reliability and performance

[HyperDonzi]

this summer i am looking for a few mph more (10-15mph). 2 questions, first is on reliability. my dad, thinks that if you want to go faster, buy a new engine. i think putting external mods wont affect reliability. im thinking of Edelbrock carb, Edelbrock Intake manifold, Headers (not sure which ones yet)through hull exhaust system, msd marine ignition, champion platinum spark plugs, msd 8.5mm ignition. do you think that these will add the 10-15 mph? do you think that this will affect the reliability in any way? thanks for any help

[MOP]

10-15 MPH takes a bunch of horse power and proping, do your research well. Outside mods you are sprsking of will give you a nice boost maybe 5 MPH.

[GEOO]

I think 3-5mph gain. It would be a lot of fun, but not worth the money.

[HyperDonzi]

what would you guys reccomend then? im not going to do anything big like nitrous, pro charger, or 2 speed tranny.

[mattyboy]

Hyper,
to get the 10-15 more mph you gotta go big( hp & $$). if you want 1-5mph start little, clean the hull, try a different prop, try plugs, get the engine to breathe better new flame arrestor and maybe thru hull. those are things that don't require and upgrades to other parts of the engine. once you start the head thingy which is connected to the cammy thingy,which is connected to the cranky thingy your'e on that highway to hell wink :D
Don't know what youre running but if it will take a BB buy a 500efi, if it will take a SB buy a 377 scorpion, if your going to hell, might as well enjoy the ride!

Matt

[ThrillSeeker]

To get that kinda speed your dad is right buy a new motor. Or u will have to go w/ a super charger. that would do it. What size boat do u have, and what motor?

[RickSE]

My 96 18-Classic with a stock 350 2-barrel motor ran 53-54 MPH (3700ft. elev.). I added a new Intake, Carb, Cam, Lifters, Springs, Flame Arrestor and a Prop. In the end $1,200 got me 5 MPH.

[HyperDonzi]

boat is a 1990 baja 19' with a merc 4.3 liter v-6 190 hp
cleaning the hull wont do anything due to the fact we have a season dock and nice bumpy bottom paint (with primer underneath anyone know how to get a primer off w/o wrecking gel coat?)
ill get the platinum plugs (5 bucks for 2) some time this week. mattboy, new intake and carb would require other mods? what about the msd ignition 310 from jegs.

[HyperDonzi]

what would everyone reccomend for reliability and 5 or so mph more while spending less than a thousand$?

[mattyboy]

can we say the B word here :D , how much can you do to a 4.3?with an Alpha without worrying about the Alpha, scrap the B and buy a 22SE 500hp!!!

I'm not the expert here but the way it was explained to me, if you go to an hipo intake ,it will work with the equipment you already have but will not have the required result so then you need hipo heads and then hipo cam and hipo crank and hipo pistons to get every horse out of it,
how fast do you want to go,how much do you want to pay!

Matt

[HyperDonzi]

ive heard that saying quite a few times mattyboy.
if i get the champion platinum plugs tonight, whats all this about gapping and stuff? cant i just take a plug out of the engine now take it in (in now are reg. champions) and just get the same number?

[RPD]

Listen to the words of experience, son.... the cheapest way to get more power is cubic inches... and 4.3 liters isn't big block country... 10-15 mph on the water takes lots of power... squeezing more horses out of the cubic inches you have takes lots of $$$ and that many more horses take lots and lots of $$$.... you've been reading too much advertising copy, changing spark plugs will not give you more power...

[Cuda]

There is no replacement for displacement. :)

[Rootsy]

honestly save your money and don't go with the platinum plugs... all they really do is last longer than regular plugs cause of the erosion resistance of the primary electrode. with your stock thunderbolt ignition go with as hot a coil and as high quality (low electrical resistance) plug wires as you can afford and play with a few brands of plugs and gaps... wouldn't hurt to replace the tbolt cap and rotor while you are at it... that should take care of the ignition for as much power as you hope to make... the intensity of the spark and it's duration are what it's all about... an MSD box just boosts the intensity and duration but mostly at low rpm because pulses are just too close together at high rpm.

intake and a carburator would help you some,bout 500 bucks and maybe roughly 15 - 20 hp, it'll help the motor to really breathe better if you have a 2V at the moment, but you will see nowhere near 10 - 15 mph gains without some serious HP increase. which means valvetrain and cylinder heads and then of course propellers and well way over 1000 bucks... figure more in the neighborhood of 2500 - 3000 bucks fairly easily... times that by a factor of 1.5 for labor costs if you have the work done for you. after all this you'll still only make a weeeee bit more than 3/4 of the hp of a sbc of the same setup...

with the 4.3 there is only so much you can do with the size of the motor and your wallet... while still maintaining something drivable and turn key... 300 +/- crankshaft hp is obtainable, if you have the money to spend... you are already @ 220 crankshaft hp...

as for cleaning the paint off of the bottom... acetone or laquer thinner in a spray bottle and a lotta rags and elbow grease... donno bout paint strippers and the effects on gelcoat... aircraft stripper is some seriously wicked stuff....

[Tidbart]

Sell the Baja, and buy my 18 Donzi. Problem solved, less work.

Bob

[ThrillSeeker]

Jet your carb, New intake,Vortec heads, thru hull exhaust. This should give you about 30 or maybe more hp. Thayt might give you 3-5mph

[HyperDonzi]

cant sell the ba*a (edited) the paint comes off fairly easy, but it is the primer underneath.
put the platinum plugs on this morning, started a little quicker, didnt need to hold the gas open.
jamie root, edelbrock intake, thru hull exhaust, new plug wires, new coil, cap and rotor. thatll add maybee 5mph?