23 SEACRAFT PROJECT BOAT

[McGillicuddy]

Wags, Roger, that... and judging by our Wednesday rains it looks like you'll get another 6" by Sunday... We'll look forward to your spring results.

[Wags23]

This weathers good for planning the projects. I need to get me one of those bravo diesel outdrives.

[KenB]

How hard is it to convert a 23 to jack-shaft with engine in console? Cost prohibitive?

Also, is Mercuiser 7.3 a good fit for the 23?

[ScottM]

How hard is it to convert a 23 to jack-shaft with engine in console? Cost prohibitive?

Also, is Mercuiser 7.3 a good fit for the 23?

The IB will have a tunnel to deal with which would be some major surgery to remove. An OB or I/O would require work under the console and potentially filling in a transom (OB). Either way the work would be fairly extensive.

I remember seeing a 23 CC inboard for sale a few years ago (maybe NJ) that was running a 454. Not sure if that was a factory option but it would appear you can squeeze one under the console.

[KenB]

Scott - I have 23 that was set up for twins sitting in my front yard. I did spend some time looking up jackshaft thread on CSC though. Is is possible to convert an OB boat to jackshaft?

The plan is a bracket and then a 250 ob. But I have access to some good clean biodiesel and have been considering a jackshaft and an old diesel.

I ask about that turbo powerstroke because the grease car guys love that engine.

[Fr. Frank]

The 7.3 Powerstroke engine is a 1960's International design now made by Navistar since they bought out International. Ford purchased most of the production of that engine for years. It is also marketed under the T444E designation for Navistar, and the D444T and D444E under the International nameplate. While most of these engines not sent to Ford were used in buses or small commercial trucks, there are marine variants of this engine out there, mostly marketed in Asia and Australia. Mahindra manufactures this engine for Navistar in the Asian market.

With regular proper maintenance, the 7.3 will easily exceed 500,000 miles, or 10,000 hours of operation. It can be tuned to produce between 215 and 700 hp (depending on how it breathes), and produce over 600 ft. lbs of torque.

My '02 7.3L was re-programmed by Ford during a recall in early '06, and according to the documentation, the HP rating went from 275 to 315hp at 2600 rpms, and the max torque went from 500 ft lbs up to 525 ft lbs. At the same time, my fuel economy went up by about 12%, from a combined average of 16.3 mpg, to 18.2 mpg. Since then I have gotten to the point of needing my injectors rebuilt or replaced, and my economy has fallen over the past 8 months to only 17.6 mpg average. I have over 200K on the truck, which is about the expected life-span of the injectors. Reman'd injectors are about $300 to $400 each.

[workinpr0gress]

I like the idea of a Cummins 4bt turned up some. Bread truck motor, shares tons of parts with the 6bt. Guys are turning them up fairly cheap and getting an easy, reliable 250-300 hp and 600-700 lbs. of torque on the stock longblock, you can run a continuos 40psi and spike for a bit to 60psi watching the pyros on stock headbolts, stud it and you could boost much higher, again reliably. Not saying you would or should, just saying the Cummins really doesn't mind being turned up and they have flatter torque than anything else and are cheapppp in a lot of cases. I'd just do injectors, a fuel pin, & a lift pump, it'll rip in a boat that size and still get great fuel economy. Just my opinion.

[KenB]

The 7.3 Powerstroke engine is a 1960's International design now made by Navistar since they bought out International. Ford purchased most of the production of that engine for years. It is also marketed under the T444E designation for Navistar, and the D444T and D444E under the International nameplate. While most of these engines not sent to Ford were used in buses or small commercial trucks, there are marine variants of this engine out there, mostly marketed in Asia and Australia. Mahindra manufactures this engine for Navistar in the Asian market.

With regular proper maintenance, the 7.3 will easily exceed 500,000 miles, or 10,000 hours of operation. It can be tuned to produce between 215 and 700 hp (depending on how it breathes), and produce over 600 ft. lbs of torque.

My '02 7.3L was re-programmed by Ford during a recall in early '06, and according to the documentation, the HP rating went from 275 to 315hp at 2600 rpms, and the max torque went from 500 ft lbs up to 525 ft lbs. At the same time, my fuel economy went up by about 12%, from a combined average of 16.3 mpg, to 18.2 mpg. Since then I have gotten to the point of needing my injectors rebuilt or replaced, and my economy has fallen over the past 8 months to only 17.6 mpg average. I have over 200K on the truck, which is about the expected life-span of the injectors. Reman'd injectors are about $300 to $400 each.

Sorry frank, I am little confused. Is the merc 7.3 this same engine block? Did this engine make it into boats? Is this too much motor for a 23 with jackshaft?

And Do I even want to consider marinizing on my own? There is a guy on the tolman skiff site who says down under (I think he is in new zeland) they regularly marinize diesel car isuzu and nissan engines. He is currently doing the conversion himself. Not sure what he is changing.