Eng life question

[aqua8410]

What is the average life of a 454 BBC in a jet boat. I know that this will very but I just bought a boat with about 275hrs on it. Very clean eng and has no leaks what so ever. IT looks like its been taken care of very well as far as oil changes and misc stuff like that.......Just wondering if I need to save up for a new eng? Thanks

[SmokinLowriderSS]

Check the rod/main bearings, but don't worry a great deal. My best estimate of my engine last winter ('04/'05) was 300 hrs or so. I opened my 27 year old 454 up last winter to replace a timing chain (upgrade from the old stocker), checked the lower end bearings to find them worn out, but everything still well polished. I could have easilly thrown new clevites in them but I was planning cam upgrades & more in the future. To replace the old 3/8" knurled rod bolts (the weakest link IMO) I had to pull the pistons, meaning a light hone as no cyl wear had occured, had the rods remanufactured after the bolt change (ARP's) and new double-molly rings went in. The break-in went beautifully.
No block bore, no crank polish, no new parts (except the cam kit & related parts, new intake manifold, timing set, rod bolts, rings, gaskets).
I'll bet a $20 you have the stock single-row chain wrapped arround an Aluminum/nylon gear (the cheapie junker). Mine had 3/4" of slack in the chain.

[Cas]

it's always a good thing to start saving, you never know when you want to screw it up :D
Damn, someone told me the conversion but can't seem to remember. It's something like for every 10 hrs run time (3500 rpms) on a jet is like 2500 miles.....just can't remember. Whatever it was, it was hard for me to believe.

[Wicked Performance Boats]

What is the average life of a 454 BBC in a jet boat. I know that this will very but I just bought a boat with about 275hrs on it. Very clean eng and has no leaks what so ever. IT looks like its been taken care of very well as far as oil changes and misc stuff like that.......Just wondering if I need to save up for a new eng? Thanks
What you should do is start a fund to go through your motor when you feel the need or after you've bought a boat and don't know it's real shape. It's cheaper to go thru it in the off season before it breaks than chase parts and machine work during boating season, and after it's broken Budlight ps. It's faster too!

[centerhill condor]

it depends on your impellor also... an "AA" doesn't spin as fast as an "A" and should, presumably, the engine should last longer..
you'll want to upgrade the heads, cam, intake anyway.... get your stuff "one piece at a time" and use the extra money for the new shortblock!

[396_WAYS_TO_SPIT]

I would start saving. You will always want more! Untill it dies run the shit out of it;) "If it aint broke, then dont fix it" Enjoy that biotch until its dead...
I finished mine last year and it ran some good #'s. I told myself that I was happy but a few 18 packs later, I am getting ready to change the intake,shoe,rideplate,railkit,impeller,interior,tr ailer paint etc. Its never ending. Just dont bite off more than you can chew;)
396

[centerhill condor]

before you get the calcluator for the budget numbers check your castings... you never know with boats.. you might have an engine that is 10 years younger than the hull! good surprises happen but you sometimes have to look for them!
:)

[aqua8410]

thanks for all of the replies. I'm going to run the hell out of this summer and plan on doing a upgrade next winter. If it beaks it breaks... so be it... Thanks again for the great replies....

[LAFD]

now is that 275 hours on the motor or hour meter. if its on the hour meter if you have one than the motor could have a lot less hours on it. now if it on the motor than it all depends on how it was ran before you. just listen and feel for thing. if it starts idlin rough or you feel vibrashins that you never felt before have it gone threw and freshend up. or just say screw it run it till it dies and buy a crate motor. either way have fun.

[GunninGopher]

I left my key on for a couple of days and the hour meter added 50 hours!

[boater012]

I left my key on for a couple of days and the hour meter added 50 hours!
If I was you id replace the ignition coil!!!! If you left the ignition on for 2 days you probably almost fried the coil!! The ignition being on causes the coil to get very hot and cook the oil out from the inside! Ive cut them open after going out and they are dry inside. It may still run for awhile but ive seen it several hundred times over the years. Someone leaves the key on and the coil goes out after the next few outings! Just my.02 worth from someone who has been working on shite since I could hold the tools in my hands! :crossx: :220v:

[GunninGopher]

I was thinking about it but haven't done it.
Like you say, it did just run fine, but what's a coil $40? Pretty cheap to replace just to be sure. I may as well.
Thanks.

[LakesOnly]

What is the average life of a 454 BBC in a jet boat.I...just bought a boat with about 275hrs on it. The life expectancy of a Ford or Chevy engine in a jet boat is anywhere from 1 hour to 5000 hours.
;)
LO
p.s.: really though, just too many variables to nail this one down.

[boater012]

What is the average life of a 454 BBC in a jet boat. I know that this will very but I just bought a boat with about 275hrs on it. Very clean eng and has no leaks what so ever. IT looks like its been taken care of very well as far as oil changes and misc stuff like that.......Just wondering if I need to save up for a new eng? Thanks
Boats are no different than cars in one respect!!! how many people do you know with the same car and one runs fine forever while the other has nothing but problems??? I can think of several! Including my buddy who bought his new ford diesel (05 ford f-250 with the 6.0 in it) mine hasnt been to the dealer for anything except the aftermarket alarm install and the leather treatment stuff!
His has been at the dealership more than its been in his possesion! he has gone through two turbos with a stock truck in 6000 miles, where-as I have an 8 inch lift kit, 37x12.50-20 tires and wheels, a cold air intake, a power programmer, a bigger blow off valve and a complete exhaust system!! hasnt had problem one in 15,000 miles!! And I blow his doors off with mine!
There just isnt an exact number to give you! I run my truck very hard including offroading and my truck runs great while my buddy cant even get to work in his! If you really want to know what lifethe engine has. Take a compression test and then do a leak down test, come back and give us the numbers and we can give you a better idea! Along with engine temp and oil pressure when running.
Knowing all this we might be able to guess within a thousand hours or so! Its all relative: make sure it is in good tune, make sure you are getting enough fuel, and have a good clean spark, dont run it too hard, change the oil as often as you can, keep good spark plugs in it, dont overload or push it to the limit and youll probably get many years out of her. 454's are good motors that will last!!! IF and thats IF they are taken care of!!!
If you run your boat like most people do then just run the piss out of it til it dies and call it a pile of shite becuase it couldnt handle 300 hours without even an oil or fuel filter change! (p.s. If this is you: Im looking for more customers like you!) Highly profitable area of the boat business!!! :crossx: :crossx: :crossx:

[marty722]

I love the responses again..... I like the ideal of 5000 hrs....

[boater012]

I beleive that 5000 hours is beyond the realm of being reasonable for a marine engine!!! ive seen a lexus ls400 with 800,000 miles on it but thats another story. Ive seen a big block with 1800 original hours on it! Actually Ive seen two!! They were right next to each other in the same 51 foot boat! Tore one of em down and it still had the crusader pistons in it after 20 years. Of course I wore them both out running the piss out of em in two years time but hey I had fun doing it!! Go have fun with your boat when it blows it blows!! :)

[396_WAYS_TO_SPIT]

I beleive that 5000 hours is beyond the realm of being reasonable for a marine engine!!! ive seen a lexus ls400 with 800,000 miles on it but thats another story. Ive seen a big block with 1800 original hours on it! Actually Ive seen two!! They were right next to each other in the same 51 foot boat! Tore one of em down and it still had the crusader pistons in it after 20 years. Of course I wore them both out running the piss out of em in two years time but hey I had fun doing it!! Go have fun with your boat when it blows it blows!! :)
I have a lexus ls400 with 180k and it runs better than my new denali :2purples: :2purples: :2purples:

[boater012]

Those engine were designed so well! If i was to buy a car that i knew id have to drive for the rest of my life id get one of those! I read somewhere that lexus (i.e. toyota) put over a million miles on one before they would sell one! That was there reliabilty goal!! Pretty impressive in my book. Now if the big three could build cars and trucks like that consistently. there would not be an arguement!! The choices to buy american would be easier to make!