Innovation Marine Engines
 

Could anyone with experience with Innovation give me some information about there experience with them.

I am considering having them build me two fuel injected engines in the 700-800 HP range.

Durability

Maintenance

Warranty

Anything would be helpful from someone that has recently purchased complete engines from them and someone that has had their engines for 150-300 HRS from new.

Thanks

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

Best in the business in my opinion.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

OK-tell me why!

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

Sonny
I have a pair of 800's They have run great have LOTS of torque. I had a starter fail on one but the customer service was great. Called on Monday before July 4th and had the starter next day.They have a one year warranty.As far as maintenice you change the oil every 25 hours and spark plugs are done depending on your use. My engines have closed cooling,gear driven cam (no chain to strech)crank driven raw water pump,and all parts are available with out a problem(injectors,etc..).

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

I base my opinion on the fact that my 19 year old Innovations still run strong.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

I installed three 600 EFI's in my boat this winter. They do run great and the customer service is also wonderful! I would highly reccommend them.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

Thanks for the replies.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

They have an excellent reputation in the business. I have driven several canoes with their engines and found them to start quickly cold or hot, accelerate crisply and pull strong throughout the RPM range.

I did hear, however, that their main guy went to work for NorTech and is building their custom engines, but I can't confirm or deny this for certain.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

Ed

That was 5 years ago that Ron Potter left, to work for Nor-Tech. They have a great reputation and stand behind their work.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

I boat all summer with the former 777 Zubaz/Harrahs C-1 race boat that has been converted to a pleasure boat. The boat was a four time national champion and now is runnning Innovation "stock" 650HP motors. Never a failure, we run the Atlantic Ocean 100 times during the summer in AC,NJ at 4,500+ to 6,000rpm and it just keeps running. we recently ran another 34' Sutphen with twin 1100HP "somethings" and we only got beat by a few mph in the back bays...meet us out in the Atlantic with 4-6" normal swells. I am strongly considering having Innovation build me a single 700 inch 800 HP EFI motor for my 26' American Offshore.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

what about harmonics with the gear drives??

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

I agree 100% !!
Why you ask?
I've raced a number of their engines over the past 5 years, one of them giving us a National Championship title.
We never dropped out of or lost a race that was the fault of the engine. In fact, when we raced A class we had the smallest motor in our class, (a 2year old GM Vortec HP3 from Innovation). This was the engine that pushed us to our National title.
I also have a number of friends that run the Innovation 600's. The newest that I know of is 3 years old and ALL still run flawlessly.
In short, they indeed are one of the best in the business.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

they have built every engine for the navy special warfare boats here in va. since at least 1991. a good freind of mine works on them after they are out of warranty and always talks good about them. although over the years they have had problems with vendors parts they always take care of them. these boats breaking while on a mission is not an option. i would buy from them.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

that would be the s.o.c. built or were built at united states marine in new orleans... coupled to hubers and #3's.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

does anyone know what the cost of a Innovation 650HP motor? Thanks

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

I use a billet cam with the gear drive......no problems

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

I was there yesterday. Beautiful operation, run by great guys, formerly with Mercury. They're rebuilding my 500 EFI's right now.

Call Dave Stiff @ 941-355-7852

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

I have a 500 EFI in my boat that they rebuilt and upgraded (dynoed @ 570 HP) and was very impressed with their customer service. 200 hours after the rebuild I had a rocker arm fail, but it was time to replace valve springs anyway. Tore the whole engine down to freshen it up myself and everything else still looked great.

They would be my first choice for future projects.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

Open72,
The harmonics are not bad. The motors at idle sound like top fuel drag motrs-snapping and crackling. when your at 5000 rpm you can hear gear noise which sounds more like blower whine.

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

Thanks again for all the replys. The engines would be going in a 36' Cat.

Sonny

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

Sonny did you get and prices on any engines yet and what cat are you putting them in ?

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

i just remember reading something about a gear drive and harmonics at certain rpm's could hurt parts or something...i know it was on here , just don't remeber the thread ..

Re: Innovation Marine Engines
 

No prices yet, supposed to get them any day.

Spectre

Do you know what their web site is?

I don't know if they have one but if yOu send me your number I will have one of their guys call you I am going there tOday. They are the best in the business. I was impressed that they build tue motors for the navy's small attack boats.

I think they've built a number of engines for the Military. Engines that simply could not fail. Some of them were MONSTERS

They also built many OEM Volvo Penta DPX motors I have the hand written specs on those motors internally if I could find that info I will post it. Those motors ran strong. They did Volvo's motors late 90' to early 2000's.

When you walk in the front door at Innovation, there is a wall plaque given by one of their customers, thanking them for outstanding engines and their ability to operate them in all conditions, everywhere in the world.

Customer name??..........United States Navy Seals

Enough said!

That is a pretty serious endorsement.

they built the 800+ cu in engines thats in the 50 ft hustler owned by Tony Demateo sp? Think I saw that he ran 116 at the shootout

I have nothing negative to say about Innovation they have a great reputaion.
The heart of their performance division that brought all the awards and plaques was built by Ron Potter and his crew. He left Innovation and went to Nor-Tech and built their motor program to be the best in the business and now his own shop.

My father was in the process of building a new set of Dart 540cu.in. EFI motors when he passed away. I took the motors to Innovation (2008). They disassembled, and re-assembled, and dynoed the motors for me. They were a pleasure to deal with, and I was truly impressed and pleased with the work that they performed. They know what they are doing (in a positive way).

My 540/600's are over 600 hours, with only a valve spring replacement to this point. Very helpful company, with no corporate ego or chest-beating. Their work speaks for itself.

Facility
 

Was just there today, extremely nice guys, and a beautiful top notch facility. Worth taking a look at.

Its nice to see and read so many positive comments and accolades for a marine performance company! Innovation is worth the praise and they have definitly earned their well deserved reputation. My hats off to them!
All that US Taxpayer money did not hurt their efforts and investment either. They were very smart, found a nice specialized market and made a ton of money doing it ! Now a lot of marine performance boaters can benefit from that investment! Bravo!

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

Our tax dollars truely at work, eh Ray?

Nice to hear our tax dollars at work with something that all of us enjoy doing as opposed to all the BS entitlement programs.

Yep! that's what I call real "Job Creation" spending measure! A taxpayer investment with a real return!

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

Yup 650 Cubic inch and on the pins all day !!!

Innovation 647cid Navy engine
 

I have one of the 647 cid aluminum navy engines, rebuilt by Innovation's lead engine builder for 2 decades. now retired with his own one man shop in Bean Station, Tennessee. Robert Mishko, Rocky Summit Performance. A quiet one man shop, of the highest level. He recently restored a 1918 Hispano-Suiza aircraft engine for an early Gold Cup raceboat project. Very talented, gifted and productive guy.