Need some help with engine replacement
 

Ok, so I have a 1997 donzi 22zx. The engine seized years ago and was removed with the outdrive by a dealer but never replaced or put back in. so it is missing a outdrive and engine but in good shape.

So I know nothing about boat but am learning. What I know so far

I need a 7.4l 454 marine engine around the same year

Also a mercury bravo 1 outdrive standard rotation

Someone said I need to find out the ratio for the outdrive? idk why or what the use of this is.

Tool to align the outdrive and engine.

So my question is will any marine 454 7.4l work? That I should be able to buy one from ebay. and it align up well?
Also do I need to specifically get that type of out drive? a bravo 1? is that mercury brand?
These are the issues im running into when im trying to price this out I don't know if im pricing the right engine and outdrive.

Or if theres anything im missing. or any suggestions !

Any mercruiser engine will bolt in and plug in, and yes a bravo 1 is a mercruiser model of outdrive. I would suggest though that either you do a lot more research, line up a well known marina to source and repower the boat for you or buy a running boat. Not judging you, everyone starts somewhere. But if you want to enjoy boating follow that advice until you know for sure exactly what's involved putting a boat back together.

Is just the engine missing or is everything gone (bellhouse, coupler, accessory brackets, accessories)? It can be pricey to buy all that stuff and piece it together, maybe you should look for a full 454 take out. Find a used bravo 1 either 1.5 or 1.65 to one, doesn't really matter, and they aren't rotational specific. You will need a prop.

As stated above, it looks like you will need to have someone help you, or do a lot of reading and research first. Many people come on here and spend relatively big money on a project like this when they could have got one turn key for much less.

Yea, and I can see how . If ive replaced car engines and streetbike engines, I don't see a boat engine being much more difficult. Im on here as also on the hull truth and screamandfly. Im reading as much as I can and just trying to find out Terms and such, as I know I need to be doing a lot of research and where else to learn then from others that have done it before?

So im looking now at old boats,

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/boa/4677601781.html Gonna try and buy this one, gonna see what year the engine is tho. If its older then 1994 probably wont get it.



http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/boa/4675649518.html



http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/4673169160.html


These would come with everything I needed and I can see the boat run. Are these good deals then? Merc 454 with bravo 1 outdrive. I should be able to buy one of these and just swap the outdrive and engine right? and sense It comes running I wont need to worry about like the throttle body and bolts and stuff sense its all there.

Gonna look into and see if the bellhousing is there and stuff. That's the hardware between the engine and outdrive right?But its looking like its gonna be cheaper to finda running boat with a 454 and just swap it over. so itll have everything I need. From what I understand is the engine compartment is completely empty. If I go and look at it today, what specifics should I look at? should I take any specific pictures?

OK, Any chevy based motor will drop right in. What you are most lokely looking for is a mercruiser 454 (7.4) or a mercruiser 454 mag. The mag will have better parts in it, bigger rods, forged crank, better heads and make 365 hp vs 330 for the standard merc 454. THe other plus with the mag is that if you eventually want to build more power, the mag is a good platform to start from. The standard 454 is very limited due to the cast crank, little rods and peanut port heads. Look for a complete take out with exhaust, coupler bellhousing etc.. The swapshop forum here and the powerboat swapshop are good places to look. Fuel injection vs carb wont matter as both engines will plug in directly to the factory boat electrical plug.

THe bravo one drive can also be found in either places too. THere are basically (for your purposes) 2 different bravo ones and you need to figure out which ne you need, One has provisions for a drive oil resevoir in the bilge the other does not. you want a 1.5 ratio outdrive.

You shoud expect to pay around 2500 for a decent 454 takeout and 1000-1500 for the bravo drive if you take your time and shop.

Also member Whoya sells the alignment tool at a really nice price.

1st link: 34' foot boat, shaft drive, probably no trailer, probably wouldn't want to deal with it just for a 330 horse 454

2nd link: Looks like a clean 365 horse mag, outdrive stolen though, could take out sell hull, lot of work and may be sitting on it for a while

3rd link: Frozen 330 horse 454 that needs rebuild, alpha one drive (even though ad says bravo) - nothing good there

Exactly the reply I was looking for. Thank you. It cleared up a lot of what I was wanting and looking for. Im gonna keep my eye out for a boat someone is selling cheap. and a "complete takeout" was the term I was looking for.

But now that I know what to be looking for I can really start looking.

Car engine wont work right? just verifying.
Also what if the engine was sea and im going to lake ?

Also ive found a few boats that have a 454 and is a jet boat, is it possible to make it a jet boat or not?

I'll take a Diet Coke and a Twix please. No, make that two.

what?

Early 454's with alpha's were called "454 magnum" but they are the cast rod cast crank 330

Don't be like that SB, get on in there.

O'tay. You talked me into it.

Here I go.

Those don't have cast rods either. The low performance SBC and BBC rods are forged too.

I'm not sure on the newer PM (Powdered Metal Rod) used in some SBC's. I believe the pour the melted powder in a form like it's going to be cast but then squeeze it together like forging. I dunno; on that one though.

Now Payuppsucker ! LOL.

Really? Never knew that, thought the whole rotating assembly was cast. Good info! The powdered metal sbc rods were very good in the lt1's when they came out. I have seen problems when engines like the 7.3 powerstroke went to a powdered metal from forged, but it was more of a weaker design than a poor manufacturing process.

That's more like it. Give me a few and ck your PMs.

Yes, forged, but less manufacturing processes and smaller / lower quality bolts. So....yes, the low performance motors do have a lower quality rod. Still forged though.

Look at the parting lines down the side. Thick or thin ?

What kind of boat is it ? To answer if it could be turned into a jet boat

Let me refer you to the 1st post. LOL.

Is that what my 5.9 Cummins has, the powdered metal rods? It look like they were broke on the big end where the cap separates from the rod instead of machined.

I think only the 6.7's are powdered metal. Some are tongue and groove, some are fractured cap design.

back to the orig discussion. what the orig poster needs is a whole boat. there are lots of neglected boats out there that got very little use and the sun burnt the interiors and either the engine froze and cracked or the drive was stolen. and boat is for sale cheap and sometimes free, though rarely with bravos. now you have all the parts...sort of. now strip the boat. engine, drive transom assy. then take the dash, shifter, steering. now you know how it all goes back together. and you have most of the little stuff. automotive block will work if it has marine cam, right compression ratio, right freeze plugs, etc. the engine in some ways is the easiest part to come up with. a whole running boat with beat interior this time of year would be the best buy. and lots of people are selling and NOBODY ELSE is buying...is it possible to make it into a jet boat? if you have a sawzall and a buncha fiberglass mat and resin, then yes it is possible. it is a very bad idea though...

Op, where are you located, since you are referencing Seattle cr ? I'm just outside of Wenatchee, about a150 miles away.

Why not a crate 502 from jegs? My boat has a CAR motor in it and I have no troubles other than I keep ripping the drive all up! I think the 502 would be a good fit? Buying a whole boat mite not be a bad idea. I have been thinking of that to get a bravo setup for my boat.

The motor is the cheap part, all the accessories add up quick

First, have you verified that the hull is solid and not full of rot? Do you know the history of the boat before you bought it? Was it stored inside in a dry location, or out in the elements? Was it left in the water for weeks at a time? A lot of boats of that era, especially the smaller ones, had some corners cut on the hull construction that could make it very easy for water to find its way into the wood coring inside the transom, stringers, bulkheads, etc. This is not always obvious just by looking at it. Something as simple as a hole drilled into a stringer that is not properly sealed can be an avenue for water to wick into the end grain of the wood coring if it was exposed to water for a long time. Things like leaving a boat outside in the rain with no cover and the bilge plug still in can spell the death of the hull. People think "hey, it's a boat - it's meant to get wet". Well, I'm here to tell you, ain't necessarily so. Before you spend a lot of time and money on this project, find a marine surveyor to come out and check the hull with a moisture meter to make sure everything is solid. It should be relatively easy with the engine out of the way. We would hate to read about you busting your behind on this project, only to find out that your stringers are cracking because the coring is all rotted out.

Other than that, what others have said about finding a complete take-out engine assembly and B1 is good advice. Piecing all of this together is going to be much more expensive and time consuming. good luck.

Oh, and since you asked, do yourself a favor and run away from anything that has been run in salt water. You will thank us later.

Correct and they will take about 800hp.

Replacing an engine is easy, everything is already there. Starting with a hole is a different story. As others have said, buy a runner. Get to know it. Repair it when it breaks. Upgrade it. Once you know the ins and outs then take on a project. Even if you find a donor, or all the parts, and manage to get it all bolted together, I can guarantee the next thread will be about troubleshooting the 20 things that are messed up....

I hope the surveyors you guys preach about are better than ones around here. I watched a certified surveyor pass a formula with a rotted transom and stringers. Yet he spent 30 min tapping the bottom with a plastic mallet. I went over and said what are you doing? "Sounding it out for a soft core" oh I see.... You know that's an all glass layup in the bottom of that boat right??? Money well spent there....

There are clowns in every profession. The point I was trying to make is to make sure you are starting with a good hull. No point throwing time and money at a glorified flower pot.