A buddy is looking at some older boats 89-92., one has the 454/365 all fresh water. The other 502/390 hp. Saltwater use but rebuilt about 50 hours ago, both motors are carbs. Anything special about either motor? wants reliable power for now but soon or later will want more power. Thanks

I think you'd be okay with either one engine model as long as you don't modify them. However, that usually doesn't last long in marine performance world---most folks will usually want more power sooner or later. For any engine it depends on how much you build them up. With a larger cubed engine you automatically inheirit more power just from the cubes alone. A good rule of thumb to remember is there is reliability in cubic inches. The larger the cubes the more inheirit power you'll make. You can build a large cubic inch engine, keep it relatively mild while maintaining reliability without building it up too much if you know what I mean. Hope that helps. Have fun

Yea, all things being equal, you cant beat the cubic inches. Go for the 502.

In that age range, unless the 502 was fresh water cooled, I'd go with the 365hp. 10 years in a salt water enviroment will kill the water jackets of most any engine. I'd say there is much more life (from a corrosion standpoint) left in the fresh water 365hp.

If all things check out equal from a corrosion standpoint, I'd go with the 502 as well.

Good luck,

BT

I would also stick with fresh water.

go with the fresh water , with one or two boltons to the 454 it will make more power than the stock 502

True, but with one or two bolt-ons to the 502 it will still make more power over the 454 with bolt-ons. Whatever trick you do to the smaller cubic inch engine, the same can be done to the larger cubic inch engine and still make more power. It can be endless.

Thanks leaning toward the freshwater 454 but in the back of the mind is the 502 .