Since a 29 with a 500EFI spins a 24 - 25 Hydro Q-IV, you may need to change to a 1.65 drive ratio to get into a decent prop range, if you switch to the 496. I would ask if that is included in the "swap", too. I think its ability to get up on plane with the 496 would be dismal, at best. They're not *stellar* getting up on plane even with the 500's. I've had 3 29's, and the best one getting up on plane was the one with the 575SCi.

A 29 with 496 HO, is going to be slow, like 65mph, you will loose HP but you will not get the rpm's for top end. Fix your blue motor, or trade up. Like this if every thing would match up.
http://www.offshoreonlyclassifieds.c...o24447-en.html

WILL

Agree with Jim - Keep the 500!!!

A 496 HO will hit around 65-67 or so under normal boating conditions. I would not do it in a boat like a 29 Fever.

Straight from Fountain (if that's acceptable to you), the 29 hull year for year was just a tiny bit faster than it's sister 27. The 496 HO ran 71 ish stock in the 29' hull while the same engine ran 68ish in the same year 27' hull. The 496 engine is an okay idea i think but comes with some fairly large caveats...

The Blue Merury 500 has a way better bottom end (rotating assembly) and a considerably better but not perfect set of heads. The 500 is stronger in my opinion but is also not close cooled. Lots of little differences that add up and it's best for the buyer to carefully make his own decison.

Don't forget however, that the 500 headers are WAY expensive and you can NOT use them on the 496. Without starting a p_ssing contest on purpose, I'd say that 3K to get a 500 back to stock with some type of warranty on labor and parts for the repair is a better choice unless you want to go Raylar and/or spend way more than 3K to get on the water again only because of the engine you currently own.

I blew up a 496 and have learned alot about them from both, my own experience and through the very courteous and helpful team @ Raylar. I'd seriously suggest talking to some people and carefully weighing it out. The more I think about it, it's a big decision actually...

Racerngr1. I'm better on the phone if you want to drill me. I'm only offering friendly, sound advice. I DO NOT claim to be an expert. God what did I just sign up for - - - - :hitfan:
760-522-0202

Alright I am going to stick with the 500EFI. It looks like the shop was able to fix the problem so it hopefully won't be a huge deal.

Will 496 headers fit on a 2005 502???Or is 500 a really a 502?

Would someone be interested in selling a set of headers for a for a 502? I think I may be missing some HP with the gill offshore manifolds. Any input on this?? I trust your advice. SD Fever. You have not steered me wrong yet.

BTW.My anti glare should be in this week. (I 86ed the speaker box) Testing the new prop at Elsinore Friday..
Thanks
-Chad

I don't know anything about your manifolds. Sorry. The 496 8.1L is a different block than the 502 which is what the merc 500 is based on. My comment on the headers in above post was only to emphasize that a good deal of money is tied up in existing headers that would not be able to be used on the new 496 that the guy was asking about.

Putting the 496 in place of his existing 500 would be quite a bit of loot unless they're giving him a really good price for trade in which seems difficult to realize imop.

I think the best plan for 496 owners is to start slowly building up something and buying items as you can afford them. I recomend Raylar but regardless of what you do it will be easier to swallow if you've been doing some prep work. There's a lot of good, fun hours in the stock configuration in the meantime.

I think the 496 is more of a stroker motor that goes faster and faster the longer you let it go where the 502 is more of a low end and right now power motor .

.02

The dealer is probably into the 496 for around 7K, never said if it was new or used. So they get a 500EFI for 7K, put it back together and sell it for 12ish rebuilt.

Keep it!!