i have a 1995 mercruiser 454 that got swamped out, is it worth rebuilding, 4 bolt, 2 peice rear, has some rust no scoring cylinders look great. crank rusty, heads need gone through. how much am i looking at. needs pistons, rings bearings of course rods look good. boat came un tied and drifted found the next day on the rocks. cool story so i would like to use it but dont want to spend much. help thanks

If nothing else, you've got a good foundation to start with, provided there's no serious rust damage.

If it is a mercruiser block I would definately try to use it....the marine blocks have a higher nickle tin content....that is actually designed for marine use....better made blocks in general

Nordie,

Not sure where you are getting your info, but there is no difference between a marine block and an automotive piece...The OEM's literally buy purpose built crate motors more than 90% of the time...1995 should be a Tonawanda 454, nothing special about it....

But still have a good platform for a good running dealio...

GT

time for some research, cause i was always told otherwise! i really hate to argue the matter with you, but it was something i ran accross a little over a year ago! i wouldnt make something up out of the thin air, but maybe i have been wrong, once again though i wouldnt just make it up!

I have run literally hundreds of block numbers and have never once been able to confirm it. A Volvo 280 270HP is actually a GM LT1 crate motor (I have the engine from one), the 454 from a 1993 330HP Mercruiser is a Tonawanda motor (built near Buffalo n.y.), the OMC stern drive motors are almost all just GM industrial crate motors..most of them didn't even have a marine specific camshaft...TRUE STORY...LOL

Now in years passed, Kiekhafer (Now Mercruiser), Grey Marine, Wakesha (bought out by Volvo Penta), and Chris Craft (among a few others) did have some high nickle content blocks, but it had nothing to do with being marine, it was their age and the fact that they were considered "performance" engines...The nickle in the castings started to diminish due to cost and environmental concerns...

GT

I agree with GT on this....No diff. between auto & marine block.....Just the internals/clearances change.