New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

[thrasher]

Gentlemen,

My starter motor hasn't been working, one of the mounts was broken off by a PO. I tried welding it, but had no success. I took the boat to a marina and asked them for a quote to repair the engine. They tell me the block is actually cracked and cannot be repaired. They quoted me $4000 for a new engine, this sounds a bit high (to put it mildly!). I have therefore decided that when I get back from vacation I will remove the engine myself. I am trying to decide if I get a car block and transfer everything over to the new block from the old engine, or do I buy a short or long engine? Can anyone recomend a good place to buy a short/long mercruiser motor? Any recomendations on which approach to take? I have been rebuilding car/motorbike and helicopter engines for more than 20 years, so either approach is feasible.. What say you all?

Thanks Gary

 

[180shabah]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

If that $4K was installed then it probably was not too far out of line.

As for donor engines - find an s-10 or astro van engine of the same vintage as your existing engine and then use all of your marine components(electrical, cooling, exhaust, ignition, fuel...) and swap out the core plugs for brass and you should be good to go.

Replacement blocks, long and short, are available as well. Check out Rapid-O Marine and ebasicpower. Those are a couple of the favorites here on the boards.

 

[thrasher]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

Many thanks for the replies, the $4K was just for the motor, they wanted an additional $1500 to take out the old engine and fit the new one.. I don't doubt it's a reasonable price for a shop, but I can do it myself for a lot less, I was just hoping the shop was going to be cheaper (because I am lazy!!).

Thanks for the info on the car engine. Would you use the car crankshaft? or would you transfer the marine engine crankshaft over? yes I know how to measure the journal thickness and get the correct size plain bearings for the car block. Just wondering if a marine crank or conrods are different to their car counter parts? despite all the engines I have worked on, this will be my first marine!! We all have to start somewhere!!

Gary

 

[Bondo]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

Crankshafts are the Same......

 

[thrasher]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

Thanks Bondo and Shabah,

I looked at ebasicpower, but it looks like they want $5800 for a complete 4.3L V6 mercruiser engine, which is very expensive in my opinion. USengines list the 4.3L V6 motor at $1800 (not sure if it's a long or short engine).

I guess I will look around a bit more when I get back from vacation, but buying a car engine, giving it a rebore and swapping over all the parts (Camshaft, etc) from my old motor looks like the cheapest option!!
Or buying a reconditioned short block from Napa (or someone similar) and then swapping over parts (that way I dont have to mess around with the rebore!! Just service the head and reseat the valves!).

It gives me food for thought whilst I am on vacation..

See you all in 3 weeks.

Gary

I looked again, a complete engine for ebasicpower is with starter motor, alternator, absolutely everything.. Their basic motor is a long motor (what I thought a complete motor was!!) and it sells for $2200 which is more like it.. I have found long engines from $1500 to $1800 and now $2200. The problem is that I have no idea how reputable the cheaper companies are, so I will probably go with ebasicpower as it sounds like they have been around a while..

 

[chick92064]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

Hi everyone
While not new to boating, I am totally new to internet chat rooms / forums. Please forgive my ignorance if I screw things up in posting.
After a long abscence from boating, I recently got back into it with a low dollar purchase of a 1989 Mach 1 Challenger (MV1900CC) The engine had recently comepletely overhauled and then somehow the owner managed a hydra-lock and stripped the flywheel ring gear and ruined the starter. That ended his season last year. In the offseason he bought a bigger boat and put this one up for sale. Due to the issue with the stripped flywheel/starter, he had a hard time selling. I happened to be in the right place at the right time with cash in hand and picked the boat up for literally a song. The motor is a 4.3l Mercruiser Alpha 1 carbureted. In another stroke of luck, I was fortunate enough to be able to get the boat into a boat repair program at the local regional vocational high school. They have pulled the motor and replaced the flywheel and starter. The also R&R'd the entire outdrive unit and went through the boat's electrical system for me. My only cost was for parts. I mention this in case you have a VocEd High School or Tech College in your area. Others might be able to get the same great deal I did. Ok, my question is relative to the power output of this motor. The instructor at the school is unsure if it's 190 or 205 hp. The serial number of the boat is FHI56852F989. I noticed in roaming around the web-site that some of you seem to be able to quote a bunch of info about a boat given the serial number. In addition to the HP rating of the motor, I would also like to know what the fuel tank capacity is. Thank you

 

[180shabah]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

First - welcom to iboats.
Second - it is ALWAYS best to start your own thread, and in a technical environment it is essential.
Third - the 4.3's (of that era - pre vortec)put out 175hp witha 2bbl carb and 205hp with a 4bbl carb. This rating is at the crank, subtract about 30hp for propshaft hp.

 

[Bondo]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

While not new to boating, I am totally new to internet chat rooms / forums. Please forgive my ignorance if I screw things up in posting.

Ayuh,....
Posting to a Year,+ 1/2 old thread is 1 of those Things that aren't so Cool...
Archives are for Reading,+ Learning,.... Not posting to...
If you're deeper than page 2, or maybe 3,(page 1 turns over Awlfully Fast here at iboats).....
Don't Post....
Unless it's 1 of Your Own threads that you're bringing back to the top...

The serial number of the boat is FHI56852F989.

That the Hull's HIN #,... Not the Driveline's Serial #s....
As I said in Your thread,.... We don't deal with the Hulls down here, only the motors,+ drives....

 

[mthieme]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

Thrasher - cheaper optioin...
Purchase just the block assembly instead of the whole engine.
If you go with a car engine, you really don't want the steel head gaskets anyway...not to mention steel freeze plugs.

 

[chick92064]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

Ayuh,....
Posting to a Year,+ 1/2 old thread is 1 of those Things that aren't so Cool...
Archives are for Reading,+ Learning,.... Not posting to...
If you're deeper than page 2, or maybe 3,(page 1 turns over Awlfully Fast here at iboats).....
Don't Post....
Unless it's 1 of Your Own threads that you're bringing back to the top...
.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Here's some advice for you - - - - -Ayuh is a Maine expression that doesn't sound good on people from away

 

[achris]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Here's some advice for you - - - - -Ayuh is a Maine expression that doesn't sound good on people from away

Sorry, I disagree... I like Bond-o's 'Ayuh's..... Gives him character...

 

[Bondo]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

Here's some advice for you - - - - -Ayuh is a Maine expression that doesn't sound good on people from away

Ayuh,....

I believe being born,+ raised in Old Town Maine qualifies myself to be a Real,+ True Maineiac.....

Old Town maybe on the northwestern edge of Downeast, But it's Still Downeast....

 

[Skyhawk]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

Ayuh,....

I believe being born,+ raised in Old Town Maine qualifies myself to be a Real,+ True Maineiac.....

Old Town maybe on the northwestern edge of Downeast, But it's Still Downeast....

<------Born and raised in Maine. Presque Isle to be exact, but now in Portland.
I'm a big fan of "ayuh" and "wicked" myself, lol.

Back on topic, wait it doesn't matter, this thread is as old as dirt.

 

[Bondo]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

Born and raised in Maine. Presque Isle to be exact,

Ayuh,...

So, You're from up in The county,... Ever pick a Potato,..??..??

No comment on Portland,....
Seems that all the liberals from Mass have Stolen Portland from the Maineiacs, without firing a shot....

 

[Skyhawk]

Re: New Engine - Mercruiser V6 4.3L

So, You're from up in The county,... Ever pick a Potato,..??..??

Never picked one by hand but have worked on a few harvesters. I think up there is one of the last places on earth where schools break for fall harvest.


.....and yes, I agree with you on Portland.