Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

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zospro

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Bought a boat with a bad motor (1984 merc 228 chevy v8 mcm 305 cid LH)
I want to rebuild it, What marine parts must I absolutely use in my effort to fix the engine and what 305 auto engine parts can I get away with using to keep cost down. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
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WizeOne

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

zospro said:
Bought a boat with a bad motor (1984 merc 228 chevy v8 mcm 305 cid LH)
I want to rebuild it, What marine parts must I absolutely use in my effort to fix the engine and what 305 auto engine parts can I get away with using to keep cost down. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Buy an automotive 350 with a truck cam, make sure it has brass freeze plugs and toss that anemic 305 in the trash. Someone will be able to tell you which variety to use, as unlike Ford, Cheby made too many changes but the 350 will be your best ticket. With the right variety all your marine stuff will bolt right on. All the extrernal dimensions will be the same as your 305.
 
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mylesm260

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

Yup:

Get yourself a vortec 5700 from a 1996 or newer chevy truck and marineize it.

You will need a marine: (possibly kept from you're old 305)

Starter
Alternator
distributor
frost plugs
head gaskets (unless you have a heat exchanger)
intake manifold (vortec manifolds are different than non vortecs)
exhaust manifolds
 
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zospro

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

WiseOne,

I have been reading that alot thru out this forum lol. When you say buy an automotive 350 with a truck cam, are you referring to a Chevy s-10? You say toss the 305, but will any of the 305 parts bolt to the 350 or do I just toss it out alltogether? I thought they were the same except for whatever makes the 350 a 5.7?
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

When you say buy an automotive 350 with a truck cam, are you referring to a Chevy s-10? You say toss the 305, but will any of the 305 parts bolt to the 350
Click to expand...

Ayuh,... I Agree with Wiseone,...

Find a 350 from a Pre-87 Pickup truck(fullsized pickups),+ use it...
You'll need all the accessory parts from the 305 for the 350,...
You'll need the Pre-87 so that the crankshaft bolt pattern will be the same for the flywheel,+ coupler...
 
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mylesm260

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

Bond-o said:
Ayuh,... I Agree with Wiseone,...

Find a 350 from a Pre-87 Pickup truck(fullsized pickups),+ use it...
You'll need all the accessory parts from the 305 for the 350,...
You'll need the Pre-87 so that the crankshaft bolt pattern will be the same for the flywheel,+ coupler...
Click to expand...


pre 87 = more parts compatibility with you're existing engine

post 96 = more chance of finding one with lower mileage, better power output.

If you have the larger triangular coupler, then you can bolt it directly to a newer flywheel. (There are more automatic pickups than standard, so you may need to get the engine from one truck and the flywheel from the other)

The flywheels are neutral balanced, so you can swap them around.


Post 96 will also require a different intake manifold, as well as serpentine accessories.
 
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jtybt

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

Yup! SBC's (smallblock chevy) are the most abundant motor ever made. Anything from 1956 to 1986 is completely interchangable (except about '81-'86) when the swapped the oil dipstick from port to starboard.

The abundance of SBC make the after market products a whole industry in itself. Costs are down right cheap.

Freeze plugs and head gasket along with cam are the only internal components that are specirfically marine.

There have been quite a few successful chev crate truck engines long block straight swaps($1300-$1500) as long as you have fresh water cooling system.
There will be some changes you have to deal with, with the newer blocks and older merc systems.

I am also a firm believer that the old (NLA) 400 ci chevy is the best smallblock engine ever made for marine conversion. It has the same inexpensive parts as all SBC's but can easily be made to make the torque of the big block 454 (7.4 l).
 
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zospro

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

Thanks Bond-o, Mylesm260, jtybt and WizeOne. My first boat and engine. Oh, so over my head, but I love it. Is the 305 really that bad and not worth the effort to rebuild. I do hear you all ref the upgrade to the 350.

Very knew at this so I'm gonna ask the dumb question. So bond-o when you say I'm gonna need the 305's accessory parts for the 350, does that mean the 305's carb, flywheel, coupler, intake manifold etc.. works for the 350?
 
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zospro

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

Very knew at this so I'm gonna ask the dumb question. So bond-o when you say I'm gonna need the 305's accessory parts for the 350, does that mean the 305's carb, flywheel, coupler, intake manifold etc.. works for the 350?
 
Bondo

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

zospro said:
Very knew at this so I'm gonna ask the dumb question. So bond-o when you say I'm gonna need the 305's accessory parts for the 350, does that mean the 305's carb, flywheel, coupler, intake manifold etc.. works for the 350?
Click to expand...

Ayuh,... Exactly.... The 305,+ the 350 are EXACTLY the same on the Outside of the blocks....

Replacing with the 350 will probably be Cheaper than the 305 just because of Popularity if nothing else...

You need to find a 350, 5.7l Long Block replacement motor....
Long Block is what the configuration is called that you Need...
 
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zospro

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

Bond-o

Ok now I'm really lost, I have read so much, I even downloaed from the sticky the mercruiser manual 6 for the 305 cid v8 short block, which also includes the 350 cid v8 5.7 (shortblock)???? but your saying get a 350
(long block)???.

Wouldn't my 84 305 short block accessories just bolt on to a 350 short block of the same year? I trust ya, but help me understand this, I'm preparing a shopping list for my mechanic
 
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jtybt

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

Short block doesn't include the heads. 305 combustion chamber is a bit small with small valves compared to the 350 You can get a crate long block truck motor for something like $1300-$1500
 
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jtybt

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

Yeah but if remaned...something like this(no recommendation. though, just an example)

http://www.chevy350motor.com/Chevy_350_Motor_marine.html


New crate engine, something like this non marine engine if you have fresh water cooling. get a truck engine built for towing(torque), if you have a light boat.

This engine has the two piece rear main. What year is yours(for parts matching)

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/sto...GM-ENGINE-1971-1985-New-10067353-P62C273.aspx

You have '84 which has dip stick on starboard side but this engine comes with matching oil pan.

Do a little rescearch
 
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zospro

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

Fishermark said:
zospro - I think you are getting some of the terminology confused. You have a SMALL BLOCK Chevy 305 engine - it is the same on the outside as a SMALL BLOCK 350 engine.

The other two phrases - SHORT BLOCK and LONG BLOCK - refer to buying an engine with or without the heads included. A short block has only the engine block and internals. A long block is a short block with the heads included.

Dont get "small block vs big block" and "short block vs long block" confused. Easy mistake to make. ;)
Click to expand...

Fishermark,

Thank you sir, Now I know the difference and what the terminology means because confusing myself is exactly what I have done.

Your response has shed some light.:confused:
 
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zospro

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

jtybt,

new crate engine, something like this non marine engine if you have fresh water cooling. get a truck engine built for towing(torque), if you have a light boat.

This engine has the two piece rear main. What year is yours(for parts matching)

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...3-P62C273.aspx

You have '84 which has dip stick on starboard side but this engine comes with matching oil pan.

Do a little rescearch


jtybt, would any of these do for this engine you were referring to?

http://www.monitorpro.com/products/category.php?c=9&f=14
 
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zospro

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Re: Mercruiser 228 help, Where's Bond-o

zospro said:
jtybt,

new crate engine, something like this non marine engine if you have fresh water cooling. get a truck engine built for towing(torque), if you have a light boat.

This engine has the two piece rear main. What year is yours(for parts matching)

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...3-P62C273.aspx

You have '84 which has dip stick on starboard side but this engine comes with matching oil pan.


http://www.monitorpro.com/products/category.php?c=9&f=14
Click to expand...

Can anyone advise which, if any of these fresh water cooler systems will work for this engine. Thanks guys
 
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