad to the bone boat. This beast has a 4340 crank and H beam rods, TRW blower pistons, large rectangle port heads, a custom roller valve train and many other goodies. The large timing cover with the legs sticking out to the side is the integral mount most boats use. We build lots of engines like this. If you don't see something on our PRICES page that suits your needs, just ask us and we can build one to your exact needs.
When I put my engine together I used most of his suggestions and have been very happy. With all the money I ended up spending doing it myself, it probably would have been more cost effective to just have him do it. The only reason why I did it was because I spent the money over an 18 month period of time.
If you looked through his website, you can see you can get a good solid engine for a decent price. As you probably figured out, being in Sonoma with Infineon real close, most of the people around here are into car racing. Wednesday night drags are a lot of fun especially when the cops come out and join in.....$15.00 for a grudge match.....keeps most of the kids from racing on the streets.