anybody, know a good site to decode a mercruser engine serial tag? been searching for the last 3 hours and haven't got anywhere.

tks, Drago

 

there is alot of knowledgeable people on "iboats.com" you might try there

 

What kind of engine is it?

 

it's a 351W Mercruser 233 hp on the valve cover, I have the # off the serial tag,(1498475) and have tried Mercury Marine's website, but b/c it's older then 1980 they cant decode it

 

What do you want to know? You know it's a 351W, and 233HP, what else is there?

Just kidding.

Looking through my books, I see that serial # 4173000 looks to be the start of the 351W 223HP motor... So your serial # doesn't jive... or at least, they don't make aftermarket parts going back before serial # 4173000...

First, what are you trying to do?

 

I went back and double checked the #, and yep that's the # on the tag pop riveted to the back of the block....,and just looking for a little more info on the engine, year,etc so I know what i can mix and match with.

I'm gonna put in in my bronco, replacing the stock 2bbl w/ a 4bbl, and so and so forth just make a little more power out of it. btw why no vacuum advance on dizzy?

 

I think there may be no advanced because usually you don't adjust speed that much on boats. I'm not sure how well the mercruiser would work in a car, usually these engines have cams optomized for extended WOT HP

 

No vacuum advance on boats... Why? Unnecessary.

I think you're better off getting casting numbers from the heads and the block, and posting them in the small-block Ford forum lower in the list of forums. If nothing else, you can narrow down years based on the part numbers - the first 2 digits are the year, encoded as:

First digit:
B=1950's
C=1960's
D=1970's
E=1980's

Second digit: second digit of the year, so D4 would be 1974.

I can't recall anything offhand besides the oil pan and MAYBE the timing cover or water pump being slightly different given the same-year auto application.

 

I'm pretty sure it's a early/mid 70's cuz its got a 3 bolt balancer on it.