violator

What makes a boat bone stock ? My boat started out at Hawkeye Boat Sales. We bought the boat new in february 2003 . It has the sst package with a 496 Mag HO with a 23 Mirage Plus prop. After the first year I started working on getting it to go faster. The boat ran 67 at 4900 rpm with the stock prop. I sent the prop to Houston propeller. It ran 69.2 at 5,000 rpm . I seen 70 under perfect conditions (low gas 2 people 1 cooler). At this point I decided to buy a stellings extension box (thanks Articfriends ) which was an option from the factory. When adding the box you have to add full hydraulic steering . The box is in the "all the way up". I decided to stay with the standard bravo one x drive with the 1.5 gear ratio . I added CMI sport tube headers and the whipple stage two with the low thermostat which everyone even the professionals say they don't add any power. I tried a 27 mirage plus a 24 bravo 1 and a 26 bravo. I decided to go with the bravo 26 from B Blades labed finished 26. The best I have seen so far with the 26 is 73 at 5500 rpm. The conditions were 50, 15 mile tail wind, qtr tank of fuel and 1 really really cold wife.. Real world conditions, 70 mph 4 people 1/2 tank fuel, 2 coolers. It is finiky with weight. When running with 6 people 4 coolers it drops to 67 at 4800 rpm.

The headers and the stage two are the only things that you cant get from the factory. Saying the computer change is not stock is like saying changing the timmimg and carb jetting is not stock. The headers are in a gray area. Do they help my performace? I did all the changes at once. I sold the factory exhaust so I can't try it with out the headers.

The engine has 409.3 hours on it and runs great. What do you guys think stock or not?

Irishtornado

I consider it stock as I've said all along. exhaust is exhaust on the 496 even Raylar said no improvements are made on dyno running CMI's. Your ECU reflash is a matter of opinion.

You've taken the time to dial in your setup which most don't it runs strong and I've seen it first hand the year I met you in St.Clair.

A.O. Razor

Stock 496HO is base 496HO setup without any mods or upgrades. The Whipple stage two that needs 92-93 octane combined with the exhaust do provide you with extra power. The box which raises your drive about 2" in the top position also help. A labbed prop is an upgrade too. When someone asks about stock power and setup, your boat does in no way qualify for that. Upgrades are upgrades, no matter who installed them. There is no doubt that every once in a while, a good motor and hull comes together, and that particular boat runs a little better than the majority of the bunch. Your original 67 number kind of indicates this. Personally all the 25OL's I've been involved with and been around have run 64-65, and the best I've seen is 67.1 with a labbed M+ 23".

I still say that the 25OL with a 496HO or 502MAG on average as an everyday number runs 63-65. No lab prop, no chipping, no exhaust, no box, no bull.

Keith Atlanta

What are you trying to accomplish?

The reprogram might net you 1 or 2 MPH and some mid range torque. You get the HP from the rev limit increase more so than the timing advance. I ran stage 2 and never ran 92 octane but did try to run at least a little high test when I put gas in. The problem is that with the rev limit increase you run the risk of losing a piston. That being said, you dont have any internal mods like a cam or heads so you might be safe. I did a lot of changes and didnt implode one of mine till 600 hours.

Irishtornado

I'm curious you have alot of knowledge of Baja boat setup. Where did you get all this knowledge? I'm not picking just more curious.

A.O. Razor

No problem. Valid question indeed.
One of the main reasons why I've been aroud Bajas, is because up here in Denmark where I live, boats are rediculous expensive. So the "cheaper" so to speak widely distributed brands, Baja, Searay, Bayliner ect. is what there has been a lot of and I've been around. Friends, family and myself has at some point owned a Baja, some still do. I'm kinda the boat nerdish type who ever since I first got a wrench in my hand and understood a little about prop pitch. setup and so on, offered a helping hand where ever I could get involved. First time I got really into it, was with a summer job at the local Merc shop 24 years ago when I was 13.
I find it to be very interesting and a lot of fun to get involved, if needed, when anyone I boat with or around, set up their boats. It's a great way to learn about this stuff.

Irishtornado

Great to hear. Thats pretty much how I got into boating. Been around it since I was 5yrs old. Dad liked me when I was younger cause I was small and could grab a wrench and hold the nut in those tight spots. Pretty much been a do it yourself guy since I was a kid.

A.O. Razor

Haha. Nothing like being held by the ankles, down the bilge head first. That way you also learn to work on things upside down

29 OUTLAW

In my opinion, your boat is not stock.

articfriends

iTrader: (1)

Steve, just read your thread, I am real happy to hear box DID give you positive results! Sounds like you got your boat dialed in pretty well, as far as "bone" stock, sure, you can argue your boat is bone stock, exstension boxes might have been a high end option, so were Merc 525 efi's!
When I say I haven't seen any "bone stock" 25's or 272's running around that run into the 70's with bone stock 496's and 502's, none of the bone stock boats I am refering to had headers, ecu reflash, exstension boxes etc. I'm sure if I run acrossed a 272 or 25 ol that has the same mods or improvements that your boat has it will probably be closer or possibly into the 70's.Dialed in, yep you sure are and if you want to say your boat is bone stock, I won't argue with you. You have one of the faster "bone stock" Baja's out there , you could probably get your bottom blueprinted too and still consider your boat stock too. My boat is "slightly" modified too, Smitty