1996 Ski Nautique with a Chevy 350?

[ToFastToCare]

I am looking at buying a 1996 Ski Nautique OB I saw for sale. I talked to the owner and he said the motor is a 350 Chevy with fuel injection. There are no picture of the motor to try to identify it, and I haven't been able to find anything online refering to a Chevy motor in the 1996. I have only found GT-40's in the 1996. Does anyone know what motots were avaliable in 1996 and if it is possible to have a FI Chevy 350 as the stock motor?

Thanks!

[GCSuper]

I don't know about the older Nautiques, but we bought a Ski Supreme new in 1996 . It had a Chevy 350 that was I think a throttle body injection, not fuel injected. It ran fine but once warmed, it was always hard to start after it had been parked for a short time. Had several mechanics work on it but the problem never was solved.

[pj]

i just took a quick read through the '96 owner's manual on this site. Looks like there was an "Apex" motor option in '96 that would have been based on the chevy 350 block.

[swc5150]

It would be the Apex. That was a nice engine, just not as common as the GT-40. They started the Chevy transition with that motor, as at one point, there were only so many Ford motors left from the supplier.

[ToFastToCare]

Thanks for the replies, I looked at the sales guide and the Owners manual. I didn't see anything in the sales guide but at the end of the owners manual they had information on the PCM engines. I found the APEX engine and A TBI engine. Those are both fuel injected motors. I just need to figure out which one this boat has. There is a lot of good engine information in the owners manual.

[swc5150]

The chevy TBI would be extremely rare in that year boat, but possible non the less.

[ToFastToCare]

It is a TBI motor. The owner says it looks like it has a carb on top of it with wire running to it. It also says Pro Ski on the motor. Is there any reason to stay away from the TBI?

[AirTool]

It is a TBI motor. The owner says it looks like it has a carb on top of it with wire running to it. It also says Pro Ski on the motor. Is there any reason to stay away from the TBI?

No. GM made millions of TBI engines. I have a 93 4.3z engine with TBI i bought new and that system is flawless still today. It starts quicker than any engine I've ever owned. The idle is smooth and response is fast like a carb. It has sat for months at a time and fires right up. Until I bought my 2010 F150, the 93 is the only vehicle of the three that the check engine light doesn't come on.

I have a 99 5.7 with the vortec "psuedo" port injection and it has been inherently problematic. I'm about to change the spider over to the upgraded design to fix the rough idle and misfire. I wish that engine had the TBI or the marine injection system.

[nms1991]

Airtool the upgraded fuel system is what PCM uses on the 02 to 05 excalibur engine for that truck. And I agree that the GM tbi system is a very good system as it is the same system that was used on their trucks for years.

[AirTool]

Airtool the upgraded fuel system is what PCM uses on the 02 to 05 excalibur engine for that truck. And I agree that the GM tbi system is a very good system as it is the same system that was used on their trucks for years.

I probably mislead you. The autos have a fuel block and a hosed spider to each port. The upgrade moves the coil/solenoid for each injector from the block to the port/injector assembly but each injector is still under the plastic upper intake cover and the injectors are still concealed by the cover.

The marine engines (w/o TBI) have a real fuel rail and real injectors external to the manifold. The upgrade I mentioned does not apply to these engines. (At least that is what the 2002 manual shows.

[ToFastToCare]

From the few post I have been able to find about the TBI 350's, it sounds like the in the marine application they are somewhat problematic and difficult to get parts. I also read that they are less fuel efficient. These are probably all compared to the GT-40 which sounds like a great motor. I would imagine that it is more fuel efficient than a carb and easier to start. The owner is asking $9600 for it. It has 800 hrs and has been well taken care of and maintained. I found a conversion on skidim.com for ~$550 so that is always an option if i don't like the TBI.

[AirTool]

.... I found a conversion on skidim.com for ~$550 so that is always an option if i don't like the TBI.

can you post or pm a link to the conversion kit?

[ToFastToCare]

Carb Retro Kit, TBI PROTEC

http://www.skidim.com/searchprods.as...t_on=&sort_by=