500 efi question

chase8 · 09-10-2009, 05:58 PM

Could someone tell me what is considered high hrs on these engines. Looking at a used 2001 flame with 386 hrs on the engines. What would I be looking at cost wise to freshen them up when needed. Thanks

jima97 · 09-11-2009, 12:19 AM

200 - 250 it should have had the top freshend up. Or coarse for the right deal you could have that done yourself. Great boats I had an 01 myself. Check this out.
http://unlimitedmarine.com/boats-details.php?id=283

Linster · 09-11-2009, 01:20 PM

At 400 hours you will need a total rebuild, Might as well out it in the budget. Need Lifters, rings, bearings, springs, gaskets. DIY for $2500 an engine. You pay somebody else, probally $4500 an engine. Only DIY if you know what you are really doing. DIY not knowing, $7500 per engine, you still be paying the guy who knows what he is doing.

Great Boats!

chase8 · 09-11-2009, 05:49 PM

Linster,

Where did you get the information on the 400 hr figure? I spoke with a guy at Arizona Speed and Marine who stated he's seen these engines run just fine with better than 2000 hrs on them. He said a lot depends on how they have been run and maintained. Recommended a compression check etc. Thanks

Steve Zuckerman · 09-11-2009, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chase8

Linster,

Where did you get the information on the 400 hr figure? I spoke with a guy at Arizona Speed and Marine who stated he's seen these engines run just fine with better than 2000 hrs on them. He said a lot depends on how they have been run and maintained. Recommended a compression check etc. Thanks

That's not realistic. They way these boats typically get run, 300 on the heads/valves/springs/lifters is plenty. The bottom end will last longer if it's properly maintained. Even there, I would not go beyond 500hrs. @ 2000hrs,

, I want what he's smoking

........
Steve

CB-BLR · 09-12-2009, 01:09 AM

Merc says 400 hours max between rebuilds on my motor. Being that the typical performance boater puts about 60-100 hours on their motor a year, that would put your re-build interval at between 3 and 5 years. This seems completely realistic.

I plan upgrades and/or maintenance on the motor just about every year.

Chris

J.B. Marshall · 09-14-2009, 08:18 PM

It absolutely depends on how hard they are run, Merc assumes that you are running these at WOT and you will probably wear & stress everything out by 200-250 hrs.

You can also get over 500 hrs on these motors if you are not hammering it very often, hard not to want to do but I know many guys who have well over 4500+ hrs on these motors without any problems. just my .02

Linster · 09-15-2009, 09:18 AM

JB, I think you meant 450+ hours on these. I have seen people get 400+ but the biggest problem is Mercury used the GM head gasket. On every 500 EFI that I have rebuilt, over 15 now, the head gasket is about to blow. I used cometic on all rebuilds. The rings are GM low tension metric. They crumble on disassembly. I replace them with Speed Pro regular tension. Springs are the big enemy also. I see a few broken inner springs often. I guess the answer is do you take care of it during the winter or hope to not break until the end of summer?? Any way I agree how you run it determines. Most people I know are WOT.

J.B. Marshall · 09-15-2009, 11:58 AM

Oops... Yes 450+ Thanks for the correction Linster. It is always temping to want to run at WOT.

chase8 · 09-16-2009, 04:09 PM

Linster,

Are you the mechanic that did the rebuilds on Jima97's Flame. I have been talking with him, and I spoke to John at Unlimited about it. Sounds like a real nice boat for a 2001. I guess the drives have not been freshened. What would you recommend where they are concerned? Thanks