Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

[taj]

1984 Searay Seville
1984 Mercruiser 140 i/o
3.0 L 181 CI engine

Any idea where I can find a new or rebuilt Cylinder head for this boat? The casting numbers are barely legible. # appears to start with 95 or 96 or 98. Last digit is impossible to read.

Serial # 6874943

Any help is appreciated....

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

Ebay has brand new ones for $350.....
Rapido in Miami might have some used ones.....​

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

........

 

[taj]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

Thanks for the info. I'm fairly certain that the heads are different on a 2.5 vs 3.0

Still looking...anyone familiar with J&C Enterprises in WV? Or Michiganmotorz in central michigan. This head is a hard one to find....

 

[Bondo]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

I'm fairly certain that the heads are different on a 2.5 vs 3.0
I was sure they used 2 different heads. no?

Nope,....... Same Head,.....

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

AFAIK, they are the same.....​

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

Ya beat me with that blazing finger, Bondo.....
The reason that it is hard to find is because it is not an auto engine, it is an industrial/boat engine...
They never came in cars, so there are fewer of them.....
Check Rapido marine in Miami.....​

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

But isn't the 2.5/3.0 the most produced engine in marine circles? I was told that on here once, that there are more of them out there than anything else. Does iboats sell cylinder heads?

 

[watermellonI]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

also try craigs list taj, there s a guy here in fl with a few 140 s for sale

 

[Dante04SRT]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

Be sure you get the correct 3.0 head. There are a few different ones out there and many will try to sell the 2.5 as a 3.0...

Here's a reference pic:

 

[Bondo]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

Ayuh,....

The Point Is,.......

Regardless of which 1 of those 3 heads,......
They'll All run on a 3.0l,....
And,.....
You'd Never Notice which 1 was there.....

All 3 are known as Direct Replacements for the 3.0l....

And there's Obviously More possible castings as the OP has a totally Different casting #.....

Again,....... Any 2.5l/ 3.0l head will get you Back On the Water, with No Ill Effects......

 

[martyh]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

Putting my 2 cents in, if your gonna start swapping heads make sure the manifolds are of the same configuration.

I discovered this while pulling my 3.0 apart for other reasons, and after this find, I remebered the prior owner telling me that he thought the engine never did run very good. He said it seemed to be really sluggish. Hmm, I think this would be the cause of that.

As you know, the black color on the manifold is the carbon build-up from the exhaust, and the green masking tape shows how much of the ports were actually flowing. I guess it would be like running a marathon with your hand over your mouth.

 

[Skid-joe]

Re: Where to find a 3.0 181 GM Cylinder Head ?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...

With those pics from Martyh, this mismatch is rather interesting.

Makes me wonder what setup I have....... will have to check if and when a teardown is due.............

joe.