Mercrusier 3.0 = Chevy?? Land cruiser motor?

[joetheis]

I'm looking at a '89 Rinker 18' open bow with a Mercrusier 3.0 engine.
Want a boat with a deeper "V" than my Grumman and like the fuel sipper the 3.0 is, (so I've read).
Looks like I can get in the dog coup to work on it easy enough also!!
I understand it's a Chevy engine converted to marine use.
Just for general information for me,
What is the Chevy land cruiser base motor?
Was it the all famous 2.5 motor? for the 80's in all those X body cars, (citations etc.)
The old "Iron Duke" of the 60's??
The starter pics from E-bay look like the 2.5 motors, but........
Will gaskets, thermo, spark plugs, etc. for these land cruisers for this motor??
(I have seem some OMC listing with the same looking 3.0)
I've look @ for this set up in a boat, and sadly found many, bad head gasket? cracked blocks? seized?? (it's so easy to winterize them, why not do it)??
This one seems to run fine (so the owner says), was well cared for, (so the owner says)
Has receipts for work done
Joe
So many questions

 

[Scott Danforth]

the 3.0 is a GM industrial motor, it is a stroked version based off the 2.5 liter that started life as the base motor in the 1962 Chevy II. it is a derivative of the 196/230/250 inline 6 motors.

it is used for Marine and trashpump duties only, with a compressed natural gas version used in some gensets.

It is in no way associated with either of the two 2.5 liter motors that GM put in cars in the mid 80's.

the 3.0 is the base engine in base price-point boats. the reason you see so many neglected is many first time boat owners either do not understand maintenance, or simply choose not to.

 

[joetheis]

Thanks!
I just find it hard, you got a boat, 1/2 hour and it'll be good for next year, (as well as covering them)!
A guy has a Bayliner with a 3.0and was eating starters.
I asked about it one day and he told me it was automotive staters ("cuz they were cheaper)!
(that's why I thought it was a 2.5 X body engine).
After 3? starters (and tow in from the water), in a summer I guess he got the point and went to marine starter and low n behold, no problems!
It's mute now,
I called and the boat was gone, but I still like that 120 or 140 4 banger!
Joe
out to build THE fishing boat!

 

[thumpar]

The 2.5l used in the GM cars is different than the 2.5l used in boats except for a couple years in the early 60's Nova. The boat version is not the "Iron Duke". I had the 120 in my last boat. They are sturdy engines. The main reason you want a marine starter (other parts too) is that they have spark protection. Gasoline fumes are heavier then air so they sink into the bilge.

 

[Scott Danforth]

the 140 is a 3.0. the 120 is the 2.5

 

[airshot]

Yep....love mine, 3.0 well cared for....1983 all original except normal maintenance items.

 

[thumpar]

Yep....love mine, 3.0 well cared for....1983 all original except normal maintenance items.

My 2.5l was the same year and I never had to do anything other than normal maintenance over the 7 years I had it.

 

[joetheis]

Rodger!
Seems when I see one I get the "Lusts" for, I call and either it JUST went or by the time I set a time and day to see it, it's gone!
(the last one was perfect, he wanted a 18' almn fishing boat, I wanted a 18' open bow I/O, but alas, he sold it before I could get my boat to him)!
I think my present boat is sending out the whammies, so I can't "upgrade"!
My last "BIG" boat (a '81 Silver Line 21' Cuddy), had a 305 that wasn't too bad on fuel, (but you can't get in the swallows to fish with that draft), I'd park it on the hard and hard a prop to lift the lid of the dawg coup lid up under the storage cover.
I had a habit of lifting the lid when I took the cover off, was up as I moved her and until I backed it in the water and fired it up, (along with the fan running) to get any fumes out.
Saw a U tube flick years ago at a sailing class a fire company did to show what a explosion/fire in a boat from the gas fumes, was cool n scary!
I know it'll be a lot easier to see what can swap from a land cruiser to the boat once I get one in my greasey paws.
Joe
The search continues......................

 

[Bondo]

What is the Chevy land cruiser base motor?

Ayuh,.... Toyota,..??..?? It was a 6 cylinder Japanese modified metric motor, Vaguely based on the ole I-6 Chevy used in the '50s/ '60s,....

Parts from it, won't even swap to the original Chevy motor is was based on,.....

 

[GA_Boater]

Ayuh,.... Toyota,..??..?? It was a 6 cylinder Japanese modified metric motor, Vaguely based on the ole I-6 Chevy used in the '50s/ '60s,....

Parts from it, won't even swap to the original Chevy motor is was based on,.....

I could be wrong, but the OP is referring to "land cruiser" when he means non-marine.

 

[joetheis]

Sorry,
Yes, I meant Land Cruisers, as steel boxes (cars, trucks) that get us to and from the marina. (it's just something I started to call them when I started sailing).
Like "River or Lake fleas" are jet skis
white caps are "sheep"
waves are "whoops", (from my MX racing days)
Joe
Maybe it was all those hits to my head????

 

[Bondo]

Maybe it was all those hits to my head????

Naw,.... Just livin' in King Cuomo's Northcountry does that to pretty much All of Us sensible folks,....

 

[thumpar]

The 3.0l was never used in a vehicle only the 2.5l was and that was long ago. Stick with marine parts.

 

[joetheis]

If I buy boat parts, it's marine!
Some stuff like temp sensors, fuel line, maybe some gaskets, can be from the auto parts store, but marine "stuff" is made for that damp wet enviroment, some people just can't figure that out....................
Joe

 

[thumpar]

Marine stuff like starters, alternators, distributors, fuel pump, etc are not built that way for the wet environment it is for safety.

 

[joetheis]

Ahhh, makes sense.
I did notice that the marine version of a Chevy Small block fuel pump had not only a glass bowl, but another bowl with a flag in it? ("If fuel is in here, replace" I think it said), to let you know IF the dia. was leaking! (at least the one I had on my '81 Merc 228 did). I thought that was cool bean n ham!
The alt and starter looked the same???!!!
The starter and alt, I THOUGHT the wires were sprayed with lacquer or?? to keep them from getting all green and yukkie, (that's a technical term- "Yukkie"),
Has to something different with the brushes on the armature, but what????
I can't remember how the dist cap and base was, but they that should be sealed as well? But then what did they do about the oil vapors in there??
I guess it SHOULD be all spark free to keep the gas fumes fumes and not a fire ball.
I'll have to take a dead one apart sometime and see WTF is the difference!
Joe

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... The fuel pumps with glass bowls went out back in the very early '70s,..... it wasn't original to yer '81,....

Starters have an extra steel plate inside to seal the electrical part from the mechanical part,...
Gear reduction starters are marine, just by their design, a sealed motor compartment,...

Alternators have metal screens coverin' the vents to contain any sparks,....

Distributor caps are vented through a brass elbow, or screens, as sparks can't jump 'round corners in metal tubes, nor through a grounded screen,....

 

[joetheis]

Coolie Oh!
You would think the gas vapors would creep into the starters and alt, as well as surround the points, when a spark comes, well.......
Joe
See, you can teach OLD, OLD dawgs new tricks!