GT 40 vs Excalibur 330hp engine

[vtjc]

I am researching boats for my next purchase, which will be used on a small lake for slalom course skiing. I am focusing on 196’s and will have about $20k to spend. I am finding boats from 97-03, which straddle’s the time (2002) when PCM switched from Ford to Chevy blocks. People on this forum and elsewhere seem to hold the GT 40 in high regard. I have listed a list of positives and negatives for each motor. Am I missing anything? If they where in comparable boats, which would you buy?

GT 40 310 HP:
Positives:
Long History of excellent reliability
Low end Torque
Negatives:
Production of Marine Ford Blocks Ended in 98, last PCMs sold in 02
Jasper remain Marine Long Block(with heads) is around $3,000

Excalibur 330 HP:
Positive:
Currently sold, or recently sold
Slightly More HP
Possibility of converting ECU to E-Controls for Zero Off
Complete motor still available
Negative:
Reduced low end torque
Later model boats cost more $

[swc5150]

Both engines are great. Either version that has been well maintained will last for many, many years. I've had 3 Excals (GM), and not a single problem. One more plus on the GM is that you can plug it in to find out the true hours, if necessary. I'd buy the cleanest and best maintained 196 (in your year/price range) I could find, regardless of motor.

[east tx skier]

SWC5150 hit it on the head. As much as I love my GT-40 and all it's rumbly mid-range torquey goodness, I wouldn't have turned down a boat that had the excal in it. One other benefit is that you can, for a price, make a Zero Off System retrofit into an old Excal. Not so much with the GT-40.

Time for the engine pr0n.



250 hours on it and not thinking about a rebuild for quite some time.

[Chexi]

^ *drools*

[surroundsound64]

Man that looks clean, Doug!!!

Not having ever worked on the GT motors, how is the ford to work on? anyone have any experience with BOTH? The chevy is eeeaaasssyyyy, would guess the ford is also but just be interested to know.

[Mikeski]

My 1995 SN had a GT-40, my current 2005 SV211 has a Excal 330. For a Ski Nautique either has plenty of power so that's not even a concern. If you asked the same question for a SAN I would prefer the GT40. I feel the Excal runs a little smoother and quieter than the ford, in a direct drive that could be a plus.

Both are based on a long line of truck motors, both are very easy to work on. I know the Excal is a 2 bolt main, not sure if the Ford lower end is stronger but I don't hear about guys having issues with either.

[east tx skier]

The GT-40 is basically the same, if not easier to work on than my old Indmar 351 HO. The easier part is getting to those rear spark plugs on the GT-40.

[DanielC]

This is a very circumstantial observation. I think the casting walls are a little thicker on the GT-40 engine, and it is slightly more tolerant of being in freezing weather than the GM engine. But do not use that statement as an excuse to not drain the water from the GT-40 if you think it is going to freeze.

I have 2360 hours on my GT-40 engine.

The horsepower number only matters at max RPM. Here is a dirty little secret. The max torque of an engine is determined by its breathing ability, and the displacement. To increase the horsepower without changing the displacement, (or forcing air into it) you have to shift the speed the engine makes maximum torque higher in the RPM band. This reduces available torque lower in the RPM band.
In a Wakeboard boat, you need the torque at a low RPM. For slalom skiing, low end torque is not as critical. If you are a barefooter, you probably would be happier with the high horsepower, high rpm engine.

One advantage of a lot of newer marine GM engines. They have a roller camshaft, and it is easier to find motor oil for them.

[horkn]

yes, the GM's have roller cams, but you could put one into the gt40 as well.

Why they didn't put roller cams in the gt40 makes no sense as many auto versions were roller cams on 302 and 351w motors. Oil with the proper amounts of zddp is not a problem to find, and that gets easier every day with more and more oils / additives available.

The ability to check engine hours on the GM is a good thing, and the timing that the digital gauges were on boats with ford engines and very few GM motors does make buying a boat in 00-02 a little more frustrating as the hours probably are not what the gauge says. CC didn't handle the "recall" of those gauges properly, and that is why so many boats still have those old gauges on them that usually don't work.

GM parts are less $$ than ford parts. That's always been the case. If you were looking at a v drive, the distributor is in the proper place, but on a Direct drive it is in the wrong place. the more advanced versions of PP would be another plus for the GM, but few really need that.

I would rather take a GT40 any day over a GM based motor for many reasons. The gt40 is a stronger block, and is easy to work on. I've had a couple GM motors including one 350 fail catastrophically at relatively low miles. I wouldn't let a "few hp deficit" allow you to think that the larger displacement motor puts less power out of it. You can easily add more power if you want, but you really doubtfully would need more.

[east tx skier]

Agree. I have had no trouble finding motor oil for my GT-40. Valvoline VR-1 fits the bill and is readily available. Also agree that for slalom in the era of SN you are considering, you will not want for more power and acceleration than you will find with the GT-40 mated with a power plus 1.23:1 transmission.

[vtjc]

Thanks for the great info! I will continue my parallel search. Jamie

[sstexan]

Exhaust Note on the GT-40

Nothing sounds better than a GT-40 when you first fire it up...I miss that rumble. My ZR 6 sounds so sissy compared to my old GT-40...

[Surfsmith]

Exhaust Note on the GT-40

Nothing sounds better than a GT-40 when you first fire it up...I miss that rumble. My ZR 6 sounds so sissy compared to my old GT-40...

I miss the rumble of my former GT-40 also...

[DanielC]

If it is just exhaust sound you want, 502 python is the engine.

[AirTool]

If it is just exhaust sound you want, 502 python is the engine.

For tone, is it really the engine or the exhaust system ( or lack of ) ?

Now, I know you won't get a rumble from a 4-banger. It just surprises me that the 350 and 351 would sound different when they are bacially the same from a combustion standpoint.