![]() It’s durable, powerful, and parts are cheap and plentiful. The Ford Windsor platform was used in cars, trucks, and boats for decades. These motors are just about as common on houseboats as the Chevy 350, and they perform just as well in most applications. The other most common engine in the Windsor family is the 302, otherwise known as the original 5.0-liter Ford V8. The Ford 351 W is a V8 engine from the famous Windsor family, which is Ford’s practical equivalent to the Chevy 350. Picture of the Ford 351 Windsor Marine Engine You can purchase a small block Chevy marine engine from Atlantic Marine Store and other distributors, like Goodwrench. Any competent boatyard can swap in a 350 into almost any gasoline-powered inboard houseboat. ![]() This includes motor mounts, marine transmissions, marine spark arrestors, impellers, shafts, adaptor kits, fuel pumps, and virtually everything else. You can run it with a carburetor and a mechanical pump or install modern fuel injection for a more efficient and reliable power plant.Ĭhevy marine engines have been installed in thousands of houseboats, and every part you need for installation is available online. ![]() You can configure a small block Chevy engine in almost any way you like, which is an excellent advantage, especially with an older houseboat. The 350 isn’t the most efficient engine in the world, but it can be tuned to achieve relatively good fuel economy and excellent power output. It’ll run forever if maintained, and you can get parts at almost any auto parts store in the country. The 350 is a long-lasting motor that doesn’t need to be modified to perform well. That said, the 350 has the largest performance parts market of any engine, so you can hop it up to almost obscene levels of power at a relatively affordable price. The engine was so reliable and well-designed that General Motors still produces new long blocks to this day.įrom the factory, a marine Chevy 350 usually has between 190 and 260 horsepower, depending on the model and level of outfitting you select. This cast iron gasoline engine has eight cylinders and has been used in some form by cars, trucks, and boats since the 1950s. The Chevrolet small-block V8 is one of the most numerous gasoline engines ever produced. Here are two of the best gasoline inboard engines for houseboats. If your houseboat needs a new motor, you can have a brand new gasoline inboard delivered and installed for a reasonable price. Houseboats equipped with inboard gasoline engines have a huge variety of motors to choose from. Additionally, gasoline is explosive (but diesel is not), which means gas-powered houseboats need extra fuel and engine compartment safety equipment. This makes them affordable and lightweight, though they consume more fuel than diesel inboard engines. Weight isn’t a problem for inboard engines, but it is an issue for outboards.Īs a result, the vast majority of outboard motors are gasoline-powered. Additionally, they’re a lot pickier about fuel quality than the average gas engine. One downside of Diesel engines is that they’re usually larger and heavier than gasoline engines, as they must endure much higher pressures. Gasoline engines are cheaper and easier to maintain, but they consume much more fuel per mile traveled. Diesel is the most efficient fuel for houseboats, as diesel engines use compression ignition and burn fuel more efficiently. Inboard engines run on gasoline or diesel. Inboard and Outboard Engine Configuration and Fuel Houseboats sometimes have two outboard engines as well. Typically, one engine goes to one propeller shaft-so twin-engine houseboats have two propellers. Inboard engines have more power and efficiency, so they’re used primarily for large houseboats in single or twin configurations. If an outboard engine breaks, you can just bolt another one right on. This has a number of advantages, primarily when it comes time for repairs or replacement. Outboard engines are mounted to the stern of the vessel and are completely self-contained. These engines, which are usually marine versions of large car or truck engines, sit in a compartment and drive the propeller with a shaft. Inboard engines are generally used on larger houseboats. Inboard and outboard engines have many advantages and disadvantages.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |