XR Drives
 

Anybody out there keep blowing XR's with the 575 SCI engine? I am on my 6th warranty replacement & this is simply unacceptable! I have been stranded from the Lower Keys to the upper part of Lake Travis in Austin Tx. I will not accept this. Mercury has a problem here & they know it. Also my engines smoke like a diesel & foul plugs like crazy. This is also unacceptable. If any body out there has been experencing the same trouble please email me at [email protected]. Nor-Tech 5000 Triples LUNA SEA

i've seen your boat up on lake travis. when the drives aren't broken, how fast are you running? we all thought the 575's in your boat would be the ticket.

Hey denohew,
Why do boat builders install inadequate sterndrives on VERY HEAVY sportboats and expect them to
run under these conditions? You are correct in saying that the 575 SCI needs some help in the idling dept. Mercury Racing will help you with that situation. But you and Nortech are just plain overextending the limits of the XR Bravo I sterndrive.Pure and simple. I had one customer in your position, his 38 foot sportboat
had XR Bravo I which were on standoff boxes and mounted to high on the transom we fixed his rigging problem and has been happy ever since. A matter of fact we have a 50 foot Nortech in our shop right know, that boat is ungodly huge. It has surface drives on it.

I have the XR's on a 32'A/T that weighs probably about 8500lbs loaded with fuel, crew, etc. I'm running a pair of 540's that make about 630hp @5400rpm. I have 50hours on them without incident.

The boat runs about 75 when every thing is working perfectly which is less than half the time using 30 pitch 4 bladers. These 575's are not the ticket but the biggest headache ever! Don't waist your time. I have retained an attorney to sue Mercury & it cost me $5000 plus $250 an hour plus expenses. I KNOW this will help & it is cheaper than coughing up $10,000 everytime I blow a drive after my warranty expires. I am soooo disappointed !!!! The build quality of the NOR-Tech is excellent but the 575sci w/ xr package is a total joke!!! Sea ya, Luna Sea

Oh man, I will let you know. I am running xr drives behind my 37 Active Thunder. The boat is a step hull weighing about 9500-10000 lbs full of fuel and people and being powered by KE 675's. I have talked to KE and he feels comfortable running his motors in this boat with XR drives. I gotta think that the major difference is the weight of the boat, or at least I hope. I have heard of 38 cigs with 600 plus hp and xr drives getting over 400 hrs on the drives to date. I am praying I do not blow these drives.

Hey Goodfella
When I bought the boat Mercury approved the application & I was the first one to try this package. I got screwed!!!!!! I will do the screwing now. Thanks for the reply. Luna Sea

Dear thunderdan
YOU BETTER PRAY REAL HARD!!!!!!! Thanks for your reply. LUNA SEA

Thunderdan you are 100% right Keith has put his 675 SCI
in a VERY VERY HEAVY 13,000 lb sport boat and had nothing but problems with the XR drives. Denohew just rigged the boat with the wrong engine package is that Mercury Racing's fault? I don't think so.:confused:

My understanding is that Mercury approves all installations. Luna Sea