What engine would you put in your boat?

[Michigan boarder]

Nutty and Woody (ha ha!): Your help is getting this done has been fantastic, I appreciate everything you've had to offer. So here's what I intend to discuss with my engine guy, assuming we rebuild my current engine:

New pistons

New rings

New rod & main bearings

ZZ4 cam

Edlebrock Performer RPM intake

Fast burn aluminum heads (is there a specific name for those other than that?)

New spark arrestor (do you have one in specific?)

New prop (is this the Acme 515?)

Same carb

Options include:

Bowtie heads if price is dramatically different (maybe put that $ towards exhaust manifolds? Where is the better benefit?)

Stainless or aluminum exhaust manifolds (if I do this, it means I need to remove and replace my fiberglass silencer, right? Can I leave the silencer and still receive the air flow benefits? Swap out silencer and hoses at a later date?)

I think we are getting close! Hope that guy calls today. If I don't hear from him I'll call him after the weekend on Monday.

[Falko]

Just to throw another horse in the race, any of you guys have experience with the Performer Gap intake? I like the idea of having the intake runners away from the lifter bay, may keep the charge a little cooler.

[Woodski]

@nuttyskier: Sounds like a good combo for the V Ride, I would think it would respond even better to more cubes since it is a heavier boat. My lightweight Echy probably would not see the same gain. UMI used to be located out in Arizona, they did a lot of MEFI calibration work but I know they were bought by MSD. Not sure if some of the guys stayed out in AZ or not.

@MB: In my opinion, if the Fast Burn 385 heads (and yes that is the official name) make you not be able to afford a set of exhaust manifolds, I would certainly consider a set of Vortec heads and a decent exhaust manifold (you need to make sure it has internal runners (Stainless Marine unit does) as that is the key difference as yours are simply a hollow chamber. You could use the standard exhaust until you can upgrade at a later date you will just have to buy a couple of reducers to go from 4" pipe down to your current size, what exhaust do you have? I made my own spark arrestor using some more open screen and made it taller. One from a big block engine will also work. An Acme 515 prop would be a good choice, you know Acme is located right near you. Good luck on the call. Here is another budget saver idea, 642 hours is not that many, it sounds like your engine guy thought the bores looked good, did you ask him about just replacing the bad piston?

@Falko: I don't think for a boat that runs 140 degree water temp and the underhood temps are a lot lower than a car along with no real significant airflow that an air gap manifold will be much of a benefit. It will warm up slower so that would actually be a negative on cold starts. They are more costly, so my recommendation is no. It is nice to get it away from the lifter bay, but it really isn't that warm compared to a car along with the roughly 40-50 degree cooler water in the manifold already.

[JB-FOOT]

MB

If this is LEGIT....buy the boat and take out the motor slap it in your boat!

Only 85 hours and it is in your neighborhood

]

http://boats.oodle.com/detail/2000-malibu-sportster-ski-boat-wakeboard/3510655846-detroit-mi/?cm_mmc=OODLE_PREVIEW-_-www-_-NA-_-NA

http://michigan.freeshopperads.com/boats/2000-malibu-sportster-ski-boat-wakeboard-s8f246g.html

JB

Edited October 24, 2013 by JB-FOOT

[nuttyskier2002]

Nutty and Woody (ha ha!): Your help is getting this done has been fantastic, I appreciate everything you've had to offer. So here's what I intend to discuss with my engine guy, assuming we rebuild my current engine:

New pistons

New rings

New rod & main bearings

ZZ4 cam

Edlebrock Performer RPM intake

Fast burn aluminum heads (is there a specific name for those other than that?)

New spark arrestor (do you have one in specific?)

New prop (is this the Acme 515?)

Same carb

Options include:

Bowtie heads if price is dramatically different (maybe put that $ towards exhaust manifolds? Where is the better benefit?)

Stainless or aluminum exhaust manifolds (if I do this, it means I need to remove and replace my fiberglass silencer, right? Can I leave the silencer and still receive the air flow benefits? Swap out silencer and hoses at a later date?)

I think we are getting close! Hope that guy calls today. If I don't hear from him I'll call him after the weekend on Monday.

If you are looking to exchange the flame arrestor......I would go with a high flow marine breather. Moroso and K&N both make these. I had a 14" diameter one on my Echelon. I think the element was 3 inches tall. The bottom and lid were the drop down style and it had no problem fitting under the engine cover. I'd just use what you have now until you can buy it later if money is an issue.

[Michigan boarder]

MB

If this is LEGIT....buy the boat and take out the motor slap it in your boat!

Only 85 hours and it is in your neighborhood

]

http://boats.oodle.com/detail/2000-malibu-sportster-ski-boat-wakeboard/3510655846-detroit-mi/?cm_mmc=OODLE_PREVIEW-_-www-_-NA-_-NA

http://michigan.freeshopperads.com/boats/2000-malibu-sportster-ski-boat-wakeboard-s8f246g.html

JB

You gotta be kidding me. Sent him a note.

[MalibuNation]

_{No kidding ... too good to be true?????}

[WakeGirl]

Gotta be a scam.

[Michigan boarder]

Gotta be a scam.

It's gotta be. But, it is well written. Pics look like a typical Michigan climate. I will drive over there for that. Or maybe I can have it delivered....

[Baddog]

Gotta be a scam.

Can't be, he said it was nice, and he said that on the web -- gotta be true.

[jk13]

You gotta be kidding me. Sent him a note.

Jeez.

Would be a shame to strip that one down, but you could sell it for what it's actually worth to fund your project if nothing else.

[Asmodeus2112]

You gotta be kidding me. Sent him a note.

I bet scam. Everything I see on oodle and those obscure classifieds is a scam. Who goes to sell their boat and uses these back water sites and doesn't use at least one of Craigslist, boat trader or inboardsonly?

[Michigan boarder]

Jeez.

Would be a shame to strip that one down, but you could sell it for what it's actually worth to fund your project if nothing else.

Honestly....I'd keep it. I would do a simple fix on the Echelon, no upgrades, and sell it.

[jk13]

Honestly....I'd keep it. I would do a simple fix on the Echelon, no upgrades, and sell it.

Or that.

If that happens I would discuss with you bringing over that hot tub cover, the hot tub pump, and my slotted swim platform to trade for your solid one.

Edited October 24, 2013 by jk13

[JB-FOOT]

You gotta be kidding me. Sent him a note.

I am Always looking out for you brother....

[Michigan boarder]

Since you are spending so much on the new engine, you might as well keep going and buy a 6 tap Keezer and put that in the garage too. You are back to good.

Heck, I might as well move back to the lake house and bring all my stuff. Boat, keezer, hot tub, this paddle game, my thermos, this chair.....

@MB: In my opinion, if the Fast Burn 385 heads (and yes that is the official name) make you not be able to afford a set of exhaust manifolds, I would certainly consider a set of Vortec heads and a decent exhaust manifold (you need to make sure it has internal runners (Stainless Marine unit does) as that is the key difference as yours are simply a hollow chamber. You could use the standard exhaust until you can upgrade at a later date you will just have to buy a couple of reducers to go from 4" pipe down to your current size, what exhaust do you have? I made my own spark arrestor using some more open screen and made it taller. One from a big block engine will also work. An Acme 515 prop would be a good choice, you know Acme is located right near you. Good luck on the call. Here is another budget saver idea, 642 hours is not that many, it sounds like your engine guy thought the bores looked good, did you ask him about just replacing the bad piston?

I have a 3" exhaust currently. On the piston, I guess that's an option too, now that the block has been deemed OK. I should still do bearings, hone the cylinders and do rings though, right? More money towards exhaust.

If you are looking to exchange the flame arrestor......I would go with a high flow marine breather. Moroso and K&N both make these. I had a 14" diameter one on my Echelon. I think the element was 3 inches tall. The bottom and lid were the drop down style and it had no problem fitting under the engine cover. I'd just use what you have now until you can buy it later if money is an issue.

That is good to know, thanks!

Or that.

If that happens I would discuss with you bringing over that hot tub cover, the hot tub pump, and my slotted swim platform to trade for your solid one.

DUDE!

I am Always looking out for you brother....

I appreciate it. All the help on this site is really pretty incredible.

[Baddog]

If that ad is a scam, how does the scam work?

[Michigan boarder]

If that ad is a scam, how does the scam work?

I gave him my cell# in a message. So he sends me a text, says he'll send more pix via email. So I give him that, cuz that is how he wants to communicate. We go back and forth and he gets me feeling really good about it. He tells me he suddenly get deployed, or his wife/mom/kid is sick and he needs to leave the country. But he likes me a lot, and wants to see me buy the boat, so he'll ship it to me via 3rd party, as long as I promise to take good care of it. I just need to wire him the money, blah blah blah.

[Baddog]

I gave him my cell# in a message. So he sends me a text, says he'll send more pix via email. So I give him that, cuz that is how he wants to communicate. We go back and forth and he gets me feeling really good about it. He tells me he suddenly get deployed, or his wife/mom/kid is sick and he needs to leave the country. But he likes me a lot, and wants to see me buy the boat, so he'll ship it to me via 3rd party, as long as I promise to take good care of it. I just need to wire him the money, blah blah blah.

But you of course would never buy a boat you haven't driven, so it won't work on you, right?

[Michigan boarder]

But you of course would never buy a boat you haven't driven, so it won't work on you, right?

Heck no. Plus my due diligence with VIN.

[nuttyskier2002]

Yup........any buyer or seller that demands payment via wire transfer is suspicious and should be avoided. I was selling my Ski Centurion back in 07 thru Traderonline.com. A "buyer" contacted me offering to send a check in excess of the advertised listing. After a couple emails he sent the check. It looked ligit. I took it took my bank. The clerk examined it and said it looked real. She would have cashed or deposited it but I insisted she take it too one of the bank officers and check it out. When she returned she said no this looks like fraud. I looked up the bank that the check was written against. This bank did actually exist but it was a small institution in Mississippi that I'd never heard of. I contacted the bank.....they ask me for the serial number on the check. When I gave it to them they said it was a fake and that the serial number did not fit the format of checks that they issue. I kept the check and just waited to see what the buyer (actually he said he was a broker buying on behalf of a client) would do. He contacted me one other time asking about his money. He wanted me to cash the check and keep the amount to cover the boat and wire transfer the balance back to him to cover shipping fees on the boat.

[Woodski]

@MB: the stock 3"exhaust tips are actually 2-5/8"in actual inside diameter and the innards of the muffler are smaller, so there are certainly gains by upsizing particularly once you uncork the cylinder heads, so if you don't do that right off the bat, it needs to be on the list to change. The tips are a PIA to change, but well worth it. Absolutely have all the bores honed and install new rings, bearings are pretty cheap. Check the pistons for cracks and the condition of the ring lands (your engine guy can do that). Spark arrestor - I made my own by simply cutting the stock one apart and making a multilayer screen version that was 1.5 times as tall. Tested to not reduce RPM and after 800 hours the leak down numbers are under 10%, remember there is very little dust on the water you are really wanting to keep backfires in.

[Michigan boarder]

@MB: the stock 3"exhaust tips are actually 2-5/8"in actual inside diameter and the innards of the muffler are smaller, so there are certainly gains by upsizing particularly once you uncork the cylinder heads, so if you don't do that right off the bat, it needs to be on the list to change. The tips are a PIA to change, but well worth it. Absolutely have all the bores honed and install new rings, bearings are pretty cheap. Check the pistons for cracks and the condition of the ring lands (your engine guy can do that). Spark arrestor - I made my own by simply cutting the stock one apart and making a multilayer screen version that was 1.5 times as tall. Tested to not reduce RPM and after 800 hours the leak down numbers are under 10%, remember there is very little dust on the water you are really wanting to keep backfires in.

Yeah I agree, the hose is 3", but that muffler looks to be the most restrictive.

So, last year when Bakes had that blow-out sale on SS tips I bought a set of 3.5". Never installed them, went to launch the boat in June and things failed so I left the tips on the shelf. I think the inside diameter is 3.25". Think these will be OK, assuming I run 4" all the way close to the tips? I actually planned on removing the old tips this weekend. With the muffler off, everything now will be easy (easier).

No word from engine dude yet. I think my project is piddly stuff to him compared to the offshore lake MI boats.

With the block not needing work...I'm considering doing this myself. It's starting to seem more and more simple. There is plenty of info out there, and what I can't answer there I think can get covered by you guys.

[Asmodeus2112]

If that ad is a scam, how does the scam work?

I agree that there are the scams out there that actually try to conduct a transaction with you in the hope of getting you to send money without possession of the boat etc., but what I run into most are these ads that are too good to be true, or seems lately really good but withing the realm of reason, but when you send them an e-mail they never respond. I see the ads posted in several distant geographies as well. My theory on these as that there are people getting paid to create lists of real contact information to sell. My company gets solicited all the time by companies selling lists to be used for e-marketing, and most of them are nearly worthless, but one of the criteria for the legitimacy of these lists is bounce percentage. So, I'm guessing that these fake ads bring in e-mail, and maybe even phone numbers and names that they can sell.

[Woodski]

The 3.5" tips will work great, it is a very significant area increase over the 3" and yes, run 4" down to the last reducer to get to the 3.5" tips. You will like the look. For added bling, you could add a stainless drain plug (it ties it all together nicely).

The Marine Hardware catalog has listed stainless fins & rudder specifically for Malibu, they put them on the Corvette boats back in 97. That is nice looking bling...