Here ya go..

HP500 Bulldog Specifications

Propshaft Horsepower: 470 (350 kw)
Displacement (Liter/CID): 8.9/542
Cylinders: V-8
Bore (in/mm): 4.44/113
Stroke (in/mm): 4.375/111
Compression Ratio: 8.6:1
Fuel Requirements: 87 Posted Octane (R+M)/2
Full Throttle RPM Range: 4800-5200
Ignition Type: Thunderbolt V
Alternator (amps/watts): 55/776
Length (in/mm): 47.5/1207
Width (in/mm): 32.75/648
Height (in/mm): 25.5/648
Weight (lbs/kg): 1540/699
Warranty: 1-year limited, 3-year limited corrosion

 

the bulldog is a 540...i do not have the specs but i can say from having the same boats...1 with 502/500 and the other with 540/500...the 540's are vastly superior...the torque was all the way accross the rpm range...the seemed to me to be stonger, faster revving, smoother and seemed to have way more balls...and they are an excellent choice if not the best choice imo to build on

 

I love em!!!!!! Both of them!!!!!!!!!!

 

Anyone know what years each was produced?
Bulldogs were around for quite a few years right?
They were both made during the same years were they?
Bulldogs ever come in a fuel injected version? Always carbed?

 

I know the 540s were made as late as 2000, also mine as fresh rebuilds were dynoed at 510 not 470. But they do have a killer torque range. Throws my 28ft right up out of the water. Mine are both carb, dont know about inj.

 

merc rates both the bulldog and the hp at the prop shaft...dyno's are at the flywheel

 

Not if you use one of these.......

http://www.land-and-sea.com/prop-shaft-dyno/marine-dyno.htm

 

Well now you know the diff but I don't know the identifiers to look for.


The more the stroke the more the torque. THat said the 540, since it has more stroke, is my preference.

 

The bulldog was built for durability purposes, specifically for Aronow, beginning with the USA 39 Cat. Since a few other offshore powerboat manufacturers bought a few of them, as an optional engine/drive package, coupled to the #3 SpeedMaster, MerCruiser simply added them to their Hi-Performance catalog. They are a square, tall deck motor, with a siamese block. Apples and oranges, when compared to the standard HP500 of the day.

 

The Merc Bulldog is an exceptional platform for upgrades. Many of these were contracted to the military, hence the overkill on the hard parts. Below are the specs on the engine.

541.9 CID
GM MK 4 tall deck (cast# 14044807)
Block clearance to accommodate 4.375” stroke
Siamese Bore, reinforced decks with blind head bolt holes.
Deck 10.2”
2 pc rear seal
Bore 4.44”
Stroke 4.375”
(With a factory recommended bore range 4.250’- 4.560” there is plenty of room for upgrades)
SCR 8.6:1
4340 Lunati crank
Piston is Wiseco (Merc part #)
Connecting rod is Manley +.400" / 6.535"
Dart Single Plane Intake Manifold

Crane Camshaft Specification Card
Part Number: 13H000036
Grind Number: H-240/329-2-10 T1.2


The cam rates on a 110*LSA, 5* advance
Lift .329” Lobe .559” Valve
Lift .340” Lobe .578” Valve

Specs:

@.0042"
................Opens..........Closes.............C/L...........Duration
Intake.....43.0 BTDC.....77.0 ABDC......105*..........300 °
Exhaust...88.0 BBDC.....42.0 ATDC......115*..........310 °
85* overlap

@.050"
................Opens...........Closes...........C/L.........Duration
Intake.....15.0 BTDC.....45.0 ABDC.....105*.........240 °
Exhaust...60.0 BBDC.....10.0 ATDC.....115*.........250 °

Camshaft Is Ground with .0012" Lobe Taper

Bob

 

hi bob . i got a ??? on The cam rates on a 110*LSA, 5* advance . 5advance is that at the timing gears?? i have mine so the dotes line up

 

I'll take 2...

 

Hi Bob,

Correct, the +5º is ground into the cam at the time of manufacture. So,yes, install at dot to dot, line to line. This is done to eliminate the step of having to manually advance the cam at installation. It does not eliminate the step of having to validate the cam against stack tolerance errors in the keyway, timing set, etc. I have found it not uncommon to find error of up to +/- 5º in some timing sets. The only timing sets I have found to be as near error free as possible are produced by Rollmaster.

Regards,

Bob

 

thanks for the info bob . i hope you have a nice new year

 

Bulldogs still available new from Merc?
Do they, or did they ever do injection on any?

Thanks again

 

Bulldogs still available new from Merc?

Not unless you can locate a NOS engine

Do they, or did they ever do injection on any?

I have never seen an EFI version



Thnaks again

I hear someone had a number of these (from military surplus), however I don't know the current status of them.

Bob