272 re-power
 

i'm looking to re-power my 91 272 next season and could do with some help. currently running original stock 454 330 and bravo 1. motors have 460 hours on them, still running well but could do with a little more HP, nothing big, just a bit nearer to 400HP.

New Mercs are outta the question, dont wanna spend that much but any ideas on aftermarket recons and suppliers would be appreciated?

looking to stick with my Bravo1s as is to keep the cost down.

Cheers
steve

Here's what worked for me. Different heads, cam off of a 427 truck engine hogged them out and planed them a little we are about 9 to 1 comp. Intake still have the stock carb will do a little work to it for better idle. Not the fasted or the most hp but the difference was a lot better. Call the cam guy forgot his name out east the cam I used was the same one as in a 420 by crane. Thats all the new parts left stock pistons in. I could have gone all out but didn't want to spent the extra money. Hope this helps.

I would get a set of 383 crate motors. They will get you over 430hp they run great and will give you a bunch more room in the engine bay.

When I had my 89 272 I repowered with a pair of mercruiser 420hp 454's with Bassett headers and could see a little over 70 on a gps on fairly flat water and would have probably have seen a little more with a foot or so of chop. Had to use the Bassets due to the tight centerline clearance between the motors and I wanted tubular headers instead of something like Gil's.
If you shop around there are still plenty of good 420's and 502hp motors floating around out there.

Cheers for the info guys.

Where could i get the 383 crate motors from? I live in UK so that's why i'm asking for info cos you guys seem to have all the decent suppliers in the US for this sort of thing.

hi there ,
where abouts in the Uk do you live?! just done a repower on my wellcraft nova, i have re powered with 2 502mpis, based in the uk too, down in poole,
regards charlie

Hey Charlie. Not to stray off from the Formula re-power, but how does the Nova run with Big Blocks in it? I'm considering upgrading to Big Blocks and Bravo's on mine.

Hi Charlie,

I live in Guernsey, Channel Islands. Have you got any contacts for motors of this sort or 454 or 383? someone repowered a F-272 down here in 06 with twin 6.2MX and Bravo 3s from the merc dealer and cost him just shy of £30,000....then he sold the boat for half that...loser!!

I'm just looking for simple re-power with a bit of HP gain and try to keep my stock Bravo 1s.

Cheers
steve

hi there spazbox, i had bb 7.4s carb, d before and would reach speeds of 73mph, but done a complete overhaul, including imco hydraulic steering, extention boxes, 24"tabs, new bravo drives with imco 2" shorties, plus loads of other little bits, only just got the boat running the weekend just gone, so need to to do some running in next after we sort a smallish issue on the port engine. the new engines (gen6)have been rebuilt including rebore, balancing, reground cranks wiesco pistons, edlebrock marine ally heads, stightly lairy cam, emi exhausts, fuel regulators, etc, plus alllcolour coded, the boat is 1990 nova 26ft st, once run in hoping for around 80+ mph, sorry to talk non formula but next plan is to look for 353 maybe and swop engines.....

hi steve,

maybe of some help, i do have experiance with buying engines form the America, but not good! i did buy a a pair of 7.4 mpi that had been rebuilt and had some aftermarket bits done to them ,according to advert and had long coverstion with the bloke a few times plus he had an engine shop too, but the bloke disappeared, to cut along story short his name was dave form chop shop customs in florida in plataka!?, and no trace of him.the second set were brought though ebay.com, but were not as describe to say the least hence the big rebuilds on them! i do have however a one 7.4 mpi gen6, but that does need rebuild, brought with overheating issues but still ran but may be of use to you!? i would say for costs getting a nice set of 502 or even 454 mpis would be the way to go, but do make sure the seller is geniune from my experiance.

Yeah that's my concern really, trying to find someone reputable to deal with who isn't going to rip you off, hence the reason why i am asking around on this forum to get some info.

I see these guys advertised on offshoreonly website...

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Mercruiser_Engines.htm

They have some nice packages but website looks a bit basic...any thoughts?

Bam marine are a good company, also if you are looking for parts rather engines CP Performance and Hardin Marine are brilliant, also a company called real steel based near heathrow in the uk are very good too,
regards
Charlie

I will try and get you the name of the place that my buddy got his from for his Sutphen. I beleive they are 435hp.

Yeah thanks Audiofn that be useful.

Cheers Charlie for your help, if you can afford the fuel you should try pop down to Guernsey one day, we have some awesome offshore waters and short trips to other islands you can visit....and i mean short, when you have an american powerboat you tend to get places quickly :woohoo:

sounds likw a great plan! probably next year now as need to run the engines in for a bit and the days are getting shorter and colder, but we have talked about it lol, there are few american power boats, we get together most weekends in the summer, 2 baja 272, one 36 outlaw, donzi 26 with raylar power, a blader runner, plus an apache 41, plus 2 extremes and mine! so will keep in contact, also if you have would likie to come this way let us know,
regards
Charlie:coolcowboy:

Yeah for sure will do. I'll be pulling mine out the water soon for the winter too.

We also have a number of american boats, four Forumla 272-SR1, one 271, two 206, 1 Baja 23 and a Cigarette Bullet 31. We dont really meet much, everybody tends to do their own thing but i should try pulling these boats together. There were two poker runs organised this year but i was away for one and the weather wasn't great for the other.

Keep in touch

Cheers
Steve

It was Pace Chevrolet that he got his motors from.

Jon