mikel1291979
Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2010
- Messages
- 106
So I am starting the swap today. I will keep this post going and WILL DEF be asking for advice and opinions throughout. Would be great if some of you motor gurus could give it a look from time to time and tell me what you think. Thanks in advance and if any of you come to East Tx let me know, and drinks are on me.
Heres the plan.
1. Take carb, intake, risers, exhaust manifolds, heads and acc off the motor first. Not nec in that order.
2. Take heads to machine shop for valve job and resurfacing. $92 per head plus the seals.
3. After I get the call from machine shop that my heads are good, take the 2 hour trip to dallas to pick up the 4.3 from city motors. $550 with pump and gaskets (would be $450 but my old block is cracked so no core.).
4. Bring engine home and put on stand. Replace freeze plugs with brass and remove the cam.
5. Pull old cam out of marine engine and if it is good I will install it into new motors with new lifters.
6. Install the fresh heads on new motor.
7. Gets tricky here.... I have met a couple guys (shade tree mechanics) with a shop they work in on the weekends 1 mile from home. For $500 they will pull the old motor, button up the new motor, drop it into the boat and get it completely running. Or I can go to the local equipment rental place and pick up a material lift rated to lift 800lbs and try to pull and install the motor myself. I would be doing this basically by myself and I have installed motors on 60's mustangs and 70's broncos 15 years ago. I am INTIMIDATED with all of the electrical connections and other crap I see on this motor that I have no friggin clue what they are or what they do.
Opinions?
Looks like I have a decent amount of room to do the swap at least. Is it normal for the stringers and bilge area to be covered in this black fiberglass? material? Have never seen it before.
What do you guys think?
Heres the plan.
1. Take carb, intake, risers, exhaust manifolds, heads and acc off the motor first. Not nec in that order.
2. Take heads to machine shop for valve job and resurfacing. $92 per head plus the seals.
3. After I get the call from machine shop that my heads are good, take the 2 hour trip to dallas to pick up the 4.3 from city motors. $550 with pump and gaskets (would be $450 but my old block is cracked so no core.).
4. Bring engine home and put on stand. Replace freeze plugs with brass and remove the cam.
5. Pull old cam out of marine engine and if it is good I will install it into new motors with new lifters.
6. Install the fresh heads on new motor.
7. Gets tricky here.... I have met a couple guys (shade tree mechanics) with a shop they work in on the weekends 1 mile from home. For $500 they will pull the old motor, button up the new motor, drop it into the boat and get it completely running. Or I can go to the local equipment rental place and pick up a material lift rated to lift 800lbs and try to pull and install the motor myself. I would be doing this basically by myself and I have installed motors on 60's mustangs and 70's broncos 15 years ago. I am INTIMIDATED with all of the electrical connections and other crap I see on this motor that I have no friggin clue what they are or what they do.
Opinions?

Looks like I have a decent amount of room to do the swap at least. Is it normal for the stringers and bilge area to be covered in this black fiberglass? material? Have never seen it before.

What do you guys think?