Rebuild of a 3.7 180hp mercruiser have questions

[bigdaddyclint]

Morning all long time lurker first time poster. I have a quick question about a rebuild that I'm a quarter of the way through. Question I have is what can I get away with just cleaning up if it's not broken when it comes to a rebuild currently I'm getting new pistons, seals, most gaskets if not all of them. I'm wondering about if I should just purchase lifters rods and hydraulic lifters for it all or can I get away with reusing them. I noticed on the hydraulic lifters there's differences in play when I blow air into the small hole on the lifter some come up farther so go down farther some you can barely see the split in the hole. If I buy new hydraulic lifters will it affect anything with the rods I know that I'm going to have to re-adjust everything. Also when I pulled the hydraulic lifters out I did not keep them in order so I'm kind of worried about that not sure if I need to be I have not started on the head and taking out the valves and cleaning them I do know that I need to keep them in order. But what if I just go ahead amd get everything new how will that affect everything? So I guess at the end of the day I'm asking what can I salvage from the head/lifter area? And if I replace certain things what will I have to compensate for I guess. I'm also doing The speedy sleeve fix on the camshaft there are two grooves on there. Piston walls don't look too bad I'm really hoping that I don't get it all back together and have **** compression but if I have to I'll just take everything back apart and get it reboard out and find some oversized pistons. Thanks for any and all information you may be able to give me.

 

[racerone]

Is this the 4 cylinder based on the 460 cube Ford big block.------There are many who would say find something better to put into the boat.

 

[bigdaddyclint]

Is this the 4 cylinder based on the 460 cube Ford big block.------There are many who would say find something better to put into the boat.

yes it is i got the boat for free and really just took it on for something to do over the summer no rush on rebuild or anything not even worried about how much I put into it. its more for the experience of doing it than anything else to see if I can get it running. its already set up for the 1 wire alternator and the 4 inch heat exchanger so that's a positive. if I get it running I might end up selling the boat for another one. I know I might end up dumping a grand or more into parts. but hell I spend more money on crazier **** lol.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

So many things....
Since you didn't keep the order of your lifters when you removed them, they are junk. You now need new ones or you will most likely wipe out your cam lobes. Valves are adjusted by using different length push rods, usually only if the deck or heads get milled. What was the reason to completely rebuild? These motors haven't been made since '89, which I have the last year of. Many parts are no longer available and if you can get them they are stupid expensive.

 

[bigdaddyclint]

So many things....
Since you didn't keep the order of your lifters when you removed them, they are junk. You now need new ones or you will most likely wipe out your cam lobes. Valves are adjusted by using different length push rods, usually only if the deck or heads get milled. What was the reason to completely rebuild? These motors haven't been made since '89, which I have the last year of. Many parts are no longer available and if you can get them they are stupid expensive.

from what you say this makes me feel like were talking about different engines. because all of my push rods are the same length... here is the serial number of the engine its stamped on a mercruiser plate C336266 i was told the engine was 180hp from what i understood the 3.7 180 up to the 190hp were all the same and usually called by most as the 470... but I'm new to all this lol. its there a place i can look up the S/N for that engine and get some information. reason for rebuild was engine sat for un specified time and pistons were not moving i was able to coax of out the guy that he hydrolocked the engine and that's about it. everything internally seems sound no bend rods pistons or the like.

 

[bigdaddyclint]

So many things....
Since you didn't keep the order of your lifters when you removed them, they are junk. You now need new ones or you will most likely wipe out your cam lobes. Valves are adjusted by using different length push rods, usually only if the deck or heads get milled. What was the reason to completely rebuild? These motors haven't been made since '89, which I have the last year of. Many parts are no longer available and if you can get them they are stupid expensive.

also S/N plate is located on the opposite side of the heat exchanger rear of engine well i guess rear of engine if its sitting in boat lol

 

[racerone]

Those were the aluminum block with one cast iron head off a 460 I think.-----Is that what you have ?

 

[bigdaddyclint]

Those were the aluminum block with one cast iron head off a 460 I think.-----Is that what you have ?

yes its def an aluminum block head is def iron

Those were the aluminum block with one cast iron head off a 460 I think.-----Is that what you have ?

Yes definitely an aluminum block cast head here is a few photos the one serial is stamped just behind the main front engine mount. I cannot find any thing that resembles a serial number that Mercury has in their parts catalog for anything close to what I was told this engine is

 

[achris]

.... I cannot find any thing that resembles a serial number that Mercury has in their parts catalog ...

??? WHAT?? You posted a picture of the serial number!!!!

Here is is right here!



Your engine serial number is 0C336266
I looked at up, and it's a 1988, 3.7LX (180hp)

Chris.....

 

[bigdaddyclint]

??? WHAT?? You posted a picture of the serial number!!!!

Here is is right here!

View attachment 363104

Your engine serial number is 0C336266
I looked at up, and it's a 1988, 3.7LX (180hp)

Chris.....

i said that from the first post lol but i did not know that i had to put a zero when i put it in . so that explains what i have. now onto the pushrod issues every pushrod i have is the same length and have no colored dye on them does that mean i can just get new rocker arms/rods with new hydraulic lifters then adjust them? or say if i get new hydraulic lifters can i use the old rocker arms and rods? the lifters seem good they move up and down when i push a bit of air through them but not sure if it matters how much they move i was just going to replace them. but unsure of the other things.

 

[Scott06]

i said that from the first post lol but i did not know that i had to put a zero when i put it in . so that explains what i have. now onto the pushrod issues every pushrod i have is the same length and have no colored dye on them does that mean i can just get new rocker arms/rods with new hydraulic lifters then adjust them? or say if i get new hydraulic lifters can i use the old rocker arms and rods? the lifters seem good they move up and down when i push a bit of air through them but not sure if it matters how much they move i was just going to replace them. but unsure of the other things.

Buy new lifters you can reuse the pushrods and rockers of they look ok. You will likely need a speedi sleeve for where seal wears the camshaft snout

If the head or block needs decking you will have to change the pushrod length to correct the valvetrain geometry.

How far are you into this? While there are some that have had good luck maintaining this engine does have some inherent design faults and as mentioned is obsolete parts wise... a more maintainable (long term) project may be to find 4.3 V6 out of a truck or better yet if you can find a pull out out of a boat.

 

[bigdaddyclint]

Buy new lifters you can reuse the pushrods and rockers of they look ok. You will likely need a speedi sleeve for where seal wears the camshaft snout

If the head or block needs decking you will have to change the pushrod length to correct the valvetrain geometry.

How far are you into this? While there are some that have had good luck maintaining this engine does have some inherent design faults and as mentioned is obsolete parts wise... a more maintainable (long term) project may be to find 4.3 V6 out of a truck or better yet if you can find a pull out out of a boat.

well engine is completely torn down. all major parts are out of the block most everything is getting cleaned up or cleaned already. about to start to put it back together. starting to get the list together of parts that I'm going to replace and ones that I can reuse. this project is more of a can I get it to run kind of thing lol not to worried about time or money really. more for the experience. i was told that the engine did run before he hydro locked it. then it sat forever. i was able to pull it apart and get everything cleaned up and freed up. I'm not expecting a formula 1 racer out of this thing or even last me for another couple years really. engine came out of thompson cutter.

 

[todhunter]

Next time you pull apart a pushrod engine, take an hour and build a rack to put the valve train in. Mine below is just a few pieces of 3/4" plywood screwed together with holes drilled in it. Can't see the numbering too well in this pic, but each position has cylinder number and "I" or "E" for intake or exhaust, respectively. There is a hole for each lifter, and a hole for each pushrod. The rocker, ball, and nut just drop down over the pushrod.

Or, you can spend about $50 and buy a pre-made plastic one.

 

[Bondo]

well engine is completely torn down. all major parts are out of the block most everything is getting cleaned up or cleaned already. about to start to put it back together. starting to get the list together of parts that I'm going to replace and ones that I can reuse. this project is more of a can I get it to run kind of thing lol not to worried about time or money really. more for the experience. i was told that the engine did run before he hydro locked it. then it sat forever. i was able to pull it apart and get everything cleaned up and freed up. I'm not expecting a formula 1 racer out of this thing or even last me for another couple years really. engine came out of thompson cutter.

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,...... Now that ya got it torn down, sort the bits into aluminum, 'n steel,.....
Then take it to a scrap recycler for a payday,....

I understand you want to learn, but the things you learn on a one-off motor like the 470, is wasted knowledge,....
The 470 is unlike 99% of the motors out there,....

You say it ain't 'bout the money,..... Go buy a rotten hull with a 4.3l Chevy,....
The things you'll be learnin' doin' that swap will amaze you,....
'n the things ya learn will carry over til ya die,....

You end up with a nice boat, 'n many spare parts, as the 470 drive runs nicely with the 4.3l,....

From yer story, that motor needs a trip to a machine shop, to be measured, 'n then machined,....
Without it, it'll be a 50/ 50 motor,....... flip a coin, on whether yer boatin', or paddlin' back to the launch,....