Best motor package for $30000.
 

Here's the deal... I'm considering selling my HP 500's pooling my additional money and buying 2 new motors. This would only come to about $30000-$35000 in hand. What motor package would you look for? Boat is a 99 Cigarette non-step 38 Gun.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

How much power and Maintaince do you want.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

NA & Pump Gas. 600HP would make me happy. 700HP+ and I'm real happy, but I need realiable. Can't afford to be pulling motor 2x a year just to boat for 9 months. Also, don't want to redo the hatch so everything needs to fit under the existing cover.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

You can't get any more reliable than HP500's. What's wrong with them???????

Your best bet would be to upgrade the HP's. They have all of the good stuff in them.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Nothing really, I put new intakes, heads and cams in plus CMI exhaust. Ended up burning cam bearings (assemblers fault), running hi oil temps in one motor (no idea why), low oil pressure in the other (bearing), rear main seal leaked all summer long (crappy mess) and it wasn't a pretty experience. I spent over $15000 and for what? Was hoping to sell these & to get 2 new motors that I could trust, but I know fixing these motors again is an option. I'm just not going to have anything more that HP500's if & when I do and I'll still be out the same amount of $$$$.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

I'd work with those motors....but a different builder!!!
Bore them over to 540's or 555's. The cubic inches alone will get you alot closer to 600HP. With good heads, 93 octane compression, and good exhaust (which you might already have) you should be in the 650HP range and not be outside your pre-determined budget...........OH Yeah, I was supposed to look up some info for you wasn't I! :eureka:

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

I agree with T500hps, work with what you have That kind of money goes along way when you have a good basline. We have N/A 540's that make 730hp on pump gas and are very turn key low maintenance. Just remember that you will have to upgrade the trans's if you are running TRS drives. Just so happen to have a pair or BAM 950's for sale cheap.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Your motors + Crane 651 Cam, 8-71 littlefield, 2X825 Demon blower carbs, set-up for 6# of boost, no chiller and freshen everything up.....~800hp. keep the extra 15-20k for gas and drive upgrades.....'nuff said. Yes...it is that easy.... :drink:

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

I have a nice 588" if you want to build a match to it ?

Engine was originally built by Stotler as a 572" tall deck with a twin carb tunnel ram. Then it was freshened by Carolina Racing as a 588". Lastly Tommy @ Chief Engines changed it from a twin carb to a single carb to make it more dock friendly.


Built with the best of parts and many custom parts and accessories. Featuring JE pistons with 9:5.1 compression, Crower Crank, Crower billet rods, Dart pro aluminum heads, full roller hyd. cam, all based on a GM tall deck bow tie block. This engine was just Dynoed on 6/20/2006

Air cleaner to bell housing it's complete ready to drop in and run!!


Cougarman

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Few more

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

I would sell the Hp500's. They are not blower engines. Too many horror stories with the bolt on stuff. Build some naturally aspirated 572's carb engines. Cheap, reliable and around 700-750hp on gas. Ateco engines has an article in the latest issue of Powerboat Magazine. Give him a call in Waukegan Illinois. 847-623-2737

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Yea, what he said!! :D

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

He never said anything about blowers.....and the $30-35K would include the proceeds from selling the 500's so the budget for re-building them must be closer to $15-20K.

at least I think I have this right! :cool:

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

I would take your motors to Joey Griffin in Washington NC and have him build you some 600hp motors. You'll run on pump gas, and have perfect dock manners. Take your $30K and have LOTS left over.

Better yet - take him the boat and have him do all the work. He will keep your boat indoors while it is there. Need more work done, paint, fiberglass, Griffin does it all and his prices are resonable if not low.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

So....correct me if I'm wrong...doesn't whipple have a near bullet proof "bolt on" for an HP500 base? The stock cam is not ideal for blower so the cam would be a nice upgrade, Crane 741 would be better for a 700hp goal. If the guy is only looking for 700hp you can't get much more bullet proof than a 502 with a blower turning slow and he could easily get to 800hp+ when he decides 700 isn't enough.... :drink: and still be reliable....speaking from experience...

A 572" is going to be ~17k per motor if its done right...used carbed HP500's only going to bring ~7500/each. Why not keep the base, change cams, drop on a blower, and not really ask too much of a 502 @700hp...?

I like NA too and have had 600"+ motors, but in this case the goal of 700hp is so, so easy to do with what he has for far less total investment...unless he just is set on going NA....

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

My 500's have new Dart intakes, New Iron Eagle Heads and a 731 cam plus CMI exhaust. I kept it very mild. Maybe keeping the base is a better deal. I'm starting to like the Whipple idea. What do you think I'll spend to put 2 of these on top? What other upgrades would/should need to be done & will these fit under the hatch without major mods? 38 top gun, non blower hatch.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Correct, I only have about $12000-15000 if I don't sell my motors.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

wow, i hate to be a party-pooper :(
BUT
IMO<$15k to rework both engines to your power-goal along with building them right(and reliable for a while) from oil pump to carb with the install may be alittle on the conservative side; unless you boyz have some good connections.
In which case, I would really like to get hooked up on my next project. :evilb:

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

The discussion started due to my motors being torn down to fix cam bearings. My engine shop took responsibility for this and is fixing this for me at no cost. I figured while they were apart I could easily stroke/upgrade/ect the motors... that's how this whole discussion started. It turned from stroking them and spending $10-12M to not stroking them, selling them as is (a pair of upgraded HP500's) taking that money + my $10-12M and spending it for 2 new motors. I'd still be out of pocket $10-12M but I was hoping to have more HP and = or grater reliability.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

sorry for your misfortune, glad to hear the shop took responsibility and thank you for the clarification. :rolleyes:
I was getting ready to go over my reciepts to see where I went wrong. :evilb:

Best of luck with your project :D :D :D

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

To build a 700 hp engine N/A or to add blowers to your package you need to do it right. You will end up tossing so many parts out of your engine why not sell them complete and start over. Blowers are not cheap by they way. There is 10k alone. Call some builders. We are not the experts....

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Brad: I have to respectively disagee with your opinion of tossing a large number of parts from an HP 500 to make it reliable.....Gm cranks and rods are good quality to about 900hp, stock 8.75:1 forged pistons are fine, his new heads are fine (assuming good exhaust valves) Crane 731 will make power to 5600 which is fine...what else needs to be reworked?

He needs a good fuel system...Call Teague for Whipple pricing , then assume another 1k/motor for fuel lines, misc. Ask them about height rqmts of whipple, etc. If you go roots (8-71) and carbs you can do it for 4500-5000 motor which includes a good fuel system. If height is a problem, take your extra cash and have scoops put on your hatch....enjoy, turn key reliability... :drink:

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

I have a 502 merc, blue printed,balanced je pistons, 9 1/2 comp, dart intake, 1050 nickerson, isky cam hdy roller about 622lift, its bord over 30 wich is what 509,510. all msd, heads merlin vr310 with a 850 on the dyno it made 647hp 627 tq thr 1050 was 670hp abd 640tq runs nice. if you sent your heads out to JIM V, Thats 2000. CAM change 700 carbs 2600 and nickerson can do all the work to and dyno, he's in PENN. THATS 5000 FOR BOTH MOTORS AND ADD LABOR.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

PS MY MOTORS MADE 600HP AT 5050RPM I run them at 5900 right now. I am going to be testing props this spring to get it running at 5600rpm, but it sounds piss ah at 5900 :D

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Airtime,
sounds like a sweet engine package you built-congrats.
I love the sound of a big blocks spinning at 5900 RPM with open exhaust in the morning...it just makes my day :D

by the way, that cam/carb set up you have there- how friendly is it around the docks and do you recommend it for long no-wake zones? just curious.

Thanks

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

I'm also doing a set of N/A 471ci's with hi-po heads done up , with all good parts to make around 525-550-hp. Both of these are costing 13k for both to be done and will be reliable. These are going in the same boat.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Same boat meaning what? Non -step TG?

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

I say take what you have and build on it, as BillR said or talk to JC perf, he did wonders with my 500 efi's and my tiger is rolling at 75 not dialed in all the way at 5700 rpm.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Yes the motors I'm building are for a 99 t/g non-step ,trs drive set up

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Hey Brian
99 OR 89?

Mark :drink:

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Your right Mark I screwed the pooch on that one , its an 89 top gun, so heavier. Thanks for the reallity check.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

700 is easy hp from a natural BBC... and if you want a bit more ad blowers... but bloweres arent treally needed untill about 750 hp..... as a near 10:1 92 octain motor is easilly buildable to 700 hp at 6000... and relitivly cheap to... 5K in parts if you have a good block and heads already. and ported BBC rectangulars do just fine up to that range..

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Just keeping you an the straight and narrow. LOL

Mark

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

very much interested in hearing more info. specs and hints :D

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

Here's my 2 cents...
If your cranks and rods are still good keep them and re-piston the bottom end for a 8.0:1CR with high quality Ross or JE sets.
A 250 BlowerShop blower with a set of 750 Holley's for them would be perfect.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

10,000 will be 20,000, 20,000 will be 30,000 did thesame thing last winter pulled the little 509s w/250 blower single carb and bought 557 carb motors wasnt going blown. put it on dyno didnt make enough power added 871s, chillers, dual dominators,etc now has plenty of power.started out cheap got deep pretty quick.

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

They sure look good though!

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

thank u my warlock brother :drink: btw how is the wife?

Re: Best motor package for $30000.
 

8 1/2 months pregnant but doing great. Unsure how this is going to affect the boating? So far it means I can't go to the Miami boat show. I figure summer will be about normal except only slooow when the baby is in the boat.

Wanted to close this thread ( and hit my 1000 posts) with some final project info/pics...I ended up rebuilding my blocks to 540's. Kept my stock blocks and cranks...every other part is new. Used all the best parts. Jesel belt drive, Pro-filer heads, custom ground cam, etc. I had the motors port matched, blue printed with superior geometry. On the dyno showing 808HP at 5900 rpm under load. 9.25comp. I'm way happy. I took every aluminum component (except the heads) and sent them out west to be chromed. This keeps the cleaning and polishing to a minimum. The heads & intake work was done by a well known engine team. I upgraded all hoses to Aeroequip lines, added strainers, 3" oil coolers, 14 qt customer pans, etc. I also at the same time rebuild both max machine drives. With all this done & said my $30,000 was well spend at about day 4. While it was decided, I went way beyond $30,000 and discovered you just can't get the best of the best for cheap. I spent almost double with everything to date, and still have some things to do (ie: props) but I think I have a good reliable package, with pretty big power. I need to thanks Mark Rinda at MER Performance for a fantastic job. He is a good honest man who stands behind his work. Takes real pride in is customers.

BTW: I'll be posting over the winter but I have a huge amount of parts for HP500's left over. From heads, to intakes, cams, rockers, oil pans, valves, carbs, etc...I have it all. email me at [email protected] or [email protected] for info.