Smitty,
The boat bone stock with the 7.4 mpi (310) hp B1 23p mirage plus ran 54.5mph with two people and 3/4 fuel, I added the 5 psi pro charger and a 24p Bravo prop, I was lucky if I saw 64mph at best, same load 62 seemed like an everyday number. These are gps speeds.

I knew when I put the pro charger on it that it was just going to be a matter of time before it blew up and that was a chance I was willing to take for a few mph, so I couldn't pass up the deal I got on the pro charger. I don't have any rods comming out of my block lol!! But the engine just doesn't sound very healthy, and my oil is Milky so IMO it's junk! 450 hours total the pro charger was put on at 390 hours after I bought the boat. I finished the season and was able to run in a few poker runs so I can't complain to bad I guess.
The way it sounds there is not much speed difference between the 496ho and the hp500, so I guess what it's going to come down to is what motor I can find a better deal on.
Derek.


So winter is here and I am trying to plan my re power.....

One thing I will say if you buy a 496 or the 500 sell the procharger it won't work on either setup. Don't bother SC'n the 496 you'll have the same thing you got now. A junk motor.

Smitty come down to St.Clair in June 2012 he'll be there it ran 72 on GPS turning 5400 rpm's. I'm pretty sure he bought his extension box from you.

My 272 I had would run 70gps light load of fuel with labbed 24p bravo 502Mag 1-2' chop. Last I talked to guy I sold it to was still running strong.

JT I'm sure can verify what I'm saying as well. He took the time to set it up and it's as setup as you can get stock.

Something is way off here. That motor won't rev to 5400 stock. And even if you could squeeze around the rev limiter @ 5150 which you can't, it is way out of puff @ 5400. 72 with stock 425HO in a 25 foot non stepped Baja? No. Was there mentioning of an extension box in that setup as well? Just a wild guess here, but he runs a shorty? Apples to apples here.
Even a Stingray 230SX, with a flatter more efficient bottom won't do 72 with a bone stock 496HO setup.

Derek

There will be between 5-7 mph diff between the 496HO and a 500. Another thing to consider is to get rid of that B1 prop. When repowering, get a Mirage+ or Revolution4. You need bow lift, and these two has much more of that, than the B1 + the big diameter of the B1, is not needed on your boat, epecially if top speed is of any concern.

i agree Apples to apples.not stock at this point

No shorty rev limiter raised to spin a 26p Bravo worked by Bblades runs 70 everyday anyday. It will be in St.Clair,MI. June 2012 show up to see it.
Here's me running 80 and him videoing me from his 25OL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF3Pn...feature=g-like

Razor,

I understand where you are comming from on the prop selection. On my current set up I tried a number of different props including the mirage plus series. I found with the mirage plus it was very hard to stay hooked up but the speed was higher by 2mph, so I chose the bravo 4 blade.... Less speed but stayed hooked up. I go boating around the cape cod area, salt water and very choppy!!!
This revolution4 that you speak of is that a 4 blade prop?

Irish, with a box and some other kinda ecu mods, even if just a little timing and leaned out sure, sure, a guy can run 70-72, I thought you were talking bone stock stuff. Most the bone stock stuff I have ever seen won't break miid 60's, I tried 8 different props when my 272 was stock with 502 mag and found a best ever of 66 gps on fumes, in fall air with a little chop. Would love to meet you sometime, Smitty

http://www.mercurymarine.com/propell.../revolution-4/

The Rev4 is a 4 blade. What I like about it, is that it has way more bowlift than the B1 in stock form and that is very much needed on the single engine OL's, so no need for a labbed, more expensive and less durable B1 for more bowlift. Besides that, it's 14.625" in diameter compared to the B1s 15" dia. The smaller 14.625 dia. is more than plenty on the OL's. The Rev4 might not come on and look as "hardcore" as the B1 which sometimes seem to be the reason why folks choose it, but out of the box, it's by far a better prop for the OL boats. It kinda reminds me of the 17' runabouts with the stock height 150 hp outboard that the owner thinks need a over hub exhaust cleaver prop, simply because the boat is in the performance boat category, it looks cool, and that alone will make it go faster. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this is your reason for choosing this prop at all, but some tend to think that way. And if you did not know about it, how could you choose it. All in all, I'll bet it will net you the same mid range as the B1 with increased top end. Don't worry so much about them being odd number pitch, your stock 24" B1 is actually 23" true pitch. Best thing to do when time comes, is to ask your local prop pusher or some of your boating buds, if they have one to try, and then see how you like it. Bblades also have a test progam.