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Any easy drop-in replacements for the 230B with an SP outdrive?

J

jid

Contributing Member
I’d love nothing more than some more power on my houseboat. The 230B motor runs fine. And top speed is 8mph with a tail wind. Outdrive is an SP-C. Are there any motors that will bolt right up/in that would NOT require a transom modification? I don’t want to take the boat out of the water. Plenty of space to work in the engine compartment...

thanks!

JD
 
Ayuh,.... What's the current motor, a 305 Chevy ain't it,..??

A 350 would be an option, all the way up to a 383 stroker,...
 
Research what engines bolt up to the drive I am thinking the 4.3 is plug and play you can also just change the lower gearbox to the proper ratio possible duoprop lower. Ricardo will tell you your options with the SP/C drive.
 
jid said:
Current is a Volvo 230B. 4 cylinder. Wish it was a 350!
Click to expand...

Ayuh,.... I've never been able to figure out the Volvo model designations,...

Is this the Volvo overhead cam motor, or the GM overhead valve motor,..??
If it's the Volvo base motor, the B series is yer only choice for a plug, 'n play swap,...
 
jid said:
I’d love nothing more than some more power on my houseboat. The 230B motor runs fine. And top speed is 8mph with a tail wind. Outdrive is an SP-C. Are there any motors that will bolt right up/in that would NOT require a transom modification? I don’t want to take the boat out of the water. Plenty of space to work in the engine compartment...

thanks!

JD
Click to expand...

Most house boats have displacement hulls and as such have a limit as to how fast you can push them regardless of HP.
Per any number of online calculators...If your boat is EQUAL to or SHORTER than about 27 ft (Length on WATER LINE not overall), then no amount of HP will get it to go faster than it's going now. IF over 27 ft then there is room for improvement.
If over 27 ft, then the HP required to get to maximum displacement speed (or hull speed) depends on the DISPLACEMENT (actual loaded) of the boat. There are on line calculators for this.
 
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The SP-C is an AQ series drive, and will lend itself to the Borg Warner components.
With B/W components, you would be able to adapt most any engine that is B/W capable.
You would need a B/W flywheel cover for the new engine.
You would then need a B/W -slash- Volvo Penta PDS adapter housing.

The issues re; doing this;
..... the house boat hull is a displacement hull, and is not designed for much speed.
..... the lower drive unit is geared for the small 4 cylinder engine (2.15:1)
..... in order to install a different lower gear unit, the hull would need to be out of the water.
..... in order to install the B/W -slash- Volvo Penta PDS adapter housing, the hull would need to be out of the water.
..... the single exhaust down tube would need to be changed if a V engine is installed.
..... the exhaust down tube replacement requires the hull to be out of the water.



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