I put one on my boat, hardest thing was drilling and tapping the holes in the intake, not easy lying under the boat.  I got some in kind of crooked. although they don't stick below the surface of the shoe.  I haven't had time to really check it out since some engine issues sidelined my testing, but first impressions were this:  At lower speeds, up to 30 or so, the boat seemed to drift at the ass end a little more than it used to, not much but noticeble, turns tighter with the plate.  At higher speeds it tracks a lot straighter even with the jet up and turns a lot sharper at speed, almost lost the cooler and refreshments at one point where before it would make a much more sweeping turn, can't really tell you about how the ride changed since I wasn't out in the chop.  Had it set at 4 degrees up, was going to play around with it, but again was cut short.  Don't know  if it helped or hurt speed any since I had a new engine in the boat before I took it out with the plate, one of these days I'll take it off and see what difference it makes. 

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/boa/908197062.html

Not mine, don't know if he has the adapters for the heads, which they need and are a pain to find, there are a couple different ones, Stahl adapters, easy to find and don't fit the headers pictured, Hooker/Bassett adapters, very hard to find.  Rewarder makes some that don't require plates, as beerjet stated a call to Jet Boat Performance should be able to set you up with some of those. 

18ft Marlin Barracuda, not sure whos' hull it's splashed from, 383 (SBC), 5000 rpm, A impeller, pumps tight, 70 gps, two adults, one 5 year old and a cooler. 

I worked in a parts store for a long time and people with motorhomes and a selector switch always had this issue if they tried to charge both, that's why they have the isolator (I sold a lot of those), it keeps the batteries seperate as they charge with a series of diodes.  You use the switch to select which one to use for starting.

I have a 383 small block and it turns a new A impeller 5K.  The hardest thing you will encounter is finding the exhaust for it, especially if you are looking for OT headers.  New they are pricey and available, used very hard to find since they are uncommon in jet boats.  The bellhousing will be the same, you'll need a small block front mount if it's a 4 point mount system, if it's a 3 point in the boat now it might work with a small block.  I'd line up the parts before you commit to that, it might be just as cheap to slap another big block in there, that stuff I see all the time. 

Detent shifter, can't use because it is too close to the side on my boat when mounted, it would work just not so well in a panic situation.  It's used, was anodized blue originally but most of that is worn off and I tried to polish what was left off.  I painted the mounting plate the color you see it now.  Used so sold as is, $55.00 delivered to your door before it goes on Ebay.

Most Olds engines I've seen have non adjustable rockers, they use a bolt that is torqued down, from the factory they have an aluminum pivot that is prone to wear, if your hearing rocker noise I'd take the covers off and inspect all of them, if you have replaced all that with an aftermarket adjustable setup you can disregard what I just said.

It's more amazing that a front sump pan didn't give you any problems in a jet boat. 

Napa should have that.  Otherwise try a good hardware store.  If none of those pan out I've probably got one laying around that you can have but I won't be out that way till the weekend.  (I'm in Redondo, boats in Diamond Bar)

I'd hope .060 is in reference to a piston bore size, bearing clearances should be in the .002 to .003 range.  I ran 10-30 Mobil 1 in my jet (SBC, I know, but the boat came with it) for the better part of 15 years.  I ran 15-50 when I first went to synthetic, but switched to the thinner oil after a couple years.  The bottom end was stock GM, every time I had the pan off, which was only a few times, I took the liberty of checking a couple bearings and they always looked mint, and in fact that engine was still running strong when I pulled it over the winter and replaced it with stroker small block, which will get 10-30 synthetic after I get some hours breakng it in. I had no difference in oil pressure between the 2 weights.  I have a FE powered Mustang with some pretty loose bearing clearances and if I run 10-30 in that I lose about 10 psi of pressure and it's noisy, so I have to stick with 15-40 dino oil.  Me personally, I'd give the thinner oil a shot and if your happy with the pressure on a long run when it's hot use it, else go back the the thicker stuff. 

I think even if that wire was on the wrong side of the ballast it whould still stay running when the starter is released, it is there to bypass the ballast during start so the coil gets a full 12 volts while the engine is cranking.  You need to find the lead off the ignition switch that is hot when the key is in the run position.  How many wires do you have hooked to the ballast?

My boat and 4 cars all have an Optima battery.  The oldest one I bought in 1992 when they first came out, it's in my Chevelle which usually only drive in summer and it holds it's charge still (and to be honest I'm amazed it works still since its 16 years old).  The one in my boat is the marine version and I bought that in 1996 or so.  That one I've had to charge a couple times, you can't charge them quickly, usually the lowest amp setting overnight does the trick.

Is this for car or boat?  If it's a boat I would run the 15W-50, since marine engines are pretty much under a heavy load all the time.  I've been using synthetic in some of my cars (Toyota Tundra and Jeep Wrangler) and my jet boat for more than 10 years.  In a couple of old cars I have, 68 Malibu and 69 Mustang, the synthetic doesn't work as well but those engines are old school builds and I can hear the lifters clatter a little with the synthetic so they get dino oil (if I ever build them again the engines will be run on synthetic).  I've had the Chevy SBC in my boat apart a couple times and having run the synthetic it's very clean inside, no gunk anywhere. I use Mobil 1, because it's been around a long time and also it's readily available at a reasonable price, but I'm sure others will chime in with their favorite.