454 / 330HP What Can Be Done ?
 

I am curious of what can be done cost effectively to increase the HP my in 454's? They are not mag's and are 100% stock at this time.

I may be looking at rebuilds by the end of this season, I have no interest in purchasing new engines for this boat just freshening existing.

I would like to pick up 100 hp? can it be done without a blower? Will the motors hold up if I don't beat on them too bad? And can I maintain the reliability I have now?

The boat is a 29' 1990 Mach 1 Endeavor in like new condition and its paid for. I see no sense in selling it when I upgrade to a bigger boat. I wont get what I feel its worth.

The boat performs well now, tops out on GPS 62mph. I would like to see 75ish? That also poses the question will an additional 100 HP per engine get me to that speed?

I have experience building small block MOPAR motors... I have never wrenched on Chevy big block in my life so have no idea where to start.

Thank you in advance for you feedback.

fightclub

Another 100 horses will put you in the 69-71 mph ballpark. It'll take 150 a side to get you to 75. Target power is now 480hp per side. Not getting there without blowers. Your motors cant spin the revs to get there with normal hop ups.

If you do blowers, you'll need forged pistons and better rods. Then you can see 480 a side and stay under 5000 rpm. You'll need decent exhaust and a cam change, too. You can port your oval port heads and put in bigger valves, but it is getting to where you might be wanting more than you should ask from the cast motors.

You can get 410 or so a side with a cam, intake, valves, and some pocket porting.

mcollinstn
 

Great feedback thank you.


If I do the cam/intake and ports should I also add headers? Then a carb? That may get me to 430.

If were a stock 340 it would be easy.

fightclub

430 street horsepower aint he same as 430 reliable marine horsepower

I have a set off 420 exhaust , cam's , lifters , intakes and carbs if interested.


JMPH

Not a Pablum my 330's on roids make 505 at 5600 I dont run them over 5100. I have Merlin heads roller rockers 9.5 to1 compression Edelbrock rpm intakes Holley 800 carbs and EMI exhaust for more details Brad do a search on 330's on roids.. I think I spent about 6K with machine work but I assembled them with Crazyhorse to save some $$$ another $1500-2K for assembly if you dont want to do it yourself... I bought alot of stuff off the board used for a fraction of new prices.....carbs,heads, the rest I got from a wholesaler in Chicago...

Dyno NICE !


500 HP for 6K... Now were talking:cool: I may call you in the AM... I am bidding 600 stations of Resolve and may need some technical help. Our presentation is Wednesday AM... We get 30 minutes... Looks good it's an old AO customer.

Brad

Go Brad go!! Sell all you can!! I dont have an office since the scaling down in programming (back on the floor but employed)but was approched on Friday that I may get it back soon as things get going!! You can call me at home after 4:00 pm or email me...616-786-3829 or [email protected] do a search on the subject in the tech section and get a great machinist and it can be done!!!

410 is about all you'll want to aim for with the stock heads. Carb and headers won't do much at that point.

Now if you have a budget for heads, then there's effectively no limit to the horsepower you can make. You can keep making more till your stock rods come apart. Heads will be your horsepower barrier. Rods will be your reliability barrier.

Much over 400 hp and you can start realizing some benefit to headers, but not much until you cross the 475 horse zone, they they become "worthy".

Heads are the key. Merlin ovals would be a great addition.

I thought you were on one of those "budget" horsepower plans.

I thought you were on one of those "budget" horsepower plans.
 

Yes I am... And thank you for keeping me focused:D

I started last fall updating the boat... NOT a good idea I should have let someone else make all the decisions. I now have new everything in a 1990 that doesn't go fast enough:D And Never get 1/2 my money back.

But after looking at the 42 Fountain up in the tree I think I did it the right-way... getting experience on the water with 29' of boat and 660HP. Another season under my belt I should be ready to move up.

fightclub: