I wonder how this 427 small block Corvette Z06 crate engine would hold up in a boat with its super light weight titanium rods and valve train pieces. It also has sodium cooled exhaust valves. It's all aluminum, so it would be one light engine, that's for sure! It starts out at 505 SAE certified horsepower, and goes up from there..all the way to 600 HP with a cam change (the same SAE horsepower that the car manufacturers use, not the inflated correction used by the aftermarket). This thing's got some torque, too. It has up to 526 ft-lbs. Compare that to 503 ft-lbs for the 496 Mag HO. OK, so they didn't exactly use a marine cam, but it does give you an idea of the potential of this engine.

Hot Rod Magazine 600 HP 427 CI LS7 Crate Engine Dyno Test

This seems like an engine even a big block person could enjoy.

Michael

My guess would be that the cost of the engine to Merc would be more then a big block by quite a lot so therefore they cant market it whilst they are in the business of selling stock and high performance big blocks.
A cast iron big block is only just a little more expensive than a old cast iron small block..where would that leave an engine that needs to have closed cooling, dry sump etc etc, price wise

In a 30' or smaller boat, a pair of those would be fun. You would need a set of dry headers and the cooling system would have to be carefully engineered. In a larger boat the weight savings would not be as important so big blocks would be a less expensive choice.

Put a box trailer behind a corvette, put it in 1st gear, get pointed up a long hill and nail it. Let me know how long it lives...

Raylar is coming out with a motor based on this platform; it obviously has a lot of potential.

See here for Raylars SBC.
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...d.php?t=151291

and here...
http://www.raylarengine.com/550_engine.html

The Raylar SBC looks impressive. Have there been any installations with results? Should make for some interesting 30' twins.

Won't it need custom made exhaust, due to the different arrangement of the ports?

Well, Racing full tilt the engine has won at 24hr endurance races...LeMans for example...

The LS7 R and Raylars engine are going to be slightly different than what show up in the crate. Look at the other GM crate engines, they are not intended for marine use. I am not saying that it could not be built for marine use, Like the Raylar 550 will be. What I was saying was that I wouldnt recommend taking the 427 crate engine and setting it in your boat.