4bbl Swap

[PS94]

So, bought a new to me boat, was freeze damaged, and I'm replacing the long block.
Whilst I'm in there, i want to swap to a 4bbl intake....from the merc 2bbl. It's a 4.3L, 1998.

What all is needed, aside from the obvious carb, and intake....throttle brackets? Linkages?

Any boat salvage yards in West? I'm in Northern Canada, and our boating season is short, and marine resources few...

 

[greg82255]

Re: 4bbl Swap

So, bought a new to me boat, was freeze damaged, and I'm replacing the long block.
Whilst I'm in there, i want to swap to a 4bbl intake....from the merc 2bbl. It's a 4.3L, 1998.

What all is needed, aside from the obvious carb, and intake....throttle brackets? Linkages?

Any boat salvage yards in West? I'm in Northern Canada, and our boating season is short, and marine resources few...

Yup that's about it, carb intake throttle bracket to match the carb, gaskets, maybe wires for an electric choke if you will have one.

 

[dollarten]

Re: 4bbl Swap

Just my 2 cents I have a 4.3 in in Sea Ray 185 BR with a two barrel . Not to make it like I am tooting my own horn but , I am swinging a 23 pitch aluminum prop and getting 48.4 MPH GPS speed and turning just shy of 4900 RPM . Two people in boat . I do not think there is that much more in a 4.3 even with a four barrel A stainless three or four blade would be money well spent on getting more speed out of your boat and you will be back in the water sooner . I am sure others will chime in but , that would be my idea

 

[picklenjim]

Re: 4bbl Swap

Probably wouldn't be worth it. 15 HP difference. If you have to buy the parts new your talking over $600 for the carb and intake. Probably wouldn't see much if any difference on the top end. You might get a little better fuel milage at cruising speed with the 4 barrel though.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: 4bbl Swap

whether its worth it or not is up to you. you can get new intakes and carbs for not much more than buying used.

if it was me and I had the motor out, I would also bump up the cam lift and duration along with the intake and carb. however I tend to tinker with everything I own.

 

[jkust]

Re: 4bbl Swap

Lot of cash for almost no increase in performance. This has been done before here with disappointing results. The one I recall most was a similar Volvo 4.3 and remember some disappointment with that project. I was actually disappointed by that one as I've had dreams of doing this. That said i've seen it done on a 5.7 with great results. If I were you rebuilding from scratch, I might consider it but not a tear down of a functioning engine.

 

[PS94]

Re: 4bbl Swap

Well, I had out my BR180, then took out the BR190....The 180 had the 4bbl and a 19 pitch, and the 190 2bbl with a 21.

The 180 (albeit 1' smaller) was a demon out of the hole, and would get to about 43mph indicated....
The 190, was a dog out of the hole, (sickeningly slow) and would rev to about 4800, and the speedo was inop.Felt slightly faster than the 180 at max speed... Granted, the engine was slowly filling with lake water, and the prop 2" different pitch, but I was sickened by the lack of performance out of it(the 190 2bbl)....I might try a 5 blade, but if I was able to find a wrecker with a used 4.3L 4bbl set up, I think I'd drop the cash to gain any bit of performance from her...

The engine, is a crate, with warranty, 2000hrs, if I don't mess with it....I can't go smashing a cam or other goodies into her...

 

[dozerII]

Re: 4bbl Swap

Hey PS94, The only place I can think of that might have the used intake and carb would be Shipwreck Marine in Edmonton, if they are still around.

 

[Cj7jeepoffroad]

Re: 4bbl Swap

I can almost guarantee you will get better fuel milage while cruising with the 4bbl,

 

[jkust]

Re: 4bbl Swap

???

 

[jkust]

Re: 4bbl Swap

Well there seems to be a lot going on but firstly the 19" to the 21" provides for a significant hole shot difference in general. I consider 19" for tow sports and 21" for speed. Also then The 1998 Sea Ray 190 weighs 650lbs more than a Sea Ray 180 of the same year. Take your 180BR, put a 21" prop on it then add three 200lb people and a 50lb kid in that boat and see what she'll do. The 180 is the el cheapo entry level boat while the 190 is where things started to go a bit more upscale. Upscale means wider beam, heavier build and accessories plus extras. Many boat manufacturers will do that and some will also have a entry level 18' and an upscale 18' model where the upscale significantly outweighs the entry level model. Of course the cheaper one will fly since they aren't comparable. Generally the 190v6 is good for more than the br190 weighs so sickeningly slow out of the hole is pointing to more than just a prop situation out of the hole. My Sig boat weighs a lot more than the BR190 and hauls butt out of the hole with a 21" alum prop with a 51.8 gps top speed. Thinking you have other factors at play.

 

[PS94]

Re: 4bbl Swap

they were both signature boats, but, the 190 is quite a bit girthier...Both have identical options, other than the forward anchor stowage on the 190. I'll get the new motor, with a new 19" prop on her, and report back....

 

[jkust]

Re: 4bbl Swap

they were both signature boats, but, the 190 is quite a bit girthier...Both have identical options, other than the forward anchor stowage on the 190. I'll get the new motor, with a new 19" prop on her, and report back....

Dedicated anchor storage on a small bowrider was only on the upscale versions that's for sure. The late 1990's were the hey days for Sea Ray's small boats before they turned them into marketing over form.

I just noticed that your 180 is a 1995 that presumably doesn't have vortec heads as the 1998 does.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: 4bbl Swap

your 1998 190 would be very similar to my 2002 190 (last year, actually a late 2001 hull). loved that boat. with myself, the 5.0, 1.62:1 outdrive and a 15 x 19 prop, could hit 50mph on the GPS with just the right trimming.

then again, if I still had it, I would have switched to a 4-barrel setup and a different cam because I always want to go faster.

 

[PS94]

Re: 4bbl Swap

true, the 180 was a non vortec, and was rated if I recall, 175 hp. the 2bbl 1998 is somewhere in the 140's isn't it?!

 

[jkust]

Re: 4bbl Swap

175 hp is correct I believe. The 2bbl 4.3 liter is 190hp at the prop in the carb version. don't think the 4bbl was offered after the vortec heads were added. Someone else may know differently.