Top Engine Rebuilders
 

Looking at pulling the ILMOR out this fall and sending her on vacation. (MV-10 625, 417 hrs.)
Please let me know if you have used one of the two im looking at, for your boat and how everything went.
With putting some miles on rebuild, not just rebuilt to sell.
Thank you for your vote!

#1 Kevin Singlton Exotic Eng. Development, RENO

#2 Alexi, If you know him you already know where he's at, lol.

#3 Will in Texas, Again if you know him you know where he's a already.

Or?

The hard part is the Mopar Viper motor, Sounds awesome, V-10 Nat. inspired. But there isn't a deep pool of people that really know the motors.
And what they need over what ILMOR didn't do.

Thanks in advance!

I had good luck with Dave at Wesco Racing Engines. He’s a really nice guy and a lot closer then the other engine builders you mentioned. I’ve also worked with Eddie Young and he’s great as well. I think going more local is important with our short boating season. That way if something happens you can get it fixed in a hurry.

Do you have Ilmor power? I would love a closer builder, just fear a very good closure builder that has not done ilmors may miss a known issue or not know best proven fix.

After hours and hours of research, there're are not a lot of people that have rebuilt 20 plus ilmors.

My hope is that with ilmor rebuild experience, something does not happen.

Where are you located?

No I had a supercharged custom BBC built by Eddie Young. I snapped the timing chain over a holiday weekend at LOTO. Dave is based out of Jenison, MI and was able to squeeze me in right away and saved my boating season. He had all kinds of of engines laying around his shop. I’d be shocked if he hasn’t rebuilt Ilmor V-10s.

Dave Wesseldyk is very gifted and talented and absolutely quailifies as one of the country's top marine/offshore engine builders and riggers. I frequently stop by his shop as I live only a few miles away. I am not sure if he has built any ilmor engines, but I initially witnessed seeing a few customers bring in some of Merc's 1350hp and 1100hp turbo engines that he had to design and fabricate his own tools to accomplish the rebuilds on---and that has already been a few years ago. Being that he might be the one of only a few engine builders that can rebuild the high tech Merc Turbo line of engines, I would be very confident in his abilities to rebuild an ilmor engine.

I have seen Dave figure out and fix engine issues including electrical wiring problems that nobody else could seem to solve and he is a master at rigging and knowing how to properly plumb a marine engine in a boat as well. He gets a lot of business locally and from the surrounding states in the Midwest, but I've seen customers bring him their engines from all over the country.
He gets most of his work by his reputation and referrals. He's worth a phone call. 616-308-5119

Who is Will in Texas? Sorry, haven't heard of him. Location? Shop info? Any info appreciated.

Will in Texas works for a shop that does very high end viper rebuilds 98% race applications with stupid power, turbo and SC motors and some marine motors aswell.
I will try to find the shop name again. I only dropped them off my short list, because My 20-25 ish K wasn't enough to get there attention on a rebuild.
All I remember is that they are very well known in TX for Dodge Viper car builds, Top 5 in country IMHO.
RSI Racing Solutions. Plano TX. I think. But Take a look at "Exotic Engine Development", Kevin Singleton I put a link for the Trophy Truck, and his FB has some very solid builds and a lot of additional information on options to make the Vipers bas a**.

Im located in Northern Illinois, However planning to pull motor and ship this fall, and send drive back to ADS for their inspection of new Stage 5 with drive guardian installed.

**Kinda more so looking for anyone that has personally used Kevin @ Exotic Engine Development (CA. our Reno) or Alexi @ Boost Power. I have only heard very good things about both of them and right now its a 50-50 decision. Just waiting on additional info from Kevin.

Thank you for the other leads, but I feel my budget can get me the best of the best in a very limited arena of Viper Marine applications, and more than willing to spend the $ to not have any problems with a smaller shop, personalities, or "My buddy" shops.

Why a Viper motor? Listen to the trophy truck, my boat sounds just like it. And it moves my cat pretty quick.

Video of the Trophy Truck

Even thought about a full re-rig with twin OB Merc's but They are just to quiet for me. Kinda like a Tesla. Very fast but no noise.
I guess after growing up watching Miami Vice, I want to hear something.
:boat:

Why not just send it back to Ilmor in Michigan. They aren’t that far from you ?

Ive been told 30-35k from Ilmor,
Whom didn't seem to really want to do it, they further referred me to a place in Mi that quoted 14k JUST for the top end.
Alexi @ boost Power says 18-20 for a full build.
Waiting on final numbers from Exotic now.

Another guy on River City Daves, did his complete a CPL years ago for 12-13k, With custom built valves and up graded everything.

My thought process is, If I have to pay to have it removed, pay to ship it somewhere. At that point I may as well do a full rebuild for 25% ish more.

Lingenfelter does or did viper engines as well as boats.

My .02. Just because they can build a great motor for a car / truck doesn't mean they can build one for a boat. Just because they can build a great Chevy marine motor doesn't mean they can build a Dodge. Did Alexi say he's comfortable with Dodge motors? I have no personal experience with him but I've never heard any complaints either for what it's worth.

Exotic Engine Development, has done extensive work for many platforms for: American Air Racing,Calvo Motorsports, Eliminator Boats,
Moto Sports, Blue Thunder II, Teaque, and many other big boat builders motors. Just to name a few.
Many builders send parts to him. More than I can or want to do. With an in house "Rottler H80 CNC diamond cylinder hone" 100% accountability!
They have extensive knowledge of Ilmor Mv-10's 625 & 710's. And a very very solid track record.

So, I do agree a truck motor is not the same as a boat motor , But Pretty sure an airplane motor is more extensive than a V-10 Mopar.

I have not heard anything bad about Alexi, And sure that he does great work as well.
But I cannot personally find one person who's ran his motors for any amount of time.
At least in my area. I did reach out to him on a cpl occasions. Just never panned out I guess.
Ordering parts! Shipping to Reno In 2.5 months.

I will keep anyone interested up to date.

Based on Alexi’s instagram I’d bet he’s rebuilding more Ilmor V10s than anyone.

There is nothing that crazy with these engines to rebuild they have chevy rods 6" and i i beleave ford pistons.Valves and springs should be simple to to get.

I remember looking at this recently. I don’t think the rods were identical, but it is similar enough to a small block Chevy plus 2 cylinders that most decent shops shouldn’t have a problem with it.

We bought 10 chevy rods from crower for the one i rebuilt.

Sadly, today will be out last day on the water.
Nothing like a half day of running through 60 plus gallons of 93 Octane marine fuel!
Next weekend the HTM Sr-24 Cat goes back to Mi for the winter.
To have motor pulled and shipped to Reno!
Drive going back to George for the drive inspection, and Drive Guardian to be re-set and new HP rating.
Talked to Kevin, we are going up to the 700 hp range.
George confirmed (AADS) the new drive will more than hold the power.
(ESP. with the drive Guardian)

Cant wait till next spring!

There is a good thread on RDP about rebuilding the Ilmors. I can’t remember the exact story but a guy wanted to correct some of the inherent weaknesses of the engine. For sure higher quality valves were mentioned. There is one of the cylinders that tends to run hotter and end result is a dropped valve and the resulting catastrophe. I think he may have consulted the guy in Texas you mentioned. Out west it seems like Alexi is the go to guy on Ilmors. The story said he had bought a bunch of the few proprietary parts necessary to rebuild the Ilmors. From reading the thread, definitely upgrade to better valves.