mercruiser 3.0 130hp ver 3.0 140hp

[ronjon1944]

I have a 1988 mercuiser 130hp 181c 3.0. inline 4<br />can anyone tell me the diff in the 130hp and the 140hp. Most all ref. on the internet shows a 140hp same year and serial number. Is it the carburetor, that year merc went from a Rodchester to Merc carb. I have the merc carb which needs to be rebuild. My tag# is 1389-9562 but everything on the net shows for a 140hp tag# 1389-9562a1 or 2<br />Thanks<br />Ronjon

 

[Bondo]

Re: mercruiser 3.0 130hp ver 3.0 140hp

can anyone tell me the diff in the 130hp and the 140hp.

That's been Pretty Well Covered.........<br /><br />Have a Look Here.......... <br /><br />If you've got More Questions after That Read,<br />Come on Back,+ Ask Away......

 

[ronjon1944]

Re: mercruiser 3.0 130hp ver 3.0 140hp

Thanks Bondo, that covers it pretty well, but still have a question.<br />I have the merc carb which needs to be rebuild. My tag# is 1389-9562 but everything on the net shows for a 140hp tag# 1389-9562a1 or 2.<br />I don't find much listed for the 130hp, it shows the 120 and 140.sometimes you will see the 3.0l but not the 130.<br />I was just thinking, if I'm have to get a rebuild carb and there was one that would kick it up to a 140 without changing the intake...

 

[trog100]

Re: mercruiser 3.0 130hp ver 3.0 140hp

a logical thought.. and if there was it would make sense to go for it..<br /><br />but i think i can safely say there isnt such a thing..<br /><br />some places u will even see the engine quoted at 135hp.. smack bang in the middle of the other two..<br /><br />its also been said elsewhere that there is no easy or cost effective way of getting more usable grunt out of the 3 litre engine..<br /><br />if it stiil has points fitting some kind of electronic spark enhancement kit might make sense.. but thats open to debate..<br /><br />i kept the points on mine but fitted a transistorized trigger device and opened the plug gap up from 35 thou to forty.. i think the engine starts easier.. idles better and runs more cleanly.. but it could be more in my imagination than anything else.. he he<br /> <br />also the transistorized kit only cost me a tenner so i didnt have much to lose.. i even bought two.. one as a spare.. he he <br /> <br />trog100

 

[tommays]

Re: mercruiser 3.0 130hp ver 3.0 140hp

ron<br />i have a 3.0 LX and the only place to really get bang for the buck is with the PROP <br /><br />the mods you do to the motor after its running correctly will not make enough HP to push the boat more than 1 or 2 MPH faster in the best case<br /><br /> a great prop will really help.<br /><br />tommays

 

[trog100]

Re: mercruiser 3.0 130hp ver 3.0 140hp

"if a dirty bottom slows you down what do think it does to your boat"<br /><br />this one only applies to boats that stay in the water like mine does.. it had been unmoved in the water for three years when i bought it..<br /><br />three inches of fresh water mussels took 25 mph off its top speed.. at 15 MPH max it did leave a nice wake behind it thow.. and it looked very impressive in a photo.. he he<br /><br />trog100

 

[Bondo]

Re: mercruiser 3.0 130hp ver 3.0 140hp

There is No Extra 10hp in the different models of Carbs.............<br /><br />Fix what you Have, or replace it with a Like carb......<br />I would imagine that the 1s listed for the 140 Should fit your motor.......<br /><br />My Guess for a Reason for the "a1" or "a2" is so the same kit will fit Several Generations of the Same Carb.........

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: mercruiser 3.0 130hp ver 3.0 140hp

I'm not sure about those carbs. I rebuilt a few a couple of years ago and one definately had larger throats. I would assume the one with the larger throats would breathe better and give you a few more ponies. Ten? Idunno. I think the mounts on the intake manifolds were also different but looked identical until you tried putting the wrong carb on. Unfortunately I have no idea which carbs are from which years. But I'm thinking to get the most you can get you'd have to go with the 3L head and carb/manifold with the larger carb. Then again maybe I'm confusing those with the 3.7L carbs. There's an avenue to ponder. What about a 3.7L carb?<br /><br />Now I want to really throw some gas on the fire. There are adapters available to mount a 2-barrel carb on a 4-barrel manifold. I saw one at Autozone I think. It looked to me like you could mount it upside down and mount a 4-barrel carb to a 2-barrel manifold. Whatcha think?

 

[tommays]

Re: mercruiser 3.0 130hp ver 3.0 140hp

i no that the 3.0 has a restricted exaust and a very restricted intake with no real way to inprove it like the V6 and V8 GM blocks and that pretty much kills it<br /><br />are you going to port and intake manifold to inprove flow that is going to rust away because its part of the exaust?<br /><br />tommays

 

[ronjon1944]

Re: mercruiser 3.0 130hp ver 3.0 140hp

Thanks for all the info, I'm just going to go with a rebuild of the same kind.