The carb Mags had an aluminum high rise.

Yes. bring a rag to clean . I've had to use my phone before to video it but it worked. Its a little metal tag says mercruiser and the number stamped.

A picture can settle this very easy instead of everyone guessing, you can tell the difference by looking at intakes, pic?????

the engine as sold/built was TBI(7.4 TB5) sold in 98 and had MPP to 03(extended warranty) tbi probably crapped out and switched to carb, cheap and simple. check carb numbers and specs to make sure setup your engine.

Thanks for all the help I am going to try the magnet idea if its cast or alum then that should tell me what I got correct? If not I will pull valve cover I guess. What I'm thinking on doing is putting a supercharger on it but I will only put it on if there rec ports not peanut heads

Guy on my lake just completed his 5th season running 5lbs of boost, 177 blower to a peanut port 454. Even used a rect blower intake!

He got 10 mph and 150 hrs so far

not always, my stingray had a 310hp 454 bravo 3 package, the 310's had mag motor intake and carb, peanut port heads

they put a rec. port intake on peanut heads from the factory??? that woulda had to be good for flow hitting a huge wall like that...

it makes no sense to me but they did it! there is a thread on here somewhere about merc crossbreeding intakes

They sure did. They were on 7.4L "Performance Tuned" motors with Bravo III drives.