I have a '74 Glastron with 350 hours on it. It was powered by a 302, 200 hp V-8 ford, Volvo 270 drive. I bought it new and we used to live on a lake hence the few hours.

In the meantime I had bought a new crate mid 90's Explorer Long block which would give me roller tappets and GT40 heads (Below). It is a beauty.



I rounded up some OMC EFI components and thought I would put together an EFI Explorer 302 engine.

Then I got the cautions from a local mechanic. Marine engines, I was told are fit with looser tolerances because of the lower block temperatures. I was told that the explorer would last only a few hundred hour.

Then I found the old 302 was in pretty good shape with hardly a ridge in the cylinders. It's weaknesses were that it was an older engine, it had a Glastron. One of its weaknesses is that it has a log style exhaust manifold with "Glastron" embossed in the casting. Nobody seems to know much about it and gaskets seem impossible to get, that is gaskets beyond the ford head bolt-up manifold.

In the meantime I decided that the boat EFI is too complicated to retrofit (I put them on Ebay, if anyone is interested." Now, I wonder whether I should stick in the later Explorer engine or go back to the original. I think I could get a few more horsepower out of the Explorer plus have an newer engine. I had previously bought a Lunati Boat cam with std lifters.

So, here I sit, wondering which way to go. Rebuild the older engine or go to the newer one. If you could tell me more about the 1995's explorer I would appreciate it. I guess it has a roller cam, gt40 heads, etc. Would the Lunati Cam work on the explorer?

Ideas, anyone? Here is your chance to throw in your two cents and help me sort this thing out.

Jim
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You can still achieve your goal but may have to go a different route. I have a 94 PMC which has a ford 351. It came with the GT-40 heads and a Holly throttle body EFI. It pumps out 310 HP with a pretty stock sounding cam. I think you could work your heads or find a set of marine GT-40 heads (these have water passages that match to the exhaust manifold to keep the exhaust cool. PCM started putting port injection on their 95 and later 351s using mostly Ford parts. There should be plenty of these systems to retrofit on to your 302. The problem you will have to work thru is that most early marine EFIs will be speed density systems and will need computer mods if your performance mods are big.

Automotive EFI will look for a O2 sensor input which most marine engines don't have because of water being mixed with the exhaust.

 

I have heard the 351 makes a great boat engine. Professional Products makes a pretty nice looking EFI system for reasonable cost. They are checking into a marine version, but like you say there is the exhaust sensor placement problem.

Then there is the distributor system linked in with the control module. The professional products system takes that into account with a slick distributor that you can set easily from the outside with a twist of a ****. I understand that you pay about $3k more now if you want EFI over carburetion in a new boat.

It would be nice to round up a PCM 351, for sure.

Jim

 

Whoever told you that the engine clearances were different was full of sh**, I worked for Holman-Moody Marine years ago and the engines were identical, excepting for accessories, which was installed to the boat builder's or customers specifications. I assume you are talking about the gaskets for the exhaust risers and if thats the case you can have them mafe bu any of the custom gasket makers on line. I would use the crate motor as you already own it, derustisize it and paint it with GE's Glyptol paint, it will last for longer than the boat. Most of the engines we provided to Donzi, Nagnum, Formula and others used the Jabsco Water puppy for water pumps, available from Grainger.

 

Thanks for the tips. The engine has been sitting for a while. Would you recommend getting oil to it with one of those shafts that replace the distributor to drive the oil pump? Also, I wondered about the camshaft.

I will look at Grainger for the water pump. They really nick you for marine parts. I remember finding that an old Mercruiser I had years ago took a Chrysler U-joint at a fraction of the cost.

Jim

 

Yes put oil in it if it is empty. If it has oil in it you can use a speed wrench or 3/8 drive drill to drive the oil pump shaft and get oil through the bearings, lifters and rockers, Uou will need a 1/4" drive 1/4" deep socket taped securely to an extension to reach in and dribe the pump, the camshaft will not be touched. The stock cam will be fine for your use. It would be a good idea to squirt some light oil into the spark plug holes to keep the rings from seizing in the bores. Also the Jabsco pump works off the crank pulley and you block off the water pump with a plate if you go that way.

 

I will do that. I bought one of those drill attachments anticipating this. Do you know which way the shaft rotates?

The new engine has a serpentine belt, the old a v-belt. Is it a lot of trouble to convert to the serpentine?

I looked up the Gyptal at Eastwood who happened to be having a 25% discount at this forum. I just need to find something to remove the rust before coating. I wrote eastwood to find out. Would you recommend brushing or spray?

Thanks again,

Jim

 

Other things: I rounded up a 50 oz. flywheel and will make sure the dept is the same. I assume that it will need another starter since I believe there is a different number of teeth. Eastwood had a special on a starter. They showed a manual trans and an automatic. What would a marine be?

I will probably go with a Holley 4bbl and standard ignition to make my life easier.

That leaves one final challenge and that is the funky Glastron manifold that nobody seems to be able to identify. It has Glastron in the casting and I am told boat manufacturers were experimenting a lot in those days.

Jim

 

Please tell me how you insert graphics or images into your text (as the crated engine) at the start of this thread w/o using a URL address? Are there different levels of accounts that will allow this or what??

“A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words” during explanations.

Thanks,
JOW

 

The new engine has a serpentine belt, the old a v-belt. Is it a lot of trouble to convert to the serpentine?

Serpentine is nice but the old style may be easier to use initially. You can change it later after you figure it out.

I looked up the Gyptal at Eastwood who happened to be having a 25% discount at this forum. I just need to find something to remove the rust before coating. I wrote eastwood to find out. Would you recommend brushing or spray?

I bought mine from a GE distributor as I'm afraid of getting a knock off of inferior quatity. The Glyptal paint was developed for use inside the industrial transformers GE built and will withstand high heat and being submersed in oil. I would brish paint it with at least 3 coats for best protection. I've been told that it is available in most colors, The last time I bought any it was available in a kind of dark primer red or clear. It makes a very nice high gloss finish that is easy to keep clean

 

Thanks for the point by point. I will get you a picture of the Glastron manifold and work with the other issues.

Jim

 

Hi wickware,

I am probably not the best respondent for this, but I will tell you what I know. The first thing is to get your image from your camera to your computer and then to an online service. I use photobucket.com. It is free and set up to make connections to others. You can download items to it and then it gives you the option for copying in four different formats. I haven't done this in quite a while.

Once you copy it you can go back to the item you are posting. At the top there is an import icon. You can touch it with your mouse pointer and it will show up. That is where you can import it.

One thing I learned is if you can find an easy forum to post a picture to you can just copy the whole thing and then paste it to your forum and it seems to come through. Also, some of the forums have directions on how to do this.

I am relatively new to this whole thing and it can be frustrating at times, but my daughter seems to just play around till she gets things like this and I have learned that from her.

Jim

 

Hi Moto Mel,

There is a lot to digest here so I will take it and run from here. Thanks for the help. Will keep you posted.

See, I really can do some things. This is the picture of my welding shop. Plus a picture of before and after of a Scotchman ironworker.

Jim

 

Oh, about the boat. I found the picture of the Glastron. Not bad for a '74 boat. Engine is in foreground, also work bench before top was added. I am still having my challenges working with this website.

 

I am relatively new to this whole thing and it can be frustrating at times, but my daughter seems to just play around till she gets things like this and I have learned that from her.

Jim

DOGGONE KIDS! they can do anything with computors. I have to ask them for help all the time.

Oh, about the boat. I found the picture of the Glastron. Not bad for a '74 boat. Engine is in foreground, also work bench before top was added. I am still having my challenges working with this website.

Very nice boat, Beautiful bench