Marinising a 4AGE

[Celcius1]

Hey Guys,

Is it possible to use a 4AGE as an inboard motor on a runabout boat, if so is the 4AGE suited to being marinised, and used in a marine enviroment??

If so which particular motor of the 4AGE range would be suited to this application

Celcius1

[BLK_20v]

Anything is possible to put into a marine environment, but personally I'd be looking for an engine with a tad more torque than a 4a 1.6

[oldcorollas]

fresh water or salt water?

if you will corrode the heads etc, then cheapest will be best
if you can protect them, then highest output is best?

[Celcius1]

if not the 4age ne recommendations, say a particular small v6? ne recommendations?

[Celcius1]

salt water, either using raw water, or heat exchanger, ie either pumped directly into the motor from the sea, or using a heat exchanger keeping the sea water away from the motor

[Jt_70R]

What size boat?? What is intended purpose of vessel? Prop selection will need to be matched to both the hull and the engine and will have a notable influence on performance characteristics.

EFI + salt water spray = not fun times unless everything is protected pretty well...

[Shakotan_Aaron]

id use a SR, simply because they are all alloy, if using a DET version they are quite toquey motors, i imagine you would want lots of torque for a boat. if its larger then a 1uz maybe worth a look, again all alloy. as long as you arnt over revving it, it should be a trooper.

if super keen on a 4a then maybe a ZE maybe best, again for the toque factor. supercharger may be better then turbo as holding a turbo on boost for an extended period, it may not like it too much.

[Celcius1]

How about an RB30E easily available and in large numbers considering it was used in the commodore, has the low down torque needed, and might lend itself to marinising.

[Little Rippa]

just had a quick yack to the grand pa. he built 3 ski boats. a 13', 15' and a 16'. the first two powered by 4cyls, and the first one was from a run down old ford. little 4cyl from the 40's or so (3rd boat was powered by a chev v8...the days of cheap fuel) put out enough power to pull up double skiers. now admittedly, they were run in the murray and never tasted salt water, but they performed perfectly. depending on the size and requirements of your boat, it may or may not do. if there is saltwater use, and you have an aluminium or iron part (block, head, water system..) you WILL need a sacrificial metal (zincs used on boats) or your engine will flake away due to corrosion. you will need to use THRUST bearings on the prop shaft to stop the push from the prop wearing the crank bearings out. so a thrust bearing and housing will be needed. also, a carbie wedge if using a carbie engine, to stop the carbie bowl flooding, and you will need to run the water pickup from under the hull (in the water duh) through engine and then release SOME into the exhaust manifold to cool it about 2-3" from the head. a spark arrest (mesh circle in the exhaust manifold) to stop fire is also highly suggested. due to the boat turning and the engine not always being vertical and the exhaust being so close with none, or little ventilation, fire is a HUGE risk from fumes. http://www.boatdesigns.com/products.asp?dept=32 this is a website that has a heap of info/links to boat forums. i suggest buying the 'Inboard Motor Installation" book. received mine a week ago, cost $50 inc postage and though it is older, it shows how to convert your engine AND how to mount it. from marinising to transmission and clutch systems, to modding engine mounts...etc. brilliant book. good luck, let us know how you go.

Jake

[gixer]

Is it possible to use a 4AGE as an inboard motor on a runabout boat, if so is the 4AGE suited to being marinised, and used in a marine enviroment??

If so which particular motor of the 4AGE range would be suited to this application

Yes, yes you can! This pic was taken in Thailand, you can see a small port 4AGE has been used, the extra power allowing for less time between picking up hookers.

[wa5]

inboard on a runabout... why would you fool around with EFI?

Alloy heads and salt water dont mix..... use a cheap readily available cast iron engine, so you can replace it when it rots out.... Holden red six? Starfire 4 perhaps...

[Celcius1]

just had a quick yack to the grand pa. he built 3 ski boats. a 13', 15' and a 16'. the first two powered by 4cyls, and the first one was from a run down old ford. little 4cyl from the 40's or so (3rd boat was powered by a chev v8...the days of cheap fuel) put out enough power to pull up double skiers. now admittedly, they were run in the murray and never tasted salt water, but they performed perfectly. depending on the size and requirements of your boat, it may or may not do. if there is saltwater use, and you have an aluminium or iron part (block, head, water system..) you WILL need a sacrificial metal (zincs used on boats) or your engine will flake away due to corrosion. you will need to use THRUST bearings on the prop shaft to stop the push from the prop wearing the crank bearings out. so a thrust bearing and housing will be needed. also, a carbie wedge if using a carbie engine, to stop the carbie bowl flooding, and you will need to run the water pickup from under the hull (in the water duh) through engine and then release SOME into the exhaust manifold to cool it about 2-3" from the head. a spark arrest (mesh circle in the exhaust manifold) to stop fire is also highly suggested. due to the boat turning and the engine not always being vertical and the exhaust being so close with none, or little ventilation, fire is a HUGE risk from fumes. http://www.boatdesigns.com/products.asp?dept=32 this is a website that has a heap of info/links to boat forums. i suggest buying the 'Inboard Motor Installation" book. received mine a week ago, cost $50 inc postage and though it is older, it shows how to convert your engine AND how to mount it. from marinising to transmission and clutch systems, to modding engine mounts...etc. brilliant book. good luck, let us know how you go.

Jake

Thanks for that, have bought the same book, great advice

[Celcius1]

inboard on a runabout... why would you fool around with EFI?

Alloy heads and salt water dont mix..... use a cheap readily available cast iron engine, so you can replace it when it rots out.... Holden red six? Starfire 4 perhaps...

Some cooling systems available keep the sea water seperate from the block, but a bit more complex, so the engine is still cooled by coolant, with the radiator being a heat exchanger having two circuts the engine circut, and the seawater circut to cool the coolant

[wa5]

You are running a heat exchanger... what kind of boat is this going in? will it be used for skiing or going fast, or is it a slow/ lake boat?

giving advice is a whole lot easier if the rest of us know the application.

[mookschank]

Ask on this forum for ideas, they're experts at modding car engines to boats

http://www.pinoyboats.org/forum/

Yeah a heat exchanger would definitely be the go....