Assortment of questions LouC

Jdpber · **Posted:** Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:01 am

ric wrote:

Just take the EFI off your 5.0, throw on some heads, intake, carb, and you'll be well over 400hp. Should do at least 70 and scare the piss out of you.

Doing this and going Carb is an available option but for the $$$ as i have non of the needed parts laying around almost renders it not cost effective. BUT it is an option along with a SC that is in the available options list on the table at the moment. My main issue with SC at the moment is i have not been successful in finding a way to tune the computer as all of the mapping will need tweaking. And the stang SCs are dime a dozen and all over the place for a few hundred.

I know this SB ford has plenty of potential it is simply what do i want to do.. and i am a GM guy. I can work on the ford but i know the GM motor multiple generations and Duramax in and out much better than the fords....

Their is a beautiful Baja islander in town on the lake. I am going to go by his dock and show the wife this weekend maybe i catch him while he is home..

70 in my horison would be great as long as it does not walk uncontrollably, ONLY ONE WAY OT FIND OUT hehe hehe.

fast boats do not scare me i have drive off shore race catamarans over 150s (friends of my dad) and the speed is adrenaline to me not fear. This is why i sold my sport bike, i have a heavy throttle personality). plus their are speed limits on the land and that sucks.

Yet another reason the water is superior to land.. NO SPEED LIMITS

kd4pbs · **Joined:** Thu Sep 05, 2013 10:34 am **Posts:** 350

Megasquirt is the way to go if you want a decent tunable ECM. There are also tools to tune the MEFI ECMs. One doesn't have to use a Fjord ECM on a Fjord engine.
Then again, thousands of people are uninitiated, take the "easy" way out, and just rip the EFI off in favor of a carburetor, because that's the way Dad did it / it's easier / my buddy said that would be the best way to go / you can't tune an EFI system / it's less expensive than EFI / those computer things are always failing / the gremlins done got in there and it will never run right again / that black box right there has a case of the vapors / it's the sole reason why it won't start sometimes... or any number of other unenlightened reasons for going to a carb from EFI.
Heck, with today's technology, one could build and program a complete EFI system with an Arduino that would work decent. It would be a ton of work, indeed, and require programming skills, but that's why there are pre-made alternatives.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:51 am

I know about Megasquirt.
and by no means an I afraid of EFI. personally i prefer an EFI marine engine over all it is smoother response and operations.

I have logged over countless hours driving around wight he laptop tuning and tweaking my truck for optimal MPG. I have an '04 tahoe lifted on 35s that gets 17-18 city and 19-23 highway between 65-70mph. the 19mpg area happens with BIG hills and mountains or when i am over 80. flat land 75mph is 21-22MPG. these are better than stock numbers and i have a lifted 4wd on big off road tires. The upgrades to my truck engine and most of all the tuning more tuning and tune some more has brought me for 12/16 to 17-18/19-23 today.. now this is well over a year of tuning periodically combined with how i drive.. how heavy you are on the throttle is the key.

But yes i could SC and do a stand alone computer that I can tune. thats just one more thing to buy.. would be gold to EFI LIVE and pay the $99 for the comp code and use the software that i already have that was $$$. but i have not ruled out all the options as this over all seems to be the best power:$$ ratio..

and a blower motor is alway that much cooler. i am a big fan of boosted motors..

ric · **Posted:** Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:48 pm

Megasquirt? Is that a joke? I really hope so. Go with a reliable fully tunable system direct from General Motors: MEFI 4. $1200 for the ECU/harness.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:01 pm

the FAST XFi unit is what my buddy has on his BAJA after he just clarified via txt.. Like anything in life their are always more than one way to get to the finish.

ric · **Posted:** Thu Jul 24, 2014 2:08 pm

FAST makes a nice one. I'm partial to haltech personally.

kd4pbs · **Joined:** Thu Sep 05, 2013 10:34 am **Posts:** 350

Sounds like you have it covered for sure, and a forced-induction engine is indeed a fun thing to play with. Not as fun to tune, due to the much higher chances of causing major damage leaning it out too much, but fun nevertheless, no matter what aftermarket ECM one utilizes.

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Fri Jul 25, 2014 11:42 am

Speaking of the hulls and the hulls only, I think you need to look at the different generations of hull that FW made.

The Horizon name came into use in the 80s and is a very different hull design than your 94. The original Horizon was just a typical "deep V". Same hull as the on the Sundowners and Liberators. This basic hull wasn't much different than that used in the mid to late 70s. A little less flare in the bow but the running surface is essentially the same.

In 87-88 they moved to the hull design like LouCs. This had an integrated swim platform and a low bow, but the running surface wasn't much different than the 80s hull.

Then they went to your hull design...the first of the "Stable V" hull design. This has the rear hull extensions/pods under the swim platform. The "Stable V" design limits speed and the ability to put appropriate tabs on the transom.

My opinion is that as you approach 60-65 MPH with that hull you will start to get squirrely and it will start to walk.

But the only way to find out is to try it. I'd say if you have the 454 and an appropriate drive, drop it in and see what happens. I think the biggest issue you will have is the weight of the BB.

LouC · **Posted:** Fri Jul 25, 2014 12:41 pm

That's a good point on the differences in the hull designs, I have seen maybe 1 201 Liberator of my year vintage (87-92?) with a 454/Cobra cone clutch and I always wondered how that hull handled with that much more power and rear end weight. The 201 Lib and the H-200 both had the same lower hull in those year ranges....
A 377 cu in small block @ 340 hp and 425 ft lbs would be the ultimate for boats this size, but would probably need a Bravo drive unless you already have a Volvo SX. It would weigh the same as the 350, but have close to 100 more hp and 100 more ft lbs of torque.....

I will say this hull design handles rough water very well and has has a soft ride, with a 21* deadrise at the transom.

http://www.michiganmotorz.com/377ci-str ... p-545.html

deafwish · **Posted:** Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:04 pm

I also think that a longer hull would be more efficient for higher HP engines.
Mine already starts to walk at nearly 55MPH but is much faster through the chop than most newer bowriders.

usje141 · **Joined:** Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:22 am **Posts:** 78

Just an FYI, here in Michigan there is a speed limit of 55mph on all lakes other than the Great Lakes, so no sense in pushing the limit if you boat up here. Just saying...

Jdpber · **Posted:** Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:11 am

usje141 wrote:

Just an FYI, here in Michigan there is a speed limit of 55mph on all lakes other than the Great Lakes, so no sense in pushing the limit if you boat up here. Just saying...

another reason i dislike Michigan... that is pure stupidity... at least the pontoon boats have a chance to go WOT lol.

Serious do the police have radar guns on the water? Or is this one of those "quote" guideline speed limits.. because you have now given me even more reason to not boat up in Michigan... this weekend i am sure that i saw easily 10 boats running over 100 this weekend.

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:30 am

Jdpber wrote:

usje141 wrote:

Just an FYI, here in Michigan there is a speed limit of 55mph on all lakes other than the Great Lakes, so no sense in pushing the limit if you boat up here. Just saying...

another reason i dislike Michigan... that is pure stupidity... at least the pontoon boats have a chance to go WOT lol.

Serious do the police have radar guns on the water? Or is this one of those "quote" guideline speed limits.. because you have now given me even more reason to not boat up in Michigan... this weekend i am sure that i saw easily 10 boats running over 100 this weekend.

What are the other reasons you dislike Michigan?

There is a speed limit that is enforced and followed more liberally than that on a road. A rural road with no traffic and a 55 MPH speed limit? That is the same as a large lake with little traffic. You get into a busy weekend with lots of other boats and the enforcement steps up. You run safely out away from shore and in control at 65-70...no one even blinks. You try to run 55 near shore in with mixed traffic and you will raise attention and likely get a visit from the Sheriff.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Mon Jul 28, 2014 10:38 am

Michigan is cold and gets lots of snow and cold and did i mention its cold.. need i go on..

Toddely · **Posted:** Mon Jul 28, 2014 1:59 pm

And did we mention "Go Bucks" . :wink:

www.iFourWinns.com

Assortment of questions LouC

Who is online