Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

What are my '89 420's worth on a trade in from a shop willing to sell me fresh 502's 540hp? One runs, one makes noise - 850+ hours on them.

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

I guess it depends on what the problem with the one motor is. I would think that if you can get 3 grand or so I would take the money and run.

Jon

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

I am assuming that they are not salty dogs,

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

420's are good base motors, lots of forged parts etc

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

Ok, I'll lay my cards on the table.

No salt, Ontario motors.
Overheated one... #6 or #8 or both have valve train noise and there is a squeak from the rear of the block (most likely a bearing). It runs smooth though. The other runs fine. He will take as is to be rebuilt and resold by him.

Offer is currently, $6,000 for my motors, in return I will get rebuilt 502's out to 510/540hp. Performance built, well known builder up here, balanced, blueprinted, fully rollered etc. $26,000 for the pair re&re included with a one year warranty. So in the end it's 20k Canadian. The motors are complete except the exhaust. Will my Gil manifolds work with these motors as there is no exhaust included?

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

Yep the Gils will fit.
But for half of what you're planning on spending, you could probably freshen your existing motors. If you didn't completely waste something in them. Now just ask yourself if the extra 3-5mph is worth the cost.
My $0.02
Gary

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

Oh yes, I have been flipping on just this question. Problem is two HP marine engine buildes will not touch them for under $9500 + 2k to do the re&re. Thats 21k.

I have found a guy that will do them to stock (not rollered)/ balanced / with full valve train overhaul for $6,000 each plus 2k re&re for at total price of $14,000. Both of the other guys say they do not know how he is doing it for this. One of these fellas is the guy with the 502's offer.

Apparently the 420's have expensive parts or so I am told.
So now I am at a 6k difference with more up to date motors, rollered, more CID and a 240hp increase. Will I only get 2-3 mph with the increased hp?

Is it best to leave the old girl stock or beef her up a little?

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

I'm doing a set right now and I plan on the same H.P. for nowhere near that money . We just got them torn down and doing a comparative to see just whats there , someone jacked these up to sell the boat. For 26 grand we could make some 540's probaly , deffinitly 509's well in the 650-700 H.P. range.

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

It is against the law to reinstall stock engines. :evilb:

I would really need to know the parts in the 502s before I could decide. This will tell you if 540 HP is realistic (what heads and cam). A true 120 HP gain is worth 7-8 mph in your boat and that's huge.

Give me a call, I'd be happy to provide free advice since I've been down this exact road.

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

There is nothing in the 420's that should be that expensive. Just good basic parts.

All the prices/$$$ you are talking are Canadian, right??????

Take off, what??? 25%???? of the $ amounts to a get a US dollar comparison????? If thats about right, then none of the prices sound out of line.

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

Our dollar SUCKS right now. It's more like 10%.

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

TS,

I did the exact thing with my Cafe Racer 3 years ago. Biggest mistake i ever made.

I traded my 420s for a pair of 540 tall deck motors (not 502s) I got 5k total on the trade in and paid an additional 10k for the 540s. I ended up having to buy new intakes, carbs and exhaust for the 540s for another 10k along with other things like ignition, etc.

The motors NEVER ran right and I went through valve trains like people go through oil. lifters getting eaten cams getting wiped out...in the end, at the final teardown, the blocks were found to be so old and pitted that the water passages were leaking into the oil.

I got my initial 10k back from the builder but did not get my old motors back, so I ended up being out a set of motors.

On the flip side...my supposed low hour 420s ended up having several sleeved cylinders as reported by the engine builder that took them in on trade....

a real fiasco that finally ended this year when i ripped everything out and dropped in a pair of NEW 496HOS with Bravo XR drives...all NEW from pully to propshaft...

Big thanks to Falcon Hi-Performance for getting be back on the water.

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

I think you can get new 420 hp's for like $5,000 USD/ longblock?

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

If not, even a major marine rebuilder list a rebuilt 420 for $4850 online. $20K sounds kinda high.

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

Damn, You won't ever get 850 hrs out of anything else! I'd keep those just for the good luck factor!

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

Where can you find a rebuilt 420HP online?

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

http://www.1800runsnew.com/recon.htm

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

Anybody else sell rebuilt 420HP's for less?

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

I just built in march 06 454 330hp to all the 420 specs. I even bought a set of bigger heads and valves balanced bored forged parts arp crane etc. I did all the disassembly and assembly and install had a machine shop fit the pistons to rods mic everything balance assembe the heads maybe 4200.00 at the most

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

Does the 330 HP block have 4-bolt mains?

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

mine is a gen V all gen V VI have 4 bolt mains the 330 has small oval port heads little valves, cast crank and pistons. I was able to put gen IV heads on my gen V you have to watch you have enough material on the block and head around the water jacket so you won't get water in the oil. It is a true that a set of large oval port heads with big valves flowed and ported will make some power.

Re: Tired 420's - What are they worth
 

dean had a poblem with these aholes not standing behind an engine they built that had a problem, id keep looking instead of dealing with these bozos