Can marine block be built as passenger car engine?

[Diesel1276]

Hey guys, I was wondering if a B or RB big block marine engine could be used to build for a car? Keep in mind it is just an unused bare block. Thx.

 

[pnora]

I do not see any reasons that you can't.

 

[F4R/T]

As long as it turns the right way and the mounts etc are all good , I’d use it!

 

[R/T Boy 67]

The block is the same for right and left hand engines.

 

[Dutchrebuild]

The block is same for cars...no problem... usually they are the industrial block which is a good piece

 

[AR67GTX]

Might want to check it wasn’t used in an ocean environment as salt water run through the cooling jacket can do a number on them. Distributors and cams are sometimes set up for the wrong direction rotation as tandem motors in boats usually have one turning CW and the other CCW to offset rotational forces. But usually those pieces are being replaced anyway.

 

[ckessel]

The crank may have a difference. Look at the rear of the unit where it rides in the seal, make sure the angled grooves match a passenger car crank. Some marine engines were reverse rotation which required those grooves being angled differently. If you don't catch it, you can get a nice big oil leak there.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Might want to check it wasn’t used in an ocean environment as salt water run through the cooling jacket can do a number on them. Distributors and cams are sometimes set up for the wrong direction rotation as tandem motors in boats usually have one turning CW and the other CCW to offset rotational forces. But usually those pieces are being replaced anyway.

See above about sea water, had two 413 marine rotted blocks. May have adjust rockers mine did. Crank where main seal ride the the angle cuts might push oil out if it was reverse rotation engine.

 

[pnora]

See above about sea water, had two 413 marine rotted blocks. May have adjust rockers mine did. Crank where main seal ride the the angle cuts might push oil out if it was reverse rotation engine.

Poster said it is an unused block so salt water should not be an issue.

 

[pnora]

The crank may have a difference. Look at the rear of the unit where it rides in the seal, make sure the angled grooves match a passenger car crank. Some marine engines were reverse rotation which required those grooves being angled differently. If you don't catch it, you can get a nice big oil leak there.

Poster said it is an unused bare block.

 

[khryslerkid]

See above about sea water, had two 413 marine rotted blocks. May have adjust rockers mine did. Crank where main seal ride the the angle cuts might push oil out if it was reverse rotation engine.

I thought the sea water and engine coolant are separate. The sea water takes the heat away from the engine coolant through the heat exchanger manifolds?

 

[Fran Blacker]

This came out of reverse rotation 413. Piece on left holds distributor drive down in block. If it wasn't there drive gear would push on bottom of distributor shaft. The bottom of picture is an RB dist was the shorter shaft.

 

[Black_Sheep]

I thought the sea water and engine coolant are separate. The sea water takes the heat away from the engine coolant through the heat exchanger manifolds?

Not in my experience, coolant is drawn from below the waterline then circulates through the block, heads and dumps through water cooled exhaust manifolds. I’ve built a few reverse rotation SBC’s for commercial fishing launches (27-35 footers) and they can be kind of a mind bender. The Chevys used a gear drive that rotates the cam in the normal direction to drive the oil pump and distributor in the normal direction. The cams were ground “backwards” to properly time the valve events. To meet Coast Guard specs they also had to have a special marine distributor and flame arresting “air cleaner” to prevent fire or explosion in an enclosed engine compartment.

Fun stuff…

 

[Fran Blacker]

I thought the sea water and engine coolant are separate. The sea water takes the heat away from the engine coolant through the heat exchanger manifolds?

Think some do it that way. Friend got them from a fellow professor at the college he taught at. He was told it ran salt water. Never saw anything as rusty.I knock a freeze plug out and rust chips pored out, rotted though cylinder walls in places.

 

[66fs]

Marine engines can come with closed system(radiator and antifreeze) or raw water system (water intake on bottom of the hull). Salt water raw water system = BAD see post #14 above. I have a 440 block, crank, and rods from a closed system boat. Stout stuff including a shot peened crank.

 

[70 sublime]

I am using a 440 marine block in my 70 Charger
Was 1972 block
The way I understand it some of the castings are thicker than just a regular block
The block had no guts in it when I bought it so used all fresh parts in the build

 

[Diesel1276]

The crank may have a difference. Look at the rear of the unit where it rides in the seal, make sure the angled grooves match a passenger car crank. Some marine engines were reverse rotation which required those grooves being angled differently. If you don't catch it, you can get a nice big oil leak there.

Thanks.

 

[Krooser]

Might want to check it wasn’t used in an ocean environment as salt water run through the cooling jacket can do a number on them. Distributors and cams are sometimes set up for the wrong direction rotation as tandem motors in boats usually have one turning CW and the other CCW to offset rotational forces. But usually those pieces are being replaced anyway.

He sez it is unused...

 

[oldkimmer]

Yes u can build that UNUSED marine block for your car. Just add regular passenger crank. Kim