Chevy Crate Motor

[NO4NBRI]

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?

[HUFFPOWER]

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.

[ratso]

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.

[JLaughreySS24]

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.

[NO4NBRI]

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?

[Racing Ray]

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[This message has been edited by Racing Ray (edited March 12, 2002).]

[JLaughreySS24]

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.

[Dans66Stevens]

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!!!

[JLaughreySS24]

It is Bullshit. The only thing that is different that I know of is the head gaskets and maybe the intake manifold. Big deal!!

[ratso]

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!

[Racing Ray]

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[This message has been edited by Racing Ray (edited March 12, 2002).]

[HUFFPOWER]

here is a simple thought,would you put a crate motor off the floor in your drag car,no,would you put it in a sprint car no,would you put it in a 24 hr daytona type racer,no,would you put it in your everyday car,yes,would it perform good,absolutely.would i heed the advice of those that build performance motors,most definately,talk to the blosdales,teagues,pfaffs,brummetts,larry peto,chief racing engines,sterling engines,how about dustin whipple,the blower shop,get thier opinion of a crate motor in the marine or endurance environment.just a thought,i'm glad mines not a "crate motor". scott.

[JLaughreySS24]

Racing Ray is correct. Dollar for dollar after the crate motor expense and all the add ons plus machine work you have your self a stock mercruiser. That was no4nbri question I think from the beginning. All the guys that Huffpower mentioned above would tell you the same thing. If you could spend the same amount of money on a mercruiser or a crate motor done right with all the add ons which would you choose?? Im not saying that the crate motor is as good as gold but, it is a big step up from any stock mercruiser in my opinion. What key benefits do you get out of the mercruiser??

[Dans66Stevens]

Let me say what I meant to say. Im saying as far as stock type motors. Another words a mild H.P Mercruiser 454 with say 330 h.p. is the same thing as a crate motor. If not than what is difference? You guys say there different but how? Explain it to me. I hear all the time the blocks are thicker? I hear the cranks are way better? I have had many engines apart. I just have never seen any differences. Now like I said I mean Low Horsepower motors. So don't tell me about some 650 H.P. motor because thats not what Im talking about.Stock Motor........

[Racing Ray]

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[This message has been edited by Racing Ray (edited March 12, 2002).]

[NO4NBRI]

I haven't called Teague yet, but I was just told that he offers a 650 hp-aspirated motor with all the bells and whistles from pan to air cleaner with a 1-year warranty for about $12000.00. Are any of you aware of that?
Also, are complete mercruiser out drives available? I was told in the past that you had to buy the complete package (motor and out drive) from mercury, they couldn't be separated. Is this true, or can you purchase these from companies like The Bravo Shop, or Teague etc…?

[boatnam2]

i bought one from teague its the 620hp but it was no where near 12000.

[NO4NBRI]

That's what I thought, My buddy must have been hitting the pipe.

[boatnam2]

no4nbri,man tell your buddie crack kills.tell him around 33000 for motor and drive.

[EricU]

Do you know what Teague gets for his 540s, just the motor. I already have all the accesseries including IMCO exhaust.
Eric

[HUFFPOWER]

a 540 or 572 from the above builders,less a drive,fully accessorised,including exhaust manifolds,no pipes,20k min,add a blower,tack on 10k,i'll bet these will be real close numbers,for a steel block,possible aluminum heads set up.

[Tinkerboater]

RACINGRAY the clearences are larger on boat motors not because the engine runs colder -if that is your theory than the car would have the larger clearences because parts expand when they get hot not cold. They use more clearences on marine engines because the parts not the engines get a lot hotter than on cars. Your oil runs much hotter on a boat than in a car engine that is why you have an oil cooler on your boat.

[Racing Ray]

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[This message has been edited by Racing Ray (edited March 12, 2002).]

[jimmmyb]

boatnam2 is that price thirty three thousand
or thirty three hundred ?

[Jungle Boy]

Originally posted by NO4NBRI:
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?
I don't know about the 502's but I have a ZZ4 motor that I race in my 19' Eagle Sport Aluminum boat and it has been bulletproof. It has ran for 100+ hrs at 4000 - 5100 rpm and has never skipped a beat. Whitewater river boat racing has a ZZ4 class and I don't know personally know anyone that has had a failure with them. I also have a buddy that installed a 502/502 in another aluminum jet boat and it has ran for 4 years without any problems. Just my 2 cents worth.

[shockwaveharry]

GM powertrain supplies engines to Mercruiser. Allways has. http://www.gm.com/automotive/gmpowertrain/engines_marine/ . If the mercruiser engine is all black, all they've done is put their accessories, harnass, computer, exhaust and plastic cover with the "Mercruiser" sticker on it. Nothing more. However, it is delivered by GM as a MARINE engine, different than a "crate engine" (gaskets, valves etc.). If it's blue, as in 500HP etc., it has been blueprinted and modified in house by Mercruiser. Thats why they cost substantially more.
Now, as far as not using Mercruiser in your new boat, you will probably have to in order to make everything go smoothly. Order the least expensive package that you can get with a Bravo drive (I think you can still get a carbed 350 and option it with the drive you will need) and you will save BIG bucks over the or 500HP which is 470 hp. With that money, You could buy the 502, change the pistons, cam, exhaust valves, springs, retainers and locks to work in a marine environment. Don't forget the carb, intake, exhaust and cooling system parts. You'll make more power, go faster and have ALOT of gas money left over (you'll also have an extra 350 to boot!). The down side in this instance (big deal) is you loose the warranty and fuel injection.
It is also my opinion (for what it's worth) that an un-modified create 502/502 will work just fine in an 18-20 foot jet type boat used to hot rod around the river. That is not the same kind of punnishment as a 25-30 footer running full throttle from the sand bar to the dam and back all weekend!

[StealBlueZ]

Here's what I know.... Most of the comments above are close... Some of the differences in the hardware will be the pistons, valves and camshafts. Most motors for autos will have cast pistons, 2 piece valves, and different grinds on the camshafts. However, most Mercs' will have forged pistons and almost all will have 1 piece stainless valves, and cams that are ground with more low to mid torque. Of course on a smaller boat with a monster motor, all of these and the above comments don't realy come into play. A few times I have replaced motors for customers, and used what "they" wanted--a basic stock rebuild production motor, both big and small blocks. Well, they each brought it back, claiming that the boat wouldn't plane, and just wouldn't run, and in fact it wouldn't. That's because the torqe curve for the motor is not in tune with the needs of the boat to get on top of the water. Also, do to the rpm's a boat motor runs, stainless valves and forged pistons are always the better option. There's also timing and carburation to consider.
Randy

[shockwaveharry]

Up until last year, if a black Mercruiser motor wasn't a magnum, it DIDN'T have forged pistons, forged crank or special valves. Only the 350, 454 and 502 Magnums did. As of today, You can't buy a black Mercruiser motor with forged pistons at all. The top of the line 496 MAG HO at 425 HP has hypereutectic pistons in it.
Anyway, we can all go round and round about what parts Merc put in this engine or that one, what it all boils down to is how the customer intends to use his boat. Just buy or build the engine accordingly.
BTW, if your customers can't get their boats on plane with a stock big block, tell them to try a smaller prop or impeller. http://free.***boat.net/ubb/wink.gif
P.S. Shouldn't we be talking about this in the Gear Heads section?