If you were to pick a motor for a jet boatÂ….

[MoparSanger]

What engine do you think is the best for a jet boat? And why?
Chevy
Ford
Mopar
Olds
Cadillac
???
I think you know my answer. Mopar 440
Pros:
Crank stroke is short for the size of the motor only 3.75” good for high rpms
Dry intake manifold(no water)
Good stock oiling system
Cons:
Price of good aftermarket parts
Stock heads have poor flow for max HP. (not hemi)
Finding good used boat accessory

[wsuwrhr]

I know of one guy who has figured out how to put a Dodge in a boat, regardless of the sacrifice.
There are a few stock castings that are of moderate flow that do pretty well.
I don't know good or bad motors, everything can be made to work well. I think the deal breaker is clear, more time has been spent on the Chevy, pretty much making it the choice for most motorsports. Who wouldn't answer the same?
But which is best? I don't know, if you are looking for the easiest..a Chevy, hands down.
You can make POWER with any engine you choose, it just comes down to how dedicated you are.
Brian

[hboldno7]

wsuwrhr:
You can make POWER with any engine you choose, it just comes down to how dedicated you are.
Brian And how much money you want to spend

[oknozelman]

Any motor will work, but a chevy is low bucks,and parts are evreywhere.

[Squirtcha?]

Chevy. No question. The cost of performance parts being the biggest reason.

[058]

If you want cheap cubic inches then Ford is the way to go. You can build a stroker short block up to 565 cu/in for 2 to 3K.

[yates9]

How about an Allison? Twin spool turboshaft. It weights way less than all the others! (130 lbs)

[wsuwrhr]

hboldno7:
wsuwrhr:
You can make POWER with any engine you choose, it just comes down to how dedicated you are.
Brian And how much money you want to spend Read
"it just comes down to how dedicated you are."
Brian
[ June 18, 2003, 08:21 PM: Message edited by: wsuwrhr ]

[MissMoparFlat]

Hey Brian how much can you build a big inch stroker mopar for. Let's say 572ci :confused: wink or so.

[Chris J]

If you're looking to go over 500hp the BBC would be my choice. There's a reason the BBC is the most common motor in drag racing. Cost to build would be #1, available HP parts #2, plus the stock heads, crank and block are all capable of making a reliable 500+hp. Pushing a stock block to 700hp is no problem. Plus all gen4 blocks are basically the same (you can add valve reliefs and 4 bolt mains to any 2 bolt). Don't forget resale either. Any BBC jet boat will sell for a premuim over a Olds or Ford...don't believe me check E-bay.
If your looking for something under 500 HP what ever you already have would most likey be your best choice.
Food for thought, I dropped a stock 454 with 145,000 miles in my Vega, Added a cam and my dual 4 setup. It ran 12.5 in the 1/4, I had to shift a 5500 rpm to keep the valves from floating. Two weeks later it was putting out 676 hp @ 7000rpm and running high 9s (rebuilt with different heads & pistons). The main reason I bought a Jet boat was I needed another backup motor and thought, not only are jet boats cool, but they're like floating engine stands with a built in dynometer.
:D Damm-it now I'm hooked on these things!!

[77468sleekcraft]

IM GOING WITH THE BBC CAUSE I WILL GARAUNTEE THAT THE $$$$$ TO HORSE POWER RATIO IS REALLY HARD TO BEAT.....THATS COMING FROM A GUY WHO DRAG RACES A PONTIAC AND KNOWS ALL ABOUT PAYING TWICE AS MUCH TO HOPEFULLY GO QUICKER... argue

[sanger mike]

hey mike! hows it going. hows the boat running. well were all moved in.the new house is great. its only 27 miles from my front door to the gate at CFW :D . did you get out to CFW, hud and co. put on one hell of a weekend. you got to try his kung fu mushrooms :cool: I'll be taking my boat down to jack this weekend, after i get it back, it would be great if ya want to come up for a BBQ and check it out. :D

[wsuwrhr]

MissMoparFlat:
Hey Brian how much can you build a big inch stroker mopar for. Let's say 572ci :confused: wink or so. If I had to add up what I already have, I would be scared, but I would guess I am in the 7,000 dollar range. I still need to decide what block I want, pistons, cam, I think that is about it.
15,000 to make it run.
Brian

[Blown 472]

hummmm, car craft build up of all the big blocks a few years ago and the shortest stroke made the most hp and torque and it was a 440. Build the mopar, you get a FORGED CRANK AND RODS right from the factory, pistons are not any more pricy then chubby junk. Put a roller in it with a tunnel ram and some iron heads and make well over 600 hp.
Check these guys out and read the dyno pages. hughes mopars (http://www.hughesengines.com/www/hughesengines/)

[Liberator TJ1984]

Due to money issues .........BBC
If I had my way ,(free)it would be one of Force's Spare motors wink

[Blown 472]

Liberator TJ1984:
Due to money issues .........BBC
If I had my way ,(free)it would be one of Force's Spare motors wink I dont understand money issues, you CANT go to the junk yard and pick up a forged crank, good iron head chebby for a couple hundred bucks. You get a used up cast crank small port head to which you need to get a good set of heads$$$$ a steel crank more$$$$ then you start the machine work. How is that a cost stavings??

[Rampager]

Well I know this guy......(no really!)
He has about the coolest decal on his boat of anyone I know.
It says "General Electric" and that would have to be my choice as long as we're talking about money as no object wink
Cheers
http://www.geocities.com/toguy12345/dock-2.jpg
Me and a T-58, I'm sure you guys have seen Mark Nye's beast 'Squirt 2', 1400 HP/350 lbs, how can you argue?! jawdrop
[ June 19, 2003, 07:46 AM: Message edited by: Rampager ]

[Liberator TJ1984]

Blown , it is just to damn easy to find BBC's at least around here. You can get a BBC out of a totaled Truck for around $1500 w/low miles or new if your lucky..if my motor was to pop ,thats whatI would do for time being...

[Blown 472]

Liberator TJ1984:
Blown , it is just to damn easy to find BBC's at least around here. You can get a BBC out of a totaled Truck for around $1500 w/low miles or new if your lucky..if my motor was to pop ,thats whatI would do for time being... That being said, I can get steel crank 440 for 3 to 4 hundred bucks that run. You want to build power, change the pistons, cam, put some bigger valves in the heads, adjustable rockers, intake and whammo big hp. But that is ok, you guys keep spending 3 to 4 times more for a core motor and keep the mopar prices lower so I can go pick them up. :D :D :D

[058]

$1500.00 for a BBC??? Where is that cheap? Anyone can pick up a running 460 for about a hundred bucks. :D and Fords don't need 4 bolt blocks and steel cranks until you get into the 850-900 hp level.
[ June 19, 2003, 09:27 AM: Message edited by: 058 ]

[Duke]

i see 454's on the recycler for under 500 all the time

[dossangers]

You can build a 2 bolt with good heads arp forged pistons good cam and valve train dirt cheap and get 500 hp for a jet boat its a good deal mine lasted 5 years with tunnel ram in my old jet i beat the shit out of it!!! ps thats a bbCHEVY

[dgie]

Hands down the best motor out there is a 455 olds
Just kidding. Rampager I used to work on T-58's and your right they would spin the hell out of the pump. One big problem is GAS,,JP5 is not cheap. I guess the instillation would be fairly straight forward, provided you can run some sort of power takeoff directly to the Power Turbine spline. One more problem is seating. The engine from the front frame to the power turbine is roughly 6-7 feet.

[Rampager]

That was actually the funny/depressing thing about the day I met Mark and Squirt. He said on the phone he had to gas up and he was heading to the ramp. I made a smart remark about having to go to the airport to do it. His reply kinda shocked me. He can burn REGULAR gas, stove oil, diesel, JetA etc or any combination of the above basically. I believe he said startup is a bit different for each but there are no mechanical adjustments to make otherwise!!!!! Now thats flexible, try that with a bi block! I can't even run regular through my 460!
If I had the money I know where I'd be headed. Seems Mark has all the "bits" figured out to do this and sells most/all of them. The boat does over 90 without even coming close to full power. I'm sold...
Hoping to get out boating with him again soon and I will definatly take pics. I want another ride when its calm enough for him to open it up!
Cheers

[Squirtcha?]

Rampager:
He can burn REGULAR gas, stove oil, diesel, JetA etc or any combination of the above basically. I believe he said startup is a bit different for each but there are no mechanical adjustments to make otherwise!!!!! Now thats flexibleI remember this from school. I wrenched on jets for the military quite a number of years ago (o.k. 23 years ago). Although the military uses the JP's it doesn't mean those are the only fuels you can burn in em.

[HotHallet]

Running a 460 Ford in my 19 Hallett Bubble deck and it runs and performs great. I just keep it tuned and serviced. I like to go to the river and not spend my weekend wrenching so it only puts out about 375 horse. However, my next boat will have a Chevy. The availability of parts for a BBC is astounding and much easier to get your hands on and most people want a BBC when looking for a boat so it helps with resale.
HotHallett

[dgie]

as long as the flame stays centered in the combustion section, as not to melt the combustion can I guess you could burn anything in it. I heard that they also use the T58 out in oilfileds to run large pumps. I am not sure what they use for that, but I am sure it is not JP5.

[dgie]

One more thing, Bassett does not make headers for T58's :D

[MoparSanger]

The reason I started this post is because I have a friend that blew up his boat motor for the third time. And you know what kind of motor he had. Yep the good old Oldsmobile 455. Lets just say he likes to beat on thing and you canÂ’t do that with an olds.

[Hallett19]

I'm a ford guy to the day I die, but for a jet boat, I say chevy cry (that was so hard to say.....) :mad:

[LVjetboy]

Price more than scoring a block at the junkyard. Aftermarket parts? Cost in mods to turn rpms? On and on. Things add up. As someone posted, any engine can be built given enough time and money. In the end, more of a question of brand loyalty than true cost per hp?
No matter the level of performance, some engines cheaper to build than others for the same hp.
jer

[77468sleekcraft]

SO I GUESS IT BOILS DOWN TO A TOTAL PACKAGE BUT MY PACKAGE INCLUDES A BBC AND NOBODYS BEAT ME YET..NOT SAYING IT WONT HAPPEN THOUGH.BUT IVE LEFT ALOT OF FORD AND OLDS GUYS WONDERING WHY THEY DIDNT GO CHEVY I WOULD BET.. :D

[Rampager]

Good point dgie!!!!! :D
buuuuuutttt...........(there's always a but)
look at this little gem from the Canadian Coast Guard site, you gotta love this one...
Quote:
37. (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall operate a power-driven vessel, and no person shall permit another person to operate such a vessel,
(a) unless it is equipped with a muffler that is in good working order and that is in operation at all times while the vessel is in use to prevent excessive or unusual noise; or
(b) if it is equipped with a muffler cut-out or by-pass, unless the muffler cut-out or by-pass is visibly disengaged in such a manner as to ensure that, while the vessel is in use, its exhaust gases are directed through the muffler or under water and that the muffler cut-out or by-pass cannot be engaged accidentally.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of any small vessel
(a) that was constructed before January 1, 1960;
(b) that is engaged in an official competition or in formal training or final preparation for an official competition;
(c) that is powered by an outboard or an inboard/outboard drive system that is not equipped with a muffler, if the exhaust gases are directed under water through the propeller hub or below the cavitation plate;
(d) that is operated five or more miles from shore;
(e) that derives its propulsion from an aircraft-type propeller operating in an air medium or from gas turbines; or
(f) that is not a pleasure craft and is equipped with a noise abatement mechanism that is in use when the small vessel is within five miles from shore.
End Quote
Gotta LOVE exemption (e) :D
Guess the guys at Basset don't need to tool up for the T58 afterall wink
hehe
Thats the laws we're dealing with up here at the moment, pretty vague if you ask me. And these are new this year. I have been hassled once already but that was before I knew how they were written. Next time I will point out why I am exempt :D
p.s. Thank god my hull was built by my grandfather way back in the 50's wink
hehe

[Blown 472]

LVjetboy:
Price more than scoring a block at the junkyard. Aftermarket parts? Cost in mods to turn rpms? On and on. Things add up. As someone posted, any engine can be built given enough time and money. In the end, more of a question of brand loyalty than true cost per hp?
No matter the level of performance, some engines cheaper to build than others for the same hp.
jer Jer you really need to get out more, rpms??? humm with a shorter stroke then a chev?? Does gm send you new cheerleader outfits every year?? :D

[MAXIMUS]

I have always been a FORD guy & always will be!!! I am running a chevy in my floatilla! It makes most sense... :)

[058]

Parts hard to get for a Ford? Ya just don't know where to look.

[MAXIMUS]

058:
Parts hard to get for a Ford? Ya just don't know where to look. A little more than chevy's & more expensive! Lets face it you can go to k mart in the middle of iraq & get big block chevy head gaskets! :)

[058]

MAXIMUS:
058:
Parts hard to get for a Ford? Ya just don't know where to look. A little more than chevy's & more expensive! Lets face it you can go to k mart in the middle of iraq & get big block chevy head gaskets! :) Yeah....thats true but for the Ford you need to go to Wal-mart. :D

[MAXIMUS]

058:
MAXIMUS:
058:
Parts hard to get for a Ford? Ya just don't know where to look. A little more than chevy's & more expensive! Lets face it you can go to k mart in the middle of iraq & get big block chevy head gaskets! :) Yeah....thats true but for the Ford you need to go to Wal-mart. :D Really... next time I go to buy diapers I'll have to check that out? I bought the offroad lights for my rail there...lol. 12 bucks a piece! That was 7 yrs ago & they still look & work good! :D

[HotHallet]

I think it also an issue of what motor your boat has in it when purchased. I will always consider either a Chevy or Ford when looking for a boat but will never entertain an Olds!

[BiggusJimbus]

"A little more than chevy's & more expensive! Lets face it you can go to k mart in the middle of iraq & get big block chevy head gaskets! " :)
"Yeah....thats true but for the Ford you need to go to Wal-mart. " :D
Didn't you hear? They're all Targets now
:D :D :D :D :D
[ June 24, 2003, 06:54 PM: Message edited by: BiggusJimbus ]

[MAXIMUS]

Didn't you hear? They're all Targets now
:confused: :confused: :confused: cry

[Eric455]

mopar 440 huh????? call bruce hes got what ur looking for and the best advise along with it. 714-209-0390. hes the best mopar guy i know of. along with the chevy stuff.
e-mail me for any questions araik2000@earthlink.net
good luck
eric
[ June 25, 2003, 09:29 PM: Message edited by: Eric455 ]

[yates9]

Gas turbines are capible of buring many fuels. However, most gas turbines have been designed to be used with a specific type of fuel. Each fuel has an unique characteristic for flow, temperature, potential energy, lubication, carbon buildup, odor, and not limited to cleaneness. Even though almost any fuel will start and spin the turbine, the longitivity, the performance, and the efficency would be the balance in which fuel is best used to use, in an given application, like an boat. As most of you probably have thought, some fuels must be bad for the dseigned orings, materials, and may have less lubication for hardware such as fuel pumps. Gas turbines are like an overly complicated Holley, too many small passages, orfices, jets, etc.. and prone to operate differently if the fuel viscosity and or debie, carbon builds up on the small orfices. I design gas turbines for a living. Here is an pic of the twin spool turboshaft I am installing on my Jet boat...
http://members.cox.net/yates9/Dscf0016.jpg
Yates...

[MikeC]

This may be dated to some, but from what I've seen at the track, BBC still kick butt.... It's fun to be differant though!
a little Jet Boat History by Jack McClure (http://realjetboats.com/historymcclure/chevy-olds.html)

[77468sleekcraft]

YOUVE GOT TO BE KIDDING RIGHT A JET IN A JET... jawdrop

[MikeC]

You've never heard of Mark Nye the Science Guy?
Jet Jet Boat (http://www.gas-turbines.com/)

[yates9]

Turbine engines also have an additional thrust that propels the boat. Thrust from the exhaust can typicaly range 30-150 lbs pushing the boat faster. And the unique thing is, it doesn't matter that how fast, its still pushing the additional thrust even at top speed. (Well, as long as the boats not going faster than the exhaust gas speeds 200-400 mph) Thats why a lot of the Jet dragster cars, when they run the 1/4 mile, there still early in acceleration way past the finish line.

[waterslinger]

I run a ford and love it