Go Back  Offshoreonly.com > Technical > General Q & A
454 build opinions >

454 build opinions

Notices

454 build opinions

Thread Tools
 
Old 09-15-2025 | 01:40 PM
  #1  
Thread Starter
Registered
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 224
Likes: 4
Default 454 build opinions

I just picked up a 26 ft single engine boat project that I'm bravo swapping and building a 454 for it using parts I have in stock for it. starting with a 4 bolt 454 block that's 30 over, stock gm forges crank, eagle h-beams, weisco forged dome pistons, dart 308 iron heads, 500 efi or 525 efi cam, gil exhaust, gonna try to keep compression at 9.2-9.5. I have 3 intakes to choose from, a Holley strip dominator, a professional products single plane, and a Weiand stealth dual plane. which intake would be best suited. hoping for around 500 hp if possible, I will be using a 525sc ignition and starting with a holley 750 I have until I can find a 800cfm marine carb. any advice is appreciated.
J. Hordubay is offline  
Reply
Old 09-15-2025 | 03:01 PM
  #2  
articfriends's Avatar
Platinum Member
20 Year Member
Platinum Member
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,321
Likes: 1,039
From: frankenmuth michigan
Default

sell all those intakes and buy a performer rpm, the "style" of the weiand stealth intake is best choice of the 3 BUT has TERRIBLE distribution issues and you couldnt pay me to run one on a boat. I had a customer build a mild 502, stock heads, weiand stealth. On my dyno with 10 02 sensors # 3 was 15+ to 1 afr, 2 was in the tens, a 5+ point spread. 2 was coal black and 3 had zero color, pure white. Theres no carb spacer or stagger jetting that can fix that since those 2 ports are fed by same bbl. There was another pair almost as bad. IF you look, the port feeding 2 is 1.5 times bigger then 3 and funnels all the fuel to 2 and starves 3 as fuel cant turn the sharp corner. Puzzled by this I dragged a stock merc dual plane out pff a early carbed 502, it had the same exact ports as if the weiand was a copy of it EXCEPT the mercruiser/gm intake had grooves in floor casted in to turn the fuel, the weiand did not. All intakes suffer from distribution issues in various ways, the weiand was exceptionally bad to where it would have turned 3 to ashtray at wot unless you jetted that corner so fat it drove 2 into the 9-1 afrs. We switched to a performer rpm, it made more overall power and afr spread from leanest to rich was onnly about 2.5 points which is typical, Smitty
articfriends is offline  
Reply
Old 09-15-2025 | 03:30 PM
  #3  
GPM
Registered
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 93
From: Pa
Default

The RPM air gap is the way to go
GPM is online now  
Reply
Old 09-15-2025 | 03:57 PM
  #4  
Registered
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,601
Likes: 1,169
From: taxachusetts
Default

you guys did read he has a 26 foot boat,right.
sutphen 30 is offline  
Reply
Old 09-15-2025 | 05:13 PM
  #5  
articfriends's Avatar
Platinum Member
20 Year Member
Platinum Member
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,321
Likes: 1,039
From: frankenmuth michigan
Default

Originally Posted by sutphen 30
you guys did read he has a 26 foot boat,right.
yes and a performer rpm which is a dual plane works great at making torque right off idle and beats a open plenum in every possible way until about 5400 to 5600.
articfriends is offline  
Reply
Old 09-15-2025 | 07:17 PM
  #6  
Registered
 
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 289
Likes: 92
From: WI
Default

Love my performer RPM, dual plane is the way to go on a boat
CheckmateScarab is offline  
Reply
Old 09-15-2025 | 07:21 PM
  #7  
Registered
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,090
Likes: 1,214
From: Murrayville Georgia
Default

on different Engine Masters shows with all brands of street engines they tries multiple intakes and time and again the best overall intake was the Performer RPM. they even commented that no matter the street engine the RPM always won out.
compedgemarine is offline  
Reply
Old 09-15-2025 | 08:00 PM
  #8  
GPM
Registered
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 93
From: Pa
Default

Originally Posted by sutphen 30
you guys did read he has a 26 foot boat,right.
Exactly, a small motor in a 26 ft boat, he needs all the torque he can get.

Last edited by GPM; 09-15-2025 at 08:03 PM.
GPM is online now  
Reply
Old 09-15-2025 | 08:11 PM
  #9  
Thread Starter
Registered
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 224
Likes: 4
Default

Originally Posted by GPM
Exactly, a small motor in a 26 ft boat, he needs all the torque he can get.
the boat in question is a 26 phantom which looks like a copy of a 26 martini. It runs low 60s with a 454 mag and a trs that's in the basement. Hoping a bravo swap and 475-500 hp get it into the low 70s
J. Hordubay is offline  
Reply
Old 09-15-2025 | 09:02 PM
  #10  
Registered
Community Builder
5 Year Member
 
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 420
From: BC
Default

26ft hull with molded swim step? Or 26ft from transom?
Whay does the hull weigh ready to fun with fuel?
What is Is your speed goal?

If you have all 3 intakes...put the DP on, and see how it performs. Part throttle cruise + WOT.

If you have room in the bottom end, try out the SP. See if you gain any MPH.
Tartilla is offline  
Reply


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.