Reliable BBCs - back to basics
04-27-2018, 11:28 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Reliable BBCs - back to basics
Smart folks on this site with engines pushing the limits of BBC combustion engines so I thought I would ask a question only experienced boaters can answer:
What are your key factors that make your Big Block marine engines reliable? What Achilles heels have you fixed or tweaked to mitigate future reliability issues?
I am looking to refresh my power in 2018 - something in the reliable 500HP range and thinking maybe I should think about tweaking things like fuel delivery, cooling, electrical, to make things more reliable or eaier to maintain. Ideas?
What are your key factors that make your Big Block marine engines reliable? What Achilles heels have you fixed or tweaked to mitigate future reliability issues?
I am looking to refresh my power in 2018 - something in the reliable 500HP range and thinking maybe I should think about tweaking things like fuel delivery, cooling, electrical, to make things more reliable or eaier to maintain. Ideas?
Charter Member
04-28-2018, 10:22 AM
#4
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Nothing wrong with a 502 mag mpi, hp500, 500efi, 525sc, bulldog, 575sci, 600sci or 700sci. All reliable motors, copying any of those isn’t a bad idea if you aren’t an engine guru.
You can make more power with better heads than any of those had. Your head setup is critical, so hire a pro for that. You can also gain some valvetrain reliability with 55-60mm cam cores, bigger lifters and rocker stud girdles or shaft rockers. Tool steel valve springs, steel body rockers, bushed lifters and rollers, billet core cams....
But at 500hp a lot of that stuff isn’t needed, 500 is childs play.
Stainless marine and thunder n lightning are probably the call for reliable exhaust.
You can make more power with better heads than any of those had. Your head setup is critical, so hire a pro for that. You can also gain some valvetrain reliability with 55-60mm cam cores, bigger lifters and rocker stud girdles or shaft rockers. Tool steel valve springs, steel body rockers, bushed lifters and rollers, billet core cams....
But at 500hp a lot of that stuff isn’t needed, 500 is childs play.
Stainless marine and thunder n lightning are probably the call for reliable exhaust.
04-28-2018, 10:58 AM
#5
Registered
Smart folks on this site with engines pushing the limits of BBC combustion engines so I thought I would ask a question only experienced boaters can answer:
What are your key factors that make your Big Block marine engines reliable? What Achilles heels have you fixed or tweaked to mitigate future reliability issues?
I am looking to refresh my power in 2018 - something in the reliable 500HP range and thinking maybe I should think about tweaking things like fuel delivery, cooling, electrical, to make things more reliable or eaier to maintain. Ideas?
What are your key factors that make your Big Block marine engines reliable? What Achilles heels have you fixed or tweaked to mitigate future reliability issues?
I am looking to refresh my power in 2018 - something in the reliable 500HP range and thinking maybe I should think about tweaking things like fuel delivery, cooling, electrical, to make things more reliable or eaier to maintain. Ideas?
04-28-2018, 11:07 AM
#6
I’ve always like a 502mag mpi motor, with a cam, and a tune and exhaust. Refresh the top end with HD valve springs and roller rockers, and bam you have a pretty much stock reliable 502 with 500hp
also the hp500 carb motor is pretty cheap and reliable
also the hp500 carb motor is pretty cheap and reliable
Last edited by marks86; 04-28-2018 at 11:12 AM.
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