1988 3.0 Mercruiser 140 hp questions

[Blue197320]

im not an I/O guy, but i will tell you that a 4.3L chevy motor is pretty durable. i had one in my s-10 and sprayed nitrous thru it. at least 6 10 pound bottle probably more and one time it hit the speed limiter of 98 mph and the pcm shuts off the fuel but it kepy spraying. didnt die after that. no problems with that motor.

[workinpr0gress]

Once you jump to a 4.3 you might as well do the small block if it fits nicely.... It will be a little more weight but also a little more forward

[Kahuna]

I like BruceB's idea about stripping the Bayliner for the powertrain. If I had thought of that before I repowered 2 years ago, I probably would have gone that route. I put the inline 4 (2007 TKO mercruiser) in my 76 seafari. Before I did that I looked real hard at the 4.3 (you could get this with fuel injection, and mine is carburated). I looked at the seafari bushwacker was talking about when it was both in the water and on the trailer. If you could somehow put a drive shaft between the motor and the outdrive and move the block all the way to the forward most position of the engine compartment, you would be all set. As it was, the stern sat a little too low for my comfort level, the thru deck drains were almost awash with the boat sitting at the dock, and I believe the owner had heavy chain in the forward hatch in the cabin to help level the boat. I would add that the installation was very clean, and professionally accomplished. Mine runs plenty, especially for where I use it with the 140 in it, and I still can't get over the fuel consumption, which at 3600 cruise, ~20kts light load is in that neighborhood of 5mpg, but I would have loved to have 220 back there for when it was time to go. Just didn't think that the stability vs power were worth the trade off in the environment I am currently in set up to use the boat in (I spend most of my time fishing in 2-4' rips in long island sound, and that body of water is such a washing machine, there are hardly ever conditions where running over 20kts is comfortable to any seated rider, kids)