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Author Topic: Do marine engines work in trucks?  (Read 913 times)

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Offline DalesCarpentry

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Do marine engines work in trucks?
« on: May 09, 2009, 04:27:08 PM »
This may be a stupid question but do marine engines work in trucks? It seems that any time I buy a used truck I start looking for an engine for for it. The reason being I drive a lot of miles and can wear out a engine quick if it already has a good bit of miles on it. This new to me truck is a 98 Chevy K1500 4x4 with a 4.3 Vortec engine. My truck is in the shop getting the transmission fixed as we speak. I am glad I bought the extra warenty. ;D Any ways will an engine like this fit my truck?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4-3-VORTEC-MARINE-ENGINE-96-AND-UP-NO-CORE-CHARGE_W0QQitemZ250266070365QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBoat_Parts_Accessories_Gear?hash=item3a45052d5d
Also there are many different cars, trucks and vans that use the same engine. Will they all fit my truck even if the the truck is not 4 wheele drive like mine? I also see where some people say the vin starts with a curtain number. Mine starts witha W. Why is this important? Oh and if any of you know where to pick up a new rebuilt 4.3 Vortec engine for a good price let me know. I figure after I get the transmission thing taken care of this truck is a keeper for sure. It does not have a lick of rust on it and the whole truck is great shape. Thanks Dale
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Offline mrbigtexan

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Re: Do marine engines work in trucks?
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2009, 10:41:36 AM »
i believe that all 4.3 liter chevy's will work. i put one in a '64 el camino one time.
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Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: Do marine engines work in trucks?
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2009, 10:48:13 AM »
around here they take engines out of trucks and install them in boats . they put some type coating in the water jacket and add the other parts that boats have not found on trucks but i see no reason why it couldn't be reversed other than once set up for a boat it cost more .
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Offline mcwoodduck

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Re: Do marine engines work in trucks?
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2009, 11:05:02 AM »
As far as I remember an engine is an engine.  the only difference I can remember is with the oil.  there is no way to drain the oil out of a boat engine and it has to be pumped out the dip stick tube.  I do not recall if the motors had the pans with a drain hole or not.  It has been 20+ years since I pulled a motor or transmission out of a boat.
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Offline torpedoman

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Re: Do marine engines work in trucks?
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2009, 03:21:40 PM »
Run mobile 1 and your engine will live a lot longer at least mine all do.
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Offline hillbill

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Re: Do marine engines work in trucks?
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2009, 04:17:44 PM »
a chev 4.3 is a pretty basic engine. yu git it out of a boat yu may have to change the intake and the pan and such stuff but thats no big deal.they are so common tho i dont think yu wud have to go to a marine engine to find one. im wondering if marine engines have a little different cam profile. anybody know bout this?
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Offline billy_56081

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Re: Do marine engines work in trucks?
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2009, 04:30:54 PM »
Well Dale if it is one that turns the correct direction it should work. Some boats with twin motors have one that turns actually backwards to balance out the torque. Also a plus is many marine motors are balanced to be smooth in the boat.
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Offline 30-30man

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Re: Do marine engines work in trucks?
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2009, 04:53:41 PM »
The marine block has some stainless internal parts in the water pump.  They do have more power as they have better heads.  I have a conversion.  It was not difficult.  The main thing is the manifolds, oil pan, and water pump has to be replaced. The alternator is the same,  You can salvage most of the parts from your old truck.  I bought an old boat and sold the parts.  It almost paid for itself.  Look for an old OMC  Cobra outdrive with a Chevy 4,3, the outdrive will bring more than $700 used as they are no longer made. I went with a carb and a MSD ignition system.  IT works but is tough on gas.
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Do marine engines work in trucks?
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2009, 12:24:35 AM »
Marine engines dont nessiaryily make more hp but the cams in the allow them to make hp at a slightly differnt rpm range that fits boat operation better so they may be down i bit in low end torque. They also have to have carbs or injection systems that are more fire safe then a car motor and like was posted some parts are made of differnt materials to fight the salt water they can be ran in. For the most part though they would work fine in a car or truck.
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Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: Do marine engines work in trucks?
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2009, 02:10:13 AM »
now if you go diesel , the same engine that puts out 500 to 600 hp in a truck can with a reprogram of the computer put out 1800 + in a marine or industrial application .
Will the computer on gas engines allow retuning such as that ?
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Do marine engines work in trucks?
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2009, 01:09:17 AM »
no. You can maybe gain about 30hp max by tweaking a gas motors computer unless its a turbo motor. thats where the big gain comes in desiels. they are set up at the factory to run very conservative boost levels and respond very well to bumping them up if care is taken to do it right.
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