boat engines

Hello, here in the philippines we only have service for mercruiser engines. however, my friend bought a tige and said the engine is the same as the on the one inside a chevy suburban. We have all the car dealers here. I am assuming boats and cars use the same engine. My problem is the indmar, PCM, and whatever engine they put in the mastercraft. Are they car engines also? because no one has heard of it here and said they need to see it if they are able to fix. Can someone give me more info re PCM and indmar engines. Are they all vortec engines?

Most boat engines are marinized car/truck engines. Popular ones are Ford 351W, and Chevy 350. HTH

http://www.pleasurecraft.com/
http://www.indmar.com/home.cfm

ROCCS!!!!!! - Ill let you know this saturday after i talk to my boat mechanic. Pare - Still working on getting over there for your wedding!
Hollar!

Indmar uses Chevy engines. I can't speak to PCM, but I think it's a chevy as well.

The only difference is they have four-bolt mains and brass softplugs. If that doesn't make sense, it really doesn't matter as there isn't much of any difference between marine and automotive engines.

Im pretty sure that older PCM engines up to 2003 are all Ford 351.

The basic block is essentially the same between the auto and boat engine, but a lot of the other stuff is marine specific.

For example, the alternator, starter, distributer and fuel pump will be special marine versions. On older engines, when carburetors were normally used they would have a special marine carburetor as well. I don't know if the fuel injection systems have marine versions or not.

Obviously the cooling system will be a lot different, as will the exhaust systems.

how about MC? What engine do they use. My main concern here in my post is the computer in the engines. If the engine is like a ford, chevy or whatever, then I am sure they will have the diagnostic machine to reprogram the computer in case it trips out. If not, then I am in big trouble. Other marine components can be fixed here, just might have to order parts.

I have a 2004 Marin Power 340 hp.
It is a Chevy 350.
It comes with a fully programmable ECM.

Rocco,
Mastercraft uses Indmar, which uses Chevy. The computers, I believe are custom built by, or built for, Indmar. I think the only reason why the computer would "trip out" is if the O2 sensors went bad and it could no longer accurately set the fuel/air mixture.

Indmar doesn't use O2 sensors / closed loop EFI. Though, someone was saying they use it on their new Catalyst engines which are slowly becoming available.

I can't recall anyone posting a message here at WW talking about their boat computer "tripping out". So I think you're pretty safe if you avoid the Catalyst engine. (the ones with Catalytic Converters)

The cam shaft is also a lot different.

Try this web site, its a good sorce for technial support - SKIDIM.COM. They carry a full array of ignition components and may have some insight into the computer systems as well.

Most marine engines should come with a forged crankshaft and connecting rods as well. The camshaft lift and duration will be more aggessive like Malibuboarder75 says. The casting of the engine block should be either a 351 Ford style or a 350 Chev.

Enjoy your boat and boarding in the Phillies.

Thanks for your help guys. I'm actually still riding behind an out board engine. I'm going to get a real wake boat hopefully before xmas or early next year. So if it is all chevy engines, then I gues I wont be limited to buying just boats with mercs. That makes my selection really wider.

The engines in these boats are really easy to work on. Why not just get a boat with an older engine without the computer? Someone probably knows more about the computers, but all they do is regulate the firing order for better fuel efficiency and check all the stats on the engine.

the cam shaft has an rv grind on it. it increases power from 1500-5000 rpms. thats what i found. different exhaust system. some other little things that have already been said.

but all they do is regulate the firing order for better fuel efficiency and check all the stats on the engine

That is somewhat understated. The ecm in your boat is the same Delphi unit used in all GM products. As for the engine it is a stock Gm truck engine that goes to Indmar complete and is then marinized. They run OBD II diagnostics so any local car dealership can communicate with the ecm and fix any drivability issues. As for the ECM it constantly moniters engine load and adjusts fuel and spark for the best possible performance and economy. In the half a second it takes to turn the ignition the computer has already taken a temperature reading a baro reading primed the fuel pump woke up the ECM ran a diagnostic check and set all crank spark and fuel tables in place. Not to mention a whole lot more. The camshafts are not changed as none of the internals of the engines are changed to marinized them, the heads dont come off the oil pan doesn't come off etc... . Dont get me wrong Indmar has done alot in the field with catalyst and the whole bit but they piggy back off GM's initial design.

so if something breaksdown with an indmar or PCM engine, I can ask help from my local Ford or chevy dealer to fix it?

i'm pretty sure they'd understand the basics of it, but the mercruiser mechanics will know it much better.