Engine wear/strain

[sleepyluke]

Not real sure if this is the place for this, but I can't decide if all the ballasts in most boats now put a great deal of extra strain on engines/transmissions (to the extent that is not really the right word, but you get the point) to the point that is there a new engine hour rule as far as when to start being scared of them. I am no physics professor, but on one hand I see an extra several thousand pounds being a great amount of strain on a boat that is rated for 2,000 and loaded with 3,500 plus (people ballasts, whatever for example). The other thought is that it is onle pushing against water and is not as much strain as would be on pavement, as the liquid gives until the prop catches and you are only propelled at the rate it can. Most days people with 2,000 plus pounds of ballast in their boats for sale scares me, but should it?

[jamie_abb]

I had heard that as part of the process where they go from camaro small block 350s to a Indmar marine engine, they are reinforced and made to take a pounding. Maybe one of the moderators could weigh in here.

As far as an engine goes, the Indmars are pretty much bulletproof and that's why their engine is in most of the tournament pulling boats.

On a seperate thought, how many people have had a jet ski engine grenade on them under that stress!

[you da man]

I don't know about Moombas but I towed my buddies 06' Malibu LSV with approximate 275hrs after the tranny and V-drive exploded like an IED. There was literally chunks of metal in the compartment and he was only wakeboarding with minimal ballast. I have not read a single post on here about a Moomba engine or tranny having a total failure due to excessive load

[brain_rinse]

This is why the correct prop is so important. Just like trucks with big tires need lower gears in their differentials, heavy boats need props that are "geared lower" to handle the weight. Otherwise you're bogging the engine and I agree that this would lead to premature wear.