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809 Posts
Check this link, should be a good start.
http://www2.turboford.org/techboard/ubb/Forum1/HTML/008048.html
http://www2.turboford.org/techboard/ubb/Forum1/HTML/008048.html
3.7 230 Cubic inch 4 Cylinder Mercury IMPORT SLAYER!
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Season greetings!
Approxiamately 8 years ago, I did see a 230 6 cylinder in a edition of Super Stock and Drag illustrated. It powered a econo dragster.
I remembered that he had a alumimum head from SVO installed and he stated that all 460 component interchanged!
Have Fun!
Terry
PS. Have you tried looking into boating message boards? Just a thought.
Approxiamately 8 years ago, I did see a 230 6 cylinder in a edition of Super Stock and Drag illustrated. It powered a econo dragster.
I remembered that he had a alumimum head from SVO installed and he stated that all 460 component interchanged!
Have Fun!
Terry
PS. Have you tried looking into boating message boards? Just a thought.
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17 Posts
We had one of these engines in a boat a few years ago.Engine went under Mercruizer(sp?) brand name. Motor was basically 1/2 a 460..
Had TONS of low-end torque. Should be able to find info at a boat dealer.
Had TONS of low-end torque. Should be able to find info at a boat dealer.
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809 Posts
I sure hope my std bore 5.0 has more than a 3.980 bore spacing. If not my 4" pistons are a rubbin somethin fierce.
Yeah, that half 460 is a Mercruiser engine.It uses 429-460 heads and I believe also main and crank diameters.Those I have seen use a very lightweight aluminum block.They had around 175-190 horses in boats.I believe this could be built very cheap since it only uses half of the parts...you can always find alnmost FOC parts from a broken 460 like heads, con rods and pistons....
Run a 2.3 liter. These motors really got their start as a 2000 cc in those little Formula race cars. Some friends of mine run Ford 2.3 liter motors in their mini-stock dirt track cars. The crank and rods on these things are bullet proof but you need to strap or girdle the mains. They are estimating between 220 and 250 horses N/A. They get the head off a turbo motor and then work those. They turn 8800 rpms in the straight aways. Their motors sound like a bumble bee on steroids, LOL.
I recently saw a dragster come out to my track with a brand new 2.3 liter. This one had the Esslinger head, aluminum intake and a Holley 4 barrel. He didn't get to make a full pass due to either carb or ignition troubles. Powerheads now sells a 2.3 liter ported head I think. I sometimes kind of wish I had built that 2.3 pinto drag car I once envisioned.
I recently saw a dragster come out to my track with a brand new 2.3 liter. This one had the Esslinger head, aluminum intake and a Holley 4 barrel. He didn't get to make a full pass due to either carb or ignition troubles. Powerheads now sells a 2.3 liter ported head I think. I sometimes kind of wish I had built that 2.3 pinto drag car I once envisioned.
That Mercruiser started life in the mid 70's as a 170 hp I/O engine. I believe now it's up to 210 hp in boats? The block itself is a Mercury casting, not a Ford part, although the Ford stuff does fit of course. For it's rating, it was a good runner in boats.
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I hate to burst everyones bubble,
The Block is niether a mercruiser or ford casting. It is cast by volvo and NONE of the internals interchange. Even the valves and keepers from a 385 series will not fit in the head. I had a friend that went thru hell and back rebiulding one of these. If i were you i would stick with a 2.3.
The Block is niether a mercruiser or ford casting. It is cast by volvo and NONE of the internals interchange. Even the valves and keepers from a 385 series will not fit in the head. I had a friend that went thru hell and back rebiulding one of these. If i were you i would stick with a 2.3.
That's interesting - learn something every day! My father-in-law was a boat design engineer & I got to test the first Merc 170
his company got their hands on. Ran great in a fairly heavy glass modified V hull 17' compared to the inline 6's w/similar ratings. Didn't know it was a Volvo block, knew it wasn't a Ford. Figured it to be a 460 style head - had a 460 T Bird at the time.
I'd imagine diff 385 family heads would bolt on even if the stock valvetrain pieces won't fit in the stock head? I suppose getting a diff cam is totally out? Course, one could
always go one of those good whipple screw type blowers with a Holley TBI - suppose would have to fab an intake - could even go DFI port injection, (or just go turbo, easier plumbing) a better head, and fab a set of headers. Bunch of work, but it would be interesting and light for the output.
his company got their hands on. Ran great in a fairly heavy glass modified V hull 17' compared to the inline 6's w/similar ratings. Didn't know it was a Volvo block, knew it wasn't a Ford. Figured it to be a 460 style head - had a 460 T Bird at the time.
I'd imagine diff 385 family heads would bolt on even if the stock valvetrain pieces won't fit in the stock head? I suppose getting a diff cam is totally out? Course, one could
always go one of those good whipple screw type blowers with a Holley TBI - suppose would have to fab an intake - could even go DFI port injection, (or just go turbo, easier plumbing) a better head, and fab a set of headers. Bunch of work, but it would be interesting and light for the output.
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1,842 Posts
macx,
I'm with you....I think Mercruiser built the "little bastard" from the gitgo!!!
A buddy of mine had a 170 that ran great when it ran but it was constantly bending push rods....ONLY AVAILABLE FROM MERCRUISER!!! He sold the boat when he found out a rebuild would cost mucho $$$'s in Mercruiser parts!!
Hell, Mercruiser built the aluminum motors for one of the Corvettes...didn't they??
I would never start a build with a marine engine for a car or truck....especially not the Mercruiser "4 Banger"!!!
Cobrajack
I'm with you....I think Mercruiser built the "little bastard" from the gitgo!!!
A buddy of mine had a 170 that ran great when it ran but it was constantly bending push rods....ONLY AVAILABLE FROM MERCRUISER!!! He sold the boat when he found out a rebuild would cost mucho $$$'s in Mercruiser parts!!
Hell, Mercruiser built the aluminum motors for one of the Corvettes...didn't they??
I would never start a build with a marine engine for a car or truck....especially not the Mercruiser "4 Banger"!!!
Cobrajack
I have one at my friends shop and we rebuilt it! its fresh! 030.over
It has has alum block! 460 truck rods and pistons and we put a blue thounder alum raised port 460 head on it!
It has raised CJ BB ford intake ports
It has chevy BB ext port (better flow) and BB chevy boat hedder easyer to find! and roller rockers!
It also has a custom cam (miled )and it has a chevy bell housing bolt pattern and is for sale! some ware around 275 to 300 hp w/o pushing it hard!
its weight is about the same as a 2.3 but its 3.75 it would be a good blower motor!
it was biult for a sand buggy but the guy ran out of $$$
For more info go to [email protected] and leave a message.
It has has alum block! 460 truck rods and pistons and we put a blue thounder alum raised port 460 head on it!
It has raised CJ BB ford intake ports
It has chevy BB ext port (better flow) and BB chevy boat hedder easyer to find! and roller rockers!
It also has a custom cam (miled )and it has a chevy bell housing bolt pattern and is for sale! some ware around 275 to 300 hp w/o pushing it hard!
its weight is about the same as a 2.3 but its 3.75 it would be a good blower motor!
it was biult for a sand buggy but the guy ran out of $$$
For more info go to [email protected] and leave a message.
Hate to burst your bubble but your friend must not know what he was doing!
it has a 460 head truck rods and pistons and (chevy bell pattern for most boats) You are right it is a volvo casting
LOL the 230/4 is actuly as long as a 230/6 maybe a smige longer !
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OLD THREAD ALERT!!!
and hes talking to himself lolOLD THREAD ALERT!!!
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He sure is, too funny. Not a great start for a new guy. LOL
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