fredsv8shop Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 Gentleman, I have a question about a 354 Ci V8 Hemi Marine engine : Can it be converted to car use ? If so, what has to be changed ? If it is not possible WHY it is not possible. I send out some e-mails to people who should know it and I am getting answers ranging from: NO, to: you can not use a marine engine for street use etc. etc.... If just sombody could tell me WHY it is not possible !!!! This is the engine : Quote
Young Ed Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I think you can its just a matter of how much you have to change to get it converted over to car use. Some of them are reverse rotation. Looks like you will need exhaust manifolds/headers for sure. Possibly cam WP etc. to get it turning the right direction Quote
brian hood Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 The best site for patrs and most information on early Hemi's is hothemiheads.com I hope this helps. Brian Quote
greg g Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 rule of thumb on opposite rotation setups is location of the starter. Ifront of the flywheel usually indicates standard rotation direction so you seem to be in luck there. Looks like a a automotive bellhousing would be ecessary with the correct fly wheel. I would be neat if the exhausts would swap sides, Nicson stuff is cool. Also marine applications might have been camed for a lower power curves than automotive uses. Usually they don't turn much over 2500 to 3000 rpm. and a cam change might be needed for highway use. Probably gonna need to relocate the oil fliter also. Quote
brian hood Posted January 22, 2009 Report Posted January 22, 2009 After looking at your pict, I can tell you that the oil filtration is not the same as on a car. However, you can buy those filter relocation kits. I would think they would work for you. I am certain there are other differences, but I am not that versed as to be aware of them. Good luck! Brian Quote
Flatie46 Posted January 22, 2009 Report Posted January 22, 2009 Yea thats too cool for a boat you need to figure out how to make that work. As far as the cam goes if it only turned 2500 to 3000 that would mean it made all its power down low, good for a heavy car to get it rollin and if that car had an overdrive or was a 5 speed it would pull the hi gear good at low rpm.It might not be ideal but might work ok on a thin buget. Quote
martybose Posted January 22, 2009 Report Posted January 22, 2009 One serious concern about a boat motor is the state of the block cooling passages. Most such motors use raw water cooling, which means that either straight water without antifreeze (or even worse, salt water) would be left standing for long periods of time, basically rotting the block from the inside out. You may want to consider having all of the bores checked with an ultrasound meter to see if the block is worth having. Marty Quote
moparalltheway Posted January 22, 2009 Report Posted January 22, 2009 I would need more pics and could you give me the engine i.d.# please. Many people that post here and elsewhere do not understand or have knowledge of the Chrysler Marine engine assembly. The Chrysler Marine engines had massive GEAR CASES mounted to the machined flat surface of the block that house gears that run the camshaft, tach drive,hydraulic pump, fuel pump, and generator. The snout of the crankshaft has a massive double gear installed, by press and double keyed fit, that drives the transmission and all the other accesories above.. This case carries the same oil as the crankcase as it is oiled thru the pressure regulating ferrel in the cranksahft. The cranksahft snout is drilled so the oil pump forces oil into the gear case and back into the transmission, excess oil drains back into the gear case then into the oil pan. These gear cases are bolted and sealed to the oil pan, block and transmission. The sides of the gear cases act as mounting bosses for the motor mounts. The engine is mounted in a boat with the transmission to the transom (back of boat).If you want to convert a car or truck engine to Chrysler Marine engine it would require a complete core marine engine for the parts and a truck or early car engine block. Cost lots and lots and lots of money, also. Quote
wayfarer Posted January 22, 2009 Report Posted January 22, 2009 Most of the Marine parts will be useless in a car. The block may be a 354 but it is likely that the front is drilled for the 51-54 331 front cover pattern. If it is reverse rotation the the cam gets replaced. The gear assembly at the front gets oiled through the snout of the crank and you can plug the feed hole, however, the snout is machined very differently from the pass car version and pass car t-chain sets do not swap. If it was in salt water you may have nothing more than a very nice looking shop ornament. Yes, it is a Hemi, and yes you have some valuable components but it will not be a simple 'rebuild it and stuff it in' type of project. If you own it then disassemble, clean, inspect and catalogue every little piece so you can determine whether to use this as a starting point or to sell the neat parts and buy a pass car unit to start with. Quote
moparalltheway Posted January 24, 2009 Report Posted January 24, 2009 A Big 10-4 Mr.Wayfarer!!! Quote
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