LS! for a boat??
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Joined: Aug 2005
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LS! for a boat?? Has anyone seen or done an install of an LS1 in a boat? I have a 23' Chapparel that needs a new small block chevy motor, and a '98 coupe waiting for a new motor for more power. WIll this work? What needs to be changed? I have the risers, manifolds, etc in the boat ready for a long block.
Its already been done. The only problem you will run into, is a bell houseing to adapt to a stern drive, since I assume that is what you have. The ski boat companies are already using the 6.0 engines in the majority of the boats. What engine do you currently have? How much are you looking to spend? The other minor problem you will have is the mounts since they are probably a bit different. Where are you located? As far as manifolds and risers, they are not going to work on the ls1 if you are going from a regular small block. Another thing you will need is an engine harness. I know the harness that mastercraft uses is made to work with a standard mercury harness (assuming that is the engine you had).
Last edited by obrien24; Sep 18, 2005 at 08:56 PM.
I am interested in this as well. 
any part numbers for any of the required parts. such as the engine harness, manifolds, risers, that mastercraft uses. are they using closed cooling? and would the engine harness work on a 5.7 if it is for a 6.0? what about the fuel pump?
any part numbers for any of the required parts. such as the engine harness, manifolds, risers, that mastercraft uses. are they using closed cooling? and would the engine harness work on a 5.7 if it is for a 6.0? what about the fuel pump? Yes the motors are closed cooling. As far as the fuel pumps I have seen, mastercraft was actually using an intank fuel pump in their plastic tanks, and it was wired to the motor if I am not mistaken. I have removed a couple of these engines to put in diesels engines for testing, thats how I know a little bit about this stuff. The biggest question is what type of boat you are going with. Are you going to do inboard, v-drive, or stern drive. That will make a difference on what you are wanting to do as far as exhaust. What are you looking to do with the boat? For exhaust we have a 6.0 at work that has stainless steel headers by CMI rather than using manifolds and risers. Let me know what your plans are as far as usage and the type of boat, and I will see what I can do to help you. I can more than likely get what ever info you will want.
I am thinking about building a high output LS1 probably procharger fortified, for a stern drive power boat. I own a marine repair shop and am getting into LS1 performance with my car so I figured it was only natural to join the two. as stated earlier the bell housing will be the biggest problem. I would like to use a mercruiser bravo transom and drive as they are proven to hold pretty good power. although I do have a couple of volvo penta dual prop outdrives and transoms laying around if they would have a belhousing to go to the LS style motors. not sure what kind of power they will hold though.
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dending on what kind of power you are planning on making, you will have to look at going with the Bravo XR drive. What type of boat are you looking at? If you are wanting speed, don't waist your time with the volvo. They are pretty limited on prop selection, not only that, but they have nowhere near the hydrodynamics of the bravo.
I would still recommend using the iron block though for marine use. My boss has a 6.0 ls1 in the back of the shop that was supposed to make somwhere bewteen 400-415, and has been set up for marine use. It actually came out of a race boat. What kind of power do you want as well? A bravo can take alot of abuse, but it all depends on how you run the boat. We have put 500hp diesels making upward of 1000lbs tq in front of the bravo drive, but we had 2 speed tranmissions to help kill the tq when the boat was acutally up and runnig. That is the reason they stayed together. The xr bravos seem to handle up to about 600 hp without too much trouble, but past that, and it comes down to how it is used. let me know more about what you are thinking.
I would still recommend using the iron block though for marine use. My boss has a 6.0 ls1 in the back of the shop that was supposed to make somwhere bewteen 400-415, and has been set up for marine use. It actually came out of a race boat. What kind of power do you want as well? A bravo can take alot of abuse, but it all depends on how you run the boat. We have put 500hp diesels making upward of 1000lbs tq in front of the bravo drive, but we had 2 speed tranmissions to help kill the tq when the boat was acutally up and runnig. That is the reason they stayed together. The xr bravos seem to handle up to about 600 hp without too much trouble, but past that, and it comes down to how it is used. let me know more about what you are thinking.
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Verdad Gallardo Hey monster, I just wanted to let you know, I built a catamaran boat back in 1999 that had a pair of 620 ci chief engines in it. Each made 970hp with 4lbs of boost on pump gas. I was in the boat at around 145mph with a bit left in it. But that is slow nowadays for the guys that really want to spend some money. some are pushing 180 on a regular basis, and a select few are knocking on 200
I am hoping to end up with about 700 -750 hp i want to put it in about a 22' boat. I live at about 5000' elevation so it really zaps my power up here. it takes a ton of power to push a a 27'-28' baja to any kind of speed up here like 70-80 mph with like 550 hp. so I figured a little more power in a smaller boat, but big enough to handle well at higher speeds, should make for a pretty fast boat. plus the weight savings of getting that kind of power out of a LS style motor without all the weight of a big block.
I don't doubt the hp potential. What brand of hull are you looking at? If you are going the bravo route, make sure you get an Xr drive with a speedmaster lower unit. However, an even better idea would be and imco extreme 4x4 outdrive for the power you want. If everything is set up right, with that power, you should easily run 100+. We are putting a 24' cigarette together right now at our shop with a 600hp 502 and a bravo. However, we have an exprimental jackplate for the bravo that we have developed, so we are expecting the boat to be in the 93-95 mph range.
I'm looking to get a boat in the next year or 2, and I'd like to put an LT1 in a 20-22ft boat. My friend has a virgin longblock out of his 94 T/A, and I'd love to rebuild it with mildly ported heads and a 224/230 Comp cam. I could see that combo running with some of the mild big block boats.
But if I end up building a separate block for my car, that leaves my OEM LS1 as an option. We shall see...
Jason
But if I end up building a separate block for my car, that leaves my OEM LS1 as an option. We shall see...
Jason
