Inexpensive 454 mag performance up grades
 

Have a beautiful 89 power play with a bone stock 330 HP 454 Mag, boat runs flawlessly top speed of 60 MPH .. yeah.. only 60 :o( So as winter approaches I want to see what we can produce for hp gains, my thoughts are a "good cam" headers maybe a intake and carb...? I know their are MANY other directions to go, but the wife has a strangle hold on the budget... so any ideas what is a good cam .. intake.... carb for me ? any other ideas floating around out their?
thanks in advance Steve

Is it a 330/alpha mag or a 365 mag with a bravo?

Its a Bravo drive

There is no 7.4L 330hp MAG unless it's in front of an Alfalfa.

So....what do you really have ?

Well now this is interesting...LOL so it appears what I ACTUALLY have is a 1989 powerplay spectra 222 with a bravo 1 drive with a and I quote off the air cleaner plastic cover piece 7.4/V8 Bravo thunderbolt ignition/power steering! lol perhaps its not a mag! which naturally makes me wonder what the HP is rated at with this as the guy I bought it from I am SURE told me 330 or maybe 320 hp?!?!? Never the less I'd like to do the same cam intake and carb headers.... any help now that we know what I have? lol

Yup, standard low performance 330hp 7.4L.

Low compression flat top cast pistons, small bolted rods, cast crank, peanut butter port cylinder heads, tiny weeny cam,low rise intake, and a Weber or Quadrajet carb.

110cc aftermarket heads will not only flow well but raise your compression.

You are looking close to 4k in parts not including good exhaust.
Holley carb, Eddy intake, Hyd Roller Cam, Timing Chain and Button, Cylinder Heads like Edelbrock Marine Oval Ports, Roller Rockers, Pushrods, Gaskets, and etc, etc.

You will stave have a pretty weak short block.

I'm not telling you not to do it, as others here will, I'm just giving you the heads up on what to expect $$$ wise for around 400-420HP if you execute your choices well.

How many hours are on the engine and drive? If more than a couple hundred, I would leave the hatch down and the cooler open and enjoy your boat. After a little while, you will never know the difference between 60 MPH and the 65 MPH you will be going after spending thousands and skating on the fine line of divorce. ;) Keep the peace and save the money for beer and gas.

^^^Dislike button clicked. LMAOF.^^^^

Baker did a set of 330's for a buddy that dyno'd at 465 HP. He ran them 5 seasons and had it propped to turn 5000 - 5,200 RPM at WOT. Boat got ran (poker runs), not babied. Motors had 300 hrs stock before builds and were ran another 200 + after mods. Were still going strong until last September when a bad flapper and water up over the transom hydrolocked one of the engines and put a wrist pin through a cylinder wall. So, the stock bottom ends on 330's can take more than some folks give credit. These were Gen VI blocks, 4-bolt mains.

I dont have to tell you how many HP it takes to get 1mph in a boat, as its alot and over 60 mph will take more. I think your looking at at roughly 15-20hp to get mph, so I mean no cheap and wasy bolt on is going to get you there. Your best bet is to go up props if you already havent and maybe lookig at the gearing. You could look at cam and new carb and such, but by the time you add parts and labor your better off just looking for a new engine at that point.