Volga Hydrofoils Messageboard

Hi,

Like described before, the spares came without any explanaiton regarding the connections of the bought equipment. The same problem we have with the Electronic Ignition and its parts. We need to know the correct cable connections for this equipment. Can anybody advise?,

The owner of the workshop where the engine is overhauled is very experienced with US, English and German engines, but has never seen anything like this russian electronic ignition equipment. Where normally Western brands use only 2 connections the russian have here 3. The signs are cyrillic and the letters are nothing what we can give any meaning at all. Can anybody help/pomosht.

There are some more photo of the distributor itself. On it writes in cyrilic Delko Elektrono GAZ-53.

Hi,

We had one Usta (Maestro) coming today to visit the workshop. He measured and connected everything. I think he solved the problem .... atleast this is what we can see here... !

Nice pics. Joro.
usta did a good job, very tidy!
I like the copper tubing for the cooling water.
and if it runs like it looks it will be great!

does the engine have a hydraulic clutch? converter? it looks so. Than this expalins the 405 Kg weight of the engine...

Hi,

Some of the YouTubers might have seen this one, but I decided to put it in again for the sake of listening to the original watercooled marine engine. Here declared as 113 it very much looks the same as mine and the sound is same, too. Enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qi5sjbJM08

Major differences are the header tank, air inlet manifold and the attached gearbox is of other construction, too.

In part 2 of that V8 youtube movie they also rev it up a bit.... nice!

We tried our engine and this with generating more or less the same sound. I understand that the sound issue is related to the exhaust piping. There is no astmathic coughing like in a Ford Mustang.

hay Georg,
U got a "strait" pipe? watercooled?

Yes! As we have the engine now installed in the boat with all pipings and the water cooling installed, we can say the engine has an impressive sound. However it is really not the V8 cough of an American, but a Russian Sound. The reason for this might be the design of the Volga V8, which has a small exhaust manifold and the bends are 90 degrees. The americans use often 'headers' which are bended in a gentle way creating less resistance. This also gives some extra power, as the exhaust gas can easier leave the engine. The bonus on this is the typical American cough.

The GAZ 53L cylinder heads are not well engineered according to what I understand. The inlet manifold is rather flat and has therefore also small diameter suction channels, same with the exhaust. The outer cylinders should have difficulties to be supplied with gas and therefor their performance should be less than the ones nearer to the carburator. The channels of the inlet manifold also showed a very rough casting and the channels were rough like sandpaper. We cleared with sanding some of them but inner sections were difficult. Unfortunately the workshop I had the engine overhauled refused to sand an polish further those inlet channels, saying the aluminium inlet manifold is too thin and they fear to damage it.

All in all the performance of the engine could be increased by 5 - 15% if both inlet and outlet manifolds would be modified or changed. The cost for doing it would probably not be worth it. I come more and more to the believe, that this engine is not worth to invest money in. The fuel consumption and the modifications necessary should create costs, where installing a light modern diesel engine instead should be a wiser investment.

I suppose this is the same also with the smaller 6 cylinder engine ... underpowered and heavy. Maybe this should be an important statement for those, who think of repairing and overhauling one of those russian engines. I invested approximately 3500 EUR or more, but the result achieved is not very satisfactory.

Is the Russian V8 a native design? of was it a spin-off of an American V8 like buick?
An will a buick header fit?? probably not..
Maybe google knows?
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/intake- ... 12462.html

Hi guys,
acc. to Russian engine sites the GAZ 53 engine is a modified Olds design similar to the 3,5 Rover engine found in the Land / Range rover and Rover 3500.
The block is alu and can stand ca 200-250 HP . The version found in the Chaika is the large bore 100/80mm ca 5Ltr ca 200HP.
The engine is good for 500 000 -1 000 000Klm on the road.
E3500 will buy you in Bg a new crate engine with accessories - starter, generator, carburator, ignition.
Plus a head job - increasing the cr from 1:7,8 to 1: 8,8-9,0 result ca. 15-20% power increase, consumptio is lowered too by 10-15%.
The GAZ 53 4,25L needs better headers can be made as a custom order here.
If you need such an engine feel free to contact me.

Christian.