Repower with King Cobra drives? Merc or Volvo OK?

[wrasse]

Have a 91 black widow (z24) with 330hp 454 mated to king cobra outdrive (cone clutch).

I'm looking to swap the 454 engine to a newer 496 or 502 fuel injected complete motor to get some more performance. Will a merc or a volvo 496/502 complete motor bolt right on to the king cobra drive? Any other issues to be aware of
(ex. I think the KC drive has a idle interrupter for shifting, does this need to be installed on the new motor?, what about wiring harness for the instruments?)

Any advise would be very appreciated. Thanks!

[Lenny]

Will a merc or a volvo 496/502 complete motor bolt right on to the king cobra drive?

No, time for a drive swap. Go Merc for ease. The King Cobra parts are "discontinued" to some degree. Time for a new drive... and power

:)

[RedDog]

I'll have to counter Lenny's thoughts -

The King Cobra is bullet proof and parts are still available.

To keep your mission simpler, why not just rebuild your 454 that matches up to your current drive? You can get plenty of power and reliability out of either a built 454 or a beefed up 454 with a pro-charger. I think the King Cobra is rated up to something like 650 HP.

I had a nicely built 454 with about 420 HP through a King Cobra in a 18 Classic.

[Barry Eller]

I say keep the King.
Lenny, I haven't had any problem getting any parts for mine. The OMC/Volvo dealer that services my King Cobra gets anything I need. In fact, they just pulled my engine and drive mount and replaced the O-ring that seals the drive mount to the transom (leaking, water coming in the boat!). Parts were readily available. OMC engine parts and electrical stuff is difficult. I just replaced my ignition with MSD. Ever since the SeaDoo company bought OMC, some electrical stuff has been discontinued or priced out of reason. $525.00 for a electric fuel pump that I got from Serra for $110.00!

If you go with a fuel injected engine, you will have to rewire the engine. Your gauges won't need to be rewired as long as they are connected in the right place to the engine sending units. I opted to stay with a carb. I don't think a 496 bell housing is the same as a 454/502. I would recommend you stay with a 454/502.

Check out this thread on my re-power with a 502 crate motor.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=42706

[wrasse]

I say keep the King.
Lenny, I haven't had any problem getting any parts for mine. The OMC/Volvo dealer that services my King Cobra gets anything I need. In fact, they just pulled my engine and drive mount and replaced the O-ring that seals the drive mount to the transom (leaking, water coming in the boat!). Parts were readily available. OMC engine parts and electrical stuff is difficult. I just replaced my ignition with MSD. Ever since the SeaDoo company bought OMC, some electrical stuff has been discontinued or priced out of reason. $525.00 for a electric fuel pump that I got from Serra for $110.00!
Check out this thread on my re-power with a 502 crate motor.
http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=42706


Barry, thanks for your reply. I just sent you a pm hoping you'd respond here! This is the route I'm leaning towards but I was thinking of a using a used merc or volvo 496 or 502 complete motor. Do you think it's doable with my king cobra drives without too much hassle? (The couplers/bellhousing should be interchangeable from my 454 right?)

[MOP]

There were two King Cobra drives, one was a strengthened bottom shifter and one is a real beast will take most anything you can throw at it. Look at he drive if it is flat on top it is the early one, if it has a pronounced "Hump" you have the real Gorilla of a drive a fair bit stronger then the Bravo.

Phil

[wrasse]

It's the real one with the hump.

[MOP]

It's the real one with the hump.

You have a winner, the Doctor has been pushing some big ponies through his for a few years.

Phil

[98shovel]

im running a 22 classic with ford power and a king after alot a looking at swapping to bravo stayed with king
the motors out geting more work done should be pretty strong wene done as far as shifting the omc has an interrupter that pulses the ignitiion went to msd had nothing but problems getting it to work installed a retard box so that wene shifting it drops 20 deg timing wich lowers the idle so the boat shifts better now then wene stock
i havent had problem getting parts either and dont need stock electrnics anymoore

[Barry Eller]

MSD makes a shift interrupter also. My OMC interrupters works fine with my MSD ignition....?:confused:

Two wires, one wire to the coil, the other to ground. Cuts power to the coil, kills the ignition, doesn't send a pulse.

Take a look at this interrupter from MSD; http://www.keitheickert.com/detail~ID~1322.aspx

[Pismo]

Go 502, it is a standard big block like your 454 and everything should bolt right up. The 496 is a new beast, you may run into some some compatibility problems.

[The Hedgehog]

Another vote for the 502!

Stout engine w forged internals. I would do pretty much what Eller did in that situation. Tons of goodies for that engine. If you ever got bored with that you can modify it to hp500 specs and run in the 80's or slap a procharger on and look out! Endless potential with that setup.

As long as you can get parts I say stay with the King. It is a stout setup. You can always change that later if parts become scarce.

[98shovel]

barry msd quit making the shift interrupter so if u have one u mite by a spare
i was doing the same as u about grounding the coil for shifting but if you werent fast on the shift from time to time it would kill the motor didnt bother me but if the woman was driving could be a problem.
went to a msd retard system to pull timing wene shifting and it seems to work well and u dont have to worry about killing the motor will docking

[Barry Eller]

barry msd quit making the shift interrupter so if u have one u mite by a spare
i was doing the same as u about grounding the coil for shifting but if you werent fast on the shift from time to time it would kill the motor didnt bother me but if the woman was driving could be a problem.
went to a msd retard system to pull timing wene shifting and it seems to work well and u dont have to worry about killing the motor will docking


Hey Shovel, I took your advice and ordered a MSD Interrupter. I bought my MSD kit from;( http://www.keitheickert.com/detail~ID~1322.aspx ). They have the best prices. After I placed my order, a rep called me to let me know my order would be approx 5 days out of their California warehouse.

YIPPY-KAY-YAY is ready to go as soon as a ordered trim sender arrives to the shop I use.

I'm won't need the boat this weekend as the wife and I are going to see Jimmy Buffett in concert Saturday in Tallahassee.

Wasted Away in Tallahasseeville......

[RedDog]

... this weekend as the wife and I are going to see Jimmy Buffett in concert Saturday in Tallahassee.
Wasted Away in Tallahasseeville......

I hope it's better than when I saw him on my 40th (10 years ago). He was wasted away in Knoxville. Couldn't understand a thing he said or sang. Of course later that night no one could understand me either......

Much like a Hank Jr show I saw around the same time. His crew had to walk him out on stage and sit him on a bar stool. He just sat while the rest of the band played behind him. Thankfully I was really only there for the opening act - KY Headhunters

[Barry Eller]

I hope it's better than when I saw him on my 40th (10 years ago). He was wasted away in Knoxville. Couldn't understand a thing he said or sang. Of course later that night no one could understand me either.....

I have been to 3 of his concerts and saw him several times at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. He has always put on a good show when I've seen him.

This is Denise's first Buffett concert, so the Parrot Head party and experience will be a real eyeopener for her!

Now, If I can only find my grass skirt and coconut bra....