bajadude,

Yes you are lighter, plus I always seem to have way to much "stuff" in the boat, however I am comfortable. We do live on it on the wekends. Anyway your slip figures are real good to say the least. Yes I am also am aware of those rare great conditions.

jt29olhp500s,

I have not disassembled and checked the springs completely. I am aware of the problems they had however. I have done considerable research on this topic and to the be best of my knowledge using my serial numbers, and other info, mine were made after the problem was corrected. When they started makeing the HP 500 EFIs they used the upgraded springs on it and from that point the upgraded springs on the carbed 500s as well. The EFIs had been released and were out before we ordered our 36.

Hopefully not "famous last words".

Mark

Mark,

How did you trace the serial numbers? I'd be interested in researching mine as well.

Anybody know if there are any visual differences between the "problem" springs and the replacement ones?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jt29olhp500s
[B]33's with blue motors are equipt
with offshore motor mounts,
what you have will work though.
Like bajalion has mentioned,
you will want external steering.

High maintenance, aside from
the bad batch of valve springs
in the 98' and 99' models.
I don't think there any higher
maint. than the black motors.

I was the victim of the valve spring
bug, since then, there hasn't been any
"maintenance issue"

You can't go wrong with either
the carb or efi, both are good units.

GETTIN' BYE and baja dude,
have you guys had you valve springs
checked ? if not, you might want to.

liquid asset,
What's wrong with the carbed 500's :confused:












Nothing if you change the Valve springs and gill's

bajadude,

First I sent a letter to mercrusier. I was shocked and totally astounded when they failed to respond to it.

Secondly, using your particular serial numbers, go to one of the web sites like Bam Marines, go-fast.com, or directly to there parts site, mercruiserparts.com. Once their go to the parts lookup & online ordering section, then to the high performance section. Once there scroll down until you find the HP 500s. then see where your particular numbers fit in, Gen IV, Gen 5, Gen VI, or Gen +. Can also look in each section for each engine, in the valve train section for part numbers to cross ref. from one to the other. At some point one number supercedes another.

Another way,from what I have been told, to tell is by the height of the riser used on the Gil manifolds. The early models in questions, along with improper valve springs, used a shorter rise riser than the later "corrected" models. This is just something that I have been told. Not absolutely 100% on that myself, however I have seen pics of some 500s that do indeed have shorter risers than what I have on ours.

Hope this helps some.

Mark

Why is everyone against gils on the 500HP? I heard that alot but have not heard why?

Mark,

Thanks.

Karl

gil manifolds
 

From what i've read on this site and elsewhere the gil manifolds had water reversion problems on the hp 500 motor. I believe this was due to the cam overlap. The best way to avoid this problem other than to change them out is to keep your idle above 850 rpm.

Garshev is right, and thats why Mercury Racing went to the CMI elbow Tops the risers are to low on the gills for the application

Gil's on HP500s
 

You don't have to switch out the Gil's. Just install the taller Gil riser and you'll be fine (which is what Merc did with the later HP500s).

The short riser gil's are suppose
to have reversion issues, that lead to
condensation issues, condensation leads to
rust, rust is what was part of the cause of
the spring failure, from what I have heard.

I have some question on this theory.

1. Anybody remember the HP465,
remember how they idle?
they ran the same risers, no spring
breakage due to rusted springs.

2. 96' and above 500's have oil cooler
thermostats, that open at 210*,
boiling the condensation out of the oil.

3. The gil manifold has a plate between the
riser and manifold, that I believe gil refers to as a
"turbulator", that is suppose to vaporize water droplets,
if they were to come into cotact with it.

4. I know of a few 95' and 96' models
with hours approaching to 500 range,
still going strong.

5. Mine crapped out the fall of 2000,
I checked them this fall, no signs of rust.:D

My own theory on this is that, since CMI was
mercury marines new primary vendor,
and crane is a current vendor, lets blame
gil;) :rolleyes: :D :D

just my .02
jt