small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

[Chris_94_Sprint_TX]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

But if the 4.3L was an upgrade option during that year shouldn't a V8 fit with minimal to no mods other than motor mounts if they are the same width or close to the same? The wife has been trying to talk me into doing a swap for a little more power and speed rather than just a prop change.

Chris

 

[chimmike]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

Your WIFE has been TALKING YOU into the swap? Are you sure you don't have it backwards? lol

 

[Chris_94_Sprint_TX]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

Yeah I have a GREAT woman. I think its partly for her too because I know she loves the sound of my trucks V8 when I stomp that pedal and I'm sure it would only be a matter of time before I hear the phrase "Baby can you make it loud like the truck?".

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

But if the 4.3L was an upgrade option during that year shouldn't a V8 fit with minimal to no mods other than motor mounts if they are the same width or close to the same?...

Reread my second sentence in my first post. Please note that my dad's boat had the 4.3 in it to begin with, and he just had to move the front mount about 4.4 inches. You would have to buy front mounts and properly located them. The stringers should have a flat spot for them to install. But look closely, because they're set up for the V6, so you would need room to mount them forward by about 4 inches.

Got a picture of your engine compartment?

 

[Chris_94_Sprint_TX]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

Do you have a picture of his install? I curious how much persuassion I will have to use on the fuel tank and how much capacity I will loose if any. Is there much difference in the late 80s Sevilles vs. the early to mid 80s? I will take some soon, I need to get out and re-wire the batteries.

Chris

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

Sorry no photos, he sold the boat 6 years ago. He didn't affect the capacity of the tank much at all. He only needed a little clearance for the water/fuel separator and its lines. It wasn't a real big dent that he had to make!

 

[wca_tim]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

nothing a 4.3 will do that a 5.7 won't do better... ;-) There are a lot of possibilities depending on how you go about it and a lot of used parts around.do some searches if you get serious. it's not that bad depending on what you have to move in the engine compartment and what you start with in terms of a take out engine, donor boat, etc... Don't think about a 305. a 4.3 is every bit as much motor and weighs less. If you're gong to d a v-8, do at least a 350 / 5.7. and unless you get really stupid, your drive will be just fine. you'd be surprised at what an alpha drive can stand up to if it's well maintained... if you like turning a wrench, and especially if your lady likes to roll her sleeves up, go for it. :-D

 

[Chris_94_Sprint_TX]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

She won't grab a wrench or anything but she probably would bring me drinks while I was working on it. I may have to do some looking but since I bought the boat used I don't know how the drive was maintained. I have a shop that can check it out with me though. He already looked it over for structural integrity and said stringers, transom and floor are all solid except the floor in one area and I am going to fix it most likely over the winter.

Chris

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

My father installed a 5.7 V8 in a 1989ish 19' Seville in place of a 4.3. He had to move the engine cover a bit and the gas tank was actually in the way.

That's what stopped me from going V8 on my 185. The gas tank was going to have to move and that would've been major surgery. Plus, I didn't want power steering, so I replaced my 3.0 with a V6 and just left the manual steering which seems fine.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

... The gas tank was going to have to move and that would've been major surgery...

My dad just dented his in with a hammer!

 

[Chris_94_Sprint_TX]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

Its a tempting upgrade to go V8, I need to rebuild parts back there and the ski locker anyway so I think moving the fuel tank might be a bit easier. But I think 28 gallons would go too fast on a V8.

Chris

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

My Larson 186 was re-powered (before I bought it) with a 350 Mag. I can do a full day of boating or more on a tank of gas.

 

[Chris_94_Sprint_TX]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

With my current 3.0 I can run for almost a month but I am out as often as I can.

Chris

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

My dad just dented his in with a hammer!

lol - mine's poly, so it popped back every hit

Here's my V6 at it's best. I don't know how you guys run a week. I have a 30 gal tank and that's bigger than many 18 footers. Boattest comparisons say I'm doing amazing for a V6 at >5mpg - especially carb'd

I can still burn up 3/4 tank in a day no problem.

 

[Nivekt]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

Howard,

Is that display attached to your sender or something? How does that thing work? Got a link?

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

LMF-200 - LOWRANCE | Marine Electronics

It has a flow meter that installs in the fuel line that will give gph as a stand alone unit, and can then either interface to existing gps (fishfinder or vhf if equipped and compatible) or you can add a gps antenna to get mpg. I have the gps antenna for mpg.

 

[Chris_94_Sprint_TX]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

I don't run much. Mostly low speed cruising/tubing if I'm not fishing. M tank lasts about a month (4 trips) or so

Chris

 

[Panoguy]

Re: small block in an 85 Sea Ray Seville open bow

As it turns-out, I'm currently putting a 5.7L into my 1984 Seville 19' cuddy. I'm doing a complete stringer/transom rebuild, figured "why not". Check out my progress by my link in my signature. I'm certain that the work won't be complete till next spring.