1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

[evinice66]

hey all, i just bought a 1988 wellcraft antigua with a bravo one and blown 454. it has 150 original hours but the motor has a hole in the cylinder wall. the previous owner took it all apart so now everything is lightly rusted. (heads ect) so i am wondering what year motors will match up to that bravo one.... i found a 2004 454 and the guy said he would go 2,500 for it, he deosnt know hours or anything but states he bought it at a smaller marina.

my question is, do i need to post model numbers for cross reference or will complete 454 motors be interchangeable with this '88 bravo one?

this is my first i/o boat and would appreciate ANY advice someone can give me keeping in mind i dont have a TON of money!!

THANKS!!!! Tony

 

[tpenfield]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

If your 454 is the original engine, then it is probably the Mark IV version of the 454. As far as Bravo compatibility . . . they will all work, just fine. You should be able to get the S/N from a plate that is mounted to the engine block just above the starter. That will give you a better sense of part compatibility, etc.

 

[evinice66]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

nice, thanks for the reply! the 454 that is in there now is the original, will a 2004 be a good buy at 2,500 complete? what are the differences? what gen is a 2004?

 

[Fun Times]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

i found a 2004 454 and the guy said he would go 2,500 for it, he deosnt know hours or anything but states he bought it at a smaller marina.

Are you sure it's a 2004 454 and not a 496/8.1L? Is this supposed to be an original turn key ready mercruiser engine?

I ask because to the best of my recollection, GM, Merc, Volvo, etc, etc, was not manufacturing or selling the standard vision 454 at that time. The 454 was changed to the 496/8.1L starting in late 2000 through 2009.

Merc has some high performance style engines that still use the 454 block.

The Mercruiser 496 will also handle the bravo drive as well.

If possible, ask for and post the engine serial number to help know for sure what you're buying.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

nice, thanks for the reply! the 454 that is in there now is the original, will a 2004 be a good buy at 2,500 complete? what are the differences? what gen is a 2004?

Ayuh,.... Are ya talkin' Complete drop-in ready Bobtail motors,..??

Or long block motors that need to be dress with the trimmin's off yer old motor,..??

 

[evinice66]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

ok so the last guy lied to me and it wasnt a 454, it was a 350 i had to drive 3 hours to figure it out)

now i have my eyes on a 1995 454 and i called my mechanic to give me the ok, and he wants to make sure if the gimbal housing will match up. he said somewhere in the 90,s they switched gimbal housings.


deos anyone know if the gimbal housing will work from an 1988 to a 1995 mercruiser 454?

the newer 1995 is a complete motor..

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

ok so the last guy lied to me and it wasnt a 454, it was a 350 i had to drive 3 hours to figure it out)

now i have my eyes on a 1995 454 and i called my mechanic to give me the ok, and he wants to make sure if the gimbal housing will match up. he said somewhere in the 90,s they switched gimbal housings.


deos anyone know if the gimbal housing will work from an 1988 to a 1995 mercruiser 454?

the newer 1995 is a complete motor..

Ayuh,.... The Gimbal housin' is outside the hull, where the drive bolts on...

Irrelevant to which motor in front of it...

The inner transom plate, 'n it's rear motor mounts haven't changed...

Yer goin' from a SBC, to a BBC, which isn't an issue,...
Is the Outdrive, a Bravo, or did the PO lie 'bout that too,..??

 

[evinice66]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

the 1995 motor that i am moments away from purchasing will be going into my recently bought 88 antigua with a blown motor and a bravo one out drive, i am currently sourcing my own motor

the boat has 150 original hours and ive only owned boats with outboards previously so i have no clue what im getting myself into other than my mechanic who is very reliable wants to make sure that gimbal housing will be ok, i might be misunderstanding him?

tommorow i am getting pictures and then going to show them to my mechanic.


now im getting nervous!!

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

i might be misunderstanding him?

Ayuh,.... That's always abit of a problem in the forums when the owner ain't doin' the work...

I Think, it should drop right in...

While the Bravo has seen a few changes since '88, I don't think it cares which motor is mounted ahead of it...

 

[evinice66]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

Ayuh,.... That's always abit of a problem in the forums when the owner ain't doin' the work... (edit) thats why your experience is very much appreciated!)

so you dont think anything will have to be changed to swap the 88 to the 1995? both merc. long blocks?

can i start getting excited and not worried and pacing back in forth now please?

 

[picklenjim]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

Hold the phone! Your 1988 Mark IV has a carb and mechanical block mounted fuel pump. The 1995 Gen V has no mechanical fuel pump mounting boss on the block. The merc Gen V carb model used a fuel pump which mounted to the seawater pump. You will need to get this style of seawater pump/fuel pump. New Mercruiser Bravo 454 502 Sea Water Pump 46 807151A8 | eBay

Or install an electric fuel pump which would probably be easier and cheaper.You would need to install it close to the tank as electric fuel pumps tend to not pull well but push fine. The combo seawater/fuel pumps aren't very popular. Hear a lot of complaints about them.

As long as the 1995 engine comes with it's flywheel it should be alright. You can not use the '88 flywheel with the '95. Your mechanic may have been thinking of the change of the flywheel housing and coupler. Old style housing will not work with new style coupler. As long as you use your existing flywheel housing and coupler, which I'm sure you were planning on, it should be fine.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

Here take your pick Marine Engines - mercruiser454_1

 

[evinice66]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

yes yes yes, thats what i was looking for, going to buy the motor in minutes!!! thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

Id wait a few minutes for reply's on those motor's. You already have a modifyed engine. Find the serial number on your engine post it and see if it's a orignal engine. You may have a heinz 57 going on here...aka a 2000 motor in a 88 boat. Take some time that site's going no where..just yet.

 

[evinice66]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

ok so i puchased a 1988 7.4l bravo engine with 210 hrs for 2,350 from Tennessee that has an existing fuel pump that is not working and the seller gave me a mechanical fuel pump, sigh.... so the serial number is B772793
i heard this motor might have a mechanical pump and an electric pump?
i dont think i want to run a mechanical pump,

 

[Don S]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

That engine serial number had a mechanical fuel pump, It was also for an Alpha drive. Not sure how much of the new engine you were planning on using, but you will not need the shift interrupt system it came with.
It also doesn't have a raw water pump, so you will need that from the original engine.
May also be some other "Gotcha's" in there as well.

 

[evinice66]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

i was hoping it would bolt right up to the bravo one, i have everything there from the old motor, so im hoping i can use anything that i can off that?
do you think i should use the seawater pump from the original boat? do they get dry-rotten at all? i know that its been sitting almost its whole life..

 

[Don S]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

The pump will probably work, but you will need a new impeller and gaskets for it. When you get it apart, you will have to spin the shaft and see if the bearings are smooth, rough, or locked up. If it's been setting, they you just have to check each item and make sure it's good or not. There is no list of "do this, don't do that" for what you are doing, it's all play it by ear (sight,feel, etc) to see what works and what doesn't.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

ok so i puchased a 1988 7.4l bravo engine with 210 hrs for 2,350 from Tennessee that has an existing fuel pump that is not working and the seller gave me a mechanical fuel pump, sigh.... so the serial number is B772793
i heard this motor might have a mechanical pump and an electric pump?
i dont think i want to run a mechanical pump,

Ayuh,... What's the induction system yer goin' with,..?? Carb,..?? Efi,..??

If carbed, Why not use a mechanical,..??

Many of the Bravo equiped motors had the mechanical fuel pump, runnin' off the raw water pump...

i was hoping it would bolt right up to the bravo one, i have everything there from the old motor, so im hoping i can use anything that i can off that?
do you think i should use the seawater pump from the original boat? do they get dry-rotten at all? i know that its been sitting almost its whole life..

You need to inventory that pile of parts,....

Yer gonna need a Bunch of 'em, in Workin' order...

 

[Don S]

Re: 1988 bravo one with which 454 motors?

Ayuh,... What's the induction system yer goin' with,..?? Carb,..?? Efi,..??

Many of the Bravo equiped motors had the mechanical fuel pump, runnin' off the raw water pump...

The good news is the raw water pump/fuel pump combo thing didn't start until 92. He's lucky there, that was a poor system.
The engine is also carbed according to the serial number.