Anyone know anything about marine blocks? There is a guy locally selling a 76 marine shortblock. Apparently it comes with forged pistons,rods, and a steel crank. Has 800 hours on it. Is this something I should try to get? Apparently it has the same high nickel content like mexican blocks.
Only Ford marine blocks/engines I have any knowledge of are 351W. there were some 302's used in marine aplications, but I have never heard anything about special marine parts on these, but they could exist.
351W marine blocks are essentaily the same as 69-70 351W blocks (good blocks), and some even have 4 bolt mains. Old "Mercury Marine" short blocks are quite stout, good forged rods and crank, pistons are strong forged but heavy, OMC also used 351W in early years, but do not know about the build, but assuming they were all obtained from Ford, they are likely the same.
**Be carefull if it has a cam in it, the cam could be for reverse rotation**, same goes for the water pumps. Best to change the cam and water pump anyway.
In twin engine set-up's one engine is CW rotation and other is CCW. Also, on long blocks the head gaskets will need to be replaced with automotive ones and extra cooing holes drilled in the heads to match the gaskets. Marine heads and gaskets have smaller holes and less of them, as they do not need them, otherwise they would over-cool and hot spots could crack the heads. In converse, if used in a car without mods, they under-cool and will overheat and warp heads.
Well I got a PTK turbo kit w/ a T67 so I'm just looking for something to handle some HP. lol Its only a shortblock too. $200 is what he wants. If it has a steel crank I guess it would be worth it just for that right?
If that's a 351W marine short block for $200, yeah the block/rods/crank are worth more than that ($400-$600 in parts alone, by my est.). Even if it needs re-building it's worth it.