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540 EFI Build-up Thread

linn said:
How long do you think the stock bravo 1 will live at 6200 RPM?
Click to expand...

I don't run that fast except for short bursts. I run Bravo Shop Neo synthetic oil in it too. I am getting a drive built first thing in the spring. Hopefully a -2 shorty as well. Most drive guys I have talked to said keeping the torque out of the low rpm and spinning them faster is better for the drive than massive power peaking at 5000.
 
linn said:
How long do you think the stock bravo 1 will live at 6200 RPM?
Click to expand...

Quite a few of the guys I have talked to have said that RPM's aren't as hard on a bravo as I thought. I know I was worried about it at first, but talking with Bod at Marine Kinetics when we were designing my LSX cam, he said its not that bad... to a point. He told me, my bravo should be fine spinning my motor up to 6800, I just have to be careful if I get airborne. Torque is the real killer of a bravo.
 
illMATTic said:
Is the big block ok to spin that fast?
Click to expand...

If it is built for it it is. Designed for peak power at 6300. Rev limiter set for 6500. .120 wall pushrods, fully stud girdled roller rockers, isky tool room endurance springs, and high rpm hyd roller lifters designed for up to 7200 rpm. Not your typical bbc build here, she was designed to spin that fast for a long time. Fully 4340 forged rotating assembly.

You would never want to do this with any stock BBC.
 
How is the 540 holding up? Any new performance numbers to report?

The cam specs you posted on PhotoBucket are no longer available. Any chance I can take a look at them?

Anything learned from the build you would do differently today?
 
gakambac said:
How is the 540 holding up? Any new performance numbers to report?

The cam specs you posted on PhotoBucket are no longer available. Any chance I can take a look at them?

Anything learned from the build you would do differently today?
Click to expand...
I got two good years out of that engine. Second year started to get it dialed in. Ended up with a lot less prop than I would have imagined at 23p but it would spin that right up past 6000 and best I saw was 78 GPS and still accelerating with 4 people, full fuel tank, and two coolers. Prop was never labbed and wasn't ideal but was close. Needed more cup to really get boat flying, took a ton of trim but did run well. I could have broke 80 easily if I could have kept a power steering belt on it. Struggled with pulley alignment all summer. Everytime I would get past 6000 the belt would throw off. Thank god for the external hydraulic steering. Wasn't planning on selling the boat this spring until I had a great opportunity on a much larger boat so I never did get it dialed in.

I have the complete motor still and am actually listing it for sale this week for pretty much 50% of the parts value alone. PM if you are interested.

Lessons learned:

1) I wasn't happy with my oil system plumbing, too many sharp 90* bends and some tight turns I think gave me some elevated oil temperatures. I would prob spend the money for a take off HP500 thermostat and system. It never got past 260* running hard with synthetic, but I would have preferred it to stay below 220. The anti-cavitation oil pump may have contributed some to that as well. I's prob switch it to a standard Melling HV unit.

2) Would have gone to full dry exhaust tails. I had a sticky exhaust flapper and got the slightest reversion. Not enough to ever milk the oil, but enough to pollute the oil a bit. Oil temps always evaporated moisture out.

3) Had I kept boat another year, I would have taken engine to dyno with experienced tuner. The Holley system was great and worked well but could have used some fine tuning by someone with more experience.

It was a great learning experience and I did end up building one heck of a motor. Because the build process took a long time due to life circumstances, it became a "screw it, I'm building a dream motor."

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
 
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