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  1. Panoguy

    5.7L Non-Vortec to Vortec conversion

    As it turns-out, my Mabbco short block was improperly assembled - the #2 piston wristpin wasn't fully pressed-in (or was perhaps pressed too far?). The result was 2 huge gouges (from either side of the wristpin) in the cylinder wall. Other problems with this block: hairline block cracks between...
  2. Panoguy

    GM 5.7L TBI & Thunderbolt IV compatibility

    @Scott06, I guess if I go w/ carb, the only "surprise" would be switching from a manual to electric fuel pump - no biggie. I'm not sure if truck is manual or auto trans... I'm going to look @ it tomorrow. I have all GM 5.7l marine goodies that I can transfer to the "new" engine.
  3. Panoguy

    GM 5.7L TBI & Thunderbolt IV compatibility

    Long story short - my purchased (5-yrs.-ago) reman. short block was improperly assembled, resulting in wristpin SEVERELY etching #2 cylinder wall. Yay. I have a handle on pulling a complete 5.7L Vortec TBI out of a 1998 Chevy 2500HD truck. I'm wondering if I can use the TBI (I'd need to add an...
  4. Panoguy

    5.7L Non-Vortec to Vortec conversion

    @Scott Danforth - Your thread is an interesting (but a bit over my head!) read - thanks for the link share! It looks to me like the Comp Cam CL12-232-3 would be a good fit for me - what do you think? I'm hoping I can get specs from Mabbco... sucking water into my engine wouldn't be ideal! They...
  5. Panoguy

    5.7L Non-Vortec to Vortec conversion

    Summit Racing has a replacement cam & lifter kit... <<HERE>> Any thoughts on this??? Hey, what's an extra $140. - right??
  6. Panoguy

    5.7L Non-Vortec to Vortec conversion

    Well if I don't get a response from Mabbco (they certainly haven't been the most forthcoming in the past), I'm thinking that I should probably change my camshaft to stock (or perhaps something better???), to be safe. I'd like to keep it as stock flat tappet (looks I'm getting into really BIG...
  7. Panoguy

    5.7L Non-Vortec to Vortec conversion

    Yeah - I was rarely using it also - just on those cold early mornings, sometimes.
  8. Panoguy

    5.7L Non-Vortec to Vortec conversion

    @Scott Danforth - No, I don't have a cam card... didn't come with the short block. I'm now realizing that I should have obtained much more info, when I got this short block, 4 years-ago! Will there be a way to check clearances, say with a micrometer & hand-cranking? @Lou C - Yep, I'll get a...
  9. Panoguy

    5.7L Non-Vortec to Vortec conversion

    Hey @scott - Yep, long story short, I bought a thrashed Mercruiser 5.7L engine from a guy who was parting-out his boat, just for the heads, manifolds, tin, power steering... etc. then bought a Mabbco short block to hang it all on to. I'm quite sure that I messed-up on the head rebuild...
  10. Panoguy

    5.7L Non-Vortec to Vortec conversion

    Hi: Well, the "wet compression test" has passed (no change in compression with oil squirted into the cylinders), so it's almost certain it's my heads that are problematic. I'd like to step-back a bit, & offer details on my engine block, & while at-it, also ask a few other questions... I bought...
  11. Panoguy

    5.7L Non-Vortec to Vortec conversion

    Hey @Scott Danforth, really great hearing from you! Thanks for your quick reply - I guess I've been reading too-much internets, & losing my confidence, I appreciate your reply (which makes sense to me, until I started reading too-much).
  12. Panoguy

    5.7L Non-Vortec to Vortec conversion

    I have a 5.7L crate engine (home build) with low compression on several cylinders, likely cause is a bad head rebuild on my behalf. Assuming all goes well with my (wet) compression tests & I don't have piston/cylinder issues, I'm thinking of replacing my non-Vortec heads with (guaranteed)...
  13. Panoguy

    84 searay Seville 2.5 omc stern drive removal

    Hey Red1989 - I have the same boat (cuddy instead of bowrider) - I built an engine hoist from 2X8 lumber, 2 bolts hold the engine to the transom, 2 bolts ea. to the (front) motor mounts, be sure to have the outdrive removed, along with exhaust, cables... etc. My Seville needed a new transom &...
  14. Panoguy

    Mercruiser Alpha 1 G2 Trim (probably dumb questions!)

    Hi: So I'm having a problem where my trim will go all the way up, but won't come down. - Trim pump motor runs in either direction, so I don't think it's electrical (solenoids, but see my last paragraph). - Drive will come down slowly if I stand on it, but won't come down on it's own. - Drive...
  15. Panoguy

    Engine sundeck/upports; glass & paint ?s

    Hi. Not sure how I should treat the support "beams" used to support my engine hatch/sundeck. These supports are being made of 3/4" X 3" Marine-grade plywood, and will likely be seeing some heat (engine). I'm thinking first a layer of thinned polyester (let soak-in), then some exterior house...
  16. Panoguy

    Mercruiser Power assist retrofit question

    Hi: (The back-story): So, my (2.0 4-cyl) Sea Ray originally had manual steering. During the course of my complete rebuild, I beefed-up the stringers & upgraded my power to a 5.7L V8. I bought and pulled a Mercruiser V8 from another thrashed Sea Ray, to use heads/tin/etc. on a short-block that...
  17. Panoguy

    Mercruiser Shift Cutout Switch seems wonky

    Hi: My project boat is a collection of a number of brought-together parts from other boats, but I'll try to describe relevant parts as best as I can: 5.7 GM crate engine - non-vortec, new SEI outdrive to accommodate the engine,shift cables came with my boat, which originally had a 3L mercruiser...
  18. Panoguy

    Adding power steering to my boat re-build

    Hi: I have what's turned-out to be a long term project boat - see my progress in my signature line. Last fall, even though it's not completed, I splashed my boat - just to see if it wouldn't sink... it didn't, but the change from the 2.5L engine to the 5.7L engine radically changed the ease of...
  19. Panoguy

    Mercruiser Alpha 1 shifts into gear, won't shift out

    I have a 5.7L crate engine attached to an old (used to be white... that old!) Sea Ray upper unit (gear ratio=1.47), that looks pristine inside, which in-turn is attached to a new SEI-106 lower unit. First time I splashed the several weeks backboat, all worked well - it would shift into/out-of...
  20. Panoguy

    Longer-term storage

    Hope someone can help me out - I put my boat to bed last fall, by running the engine till warm, then spraying engine fog into the carb for a bit, careful not to stall it for a while, then finally stalling it with the fogger, I then I drained it, pulled hoses, & pulled the battery. I may not be...
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