1) The basis for the 540 Ford kit is the rotating assembly with a fin- ished Durocast crank 240 Ford prepped rods. Venolia pistons and pins. Childs & Albert rings and AOL bearings, The final bore and stroke are 4.500 and 4.225, and the compres sion ratio is 10.5. 2) The crankshaft on the right is from a pro- duction 460 Ford. Notice, however, the smaller offset journal on the other crank. The large three-inch main journal size adds con- siderable strength by adding a lot of main journal to rod journal overlap. 3) A production 240 Ford rod and a fully prepared 240 rod. which is 6.800 inches long and uses ARP bolts. 4) Drew Backlund favors UltraDyne's roller cam, which ports 290- 300 degrees of adverv tiseo duration and .700 lift. Lightweight Crane rollers, lsky springs and retainers and Smith Brothers pushrods keep the valve train intact. 98 - HOT BOAT - APl-llL 2001 ply an additional 40 to 50 psi to the rod bearings at 6,000 rpm over what your oilrpressure gauge says. After you are fin- ished grinding and prepping your crank, micropolish all the jour- nals to 2.1220 and clean them. On the rods, don't let the small size scare you. They are forged from 6415 steel and are tough and light. Plus, you will end up with a rod 6.800 long (an excellent rod ratio). Magne- flux and polish the beams, change the bolts, and recondi- tion to 2.2750 bore and 6.800 long using a .990 pin. Drill a .125 hole in the pin and for pin oiling.(There isnoneedto install 7.500 rpm in an 11:1 offshore engine with no failures. Venoiia Pistons, which are a reverse-dome 25cc dish and a 15degree cocked squench, have excellent flame travel and swirl. The pistons are set at .0080 clearance measured 1.100 demo from the oil ring. A temperature of 75 is ideal for checking bearing and piston clearance. Chilos and Albert rings (zero gaplype) work the best. Gap the top ring at .020, check the second, and oil it for proper gap. Aemble with ATP, not engine, oil. Depending on what head is 1 used, the Venolia pistons will bushings in the small end of the yiekt a compression ratio of 10.5 rod.) We have run these rods with 7577mm We have DREW MARINE 540 ll!!! TEST ENGINE SPECIFIBATIBIIS Short block type Cubic inch Bore Stroke" Cylinders .. CID... 537.6 Cylinder heads. ig block, fully ported ' Large valves Rod Length 5.800 Rod Ratio 1.61 Total Timing .38 degrees Exhaust .. ch Primaries 44nch Collectors Silencers. Compressmn Ratio Cam Solid Roller. Rocker Ratio . intake Valve Exhaust Valve Intake Manilold. Carburetor 'Indicates peak torque d no.5epower.