Got the last one of the headers back from CMI today.
My situation involved modified E-Tops due to a narrow centerline distance between my motors...2 of the 4 headers needed to be re-adjusted.
Fred, working with CMI has made sure these are done right and in a timely fashion.

Dave,
How often does Merc recommend the bolts to be checked on the 525's? Do all the different aftermarket exhausts need to be checked regularly?
Dan

Get them tailpipes made and lets go boating!!!
Dan

I was told by a seasoned offshore racer that if you use studs on the bottom row of the exhaust ports, and then use bolts on the top row that a header or exhaust manifold still will not fall off even if the bolts come loose, and fall out. ARP makes nice stainless steel "header studs". Use a little Lock-Tite on the studs when installing them into the head and then use nylock nuts with a flat washer on the studs.

I'm with you Dan.
When I got the pipes back from CMI/Randy they still didn't fit...
Fred got me in touch with Jeffrey at CMI and he and I have made some headway getting them measurements with them on the motors, so they went back to CMI using their Acct # to cover the shipping.
Jeffrey has been great to talk with on this situation and is doing what he can....I still have optimism

I got the tails on. They still reverted some water. It is alot better than my Gil manifolds and risers. If I keep the idle up a bit, I can control it. The water does not make it to the heads. I talked with Jeff from CMI this week. He treated me well and made me feel like he wanted to make sure my exhaust worked right. The outcome is I am ordering dry tails this week.

I have spoke and been working with Jeff at CMI on R@D for mufflers that will meet the J-2005 guidelines, which we are fighting now at loto. to date the only system thaat has worked with power over 850 and 6" dry exhaust has been the new series cmi is just now coming out with. They have technology that I feel confident will get us big hp guys legal. They are committed and are excellent to deal with. Everyone is busy right now in this business, once in a while mistakes happen. I agree with Fred let it die and move on, and enjoy boating. Fred is awesome and he would not rep. cmi if he did'nt believe in them. jim midwest performance marine- loto

I agree with most of what you said here but I would word it a little different. It's not that they don't care but in their business plan they have tolerances built in for CSR load and customer loss ratios. They will try to help as much as possible but they definitely wont lose any sleep over it. I wen round and round with Merc on a bad 496 HO with 50 hrs on it and after they tried to pass off a long block as an off the pallet motor I got lawyers involved and was about to take a bite out of their ass and Marine Max, it was only then that they did the right thing and coughed up a palletized replacement. Big money in these premier companies guys, they aren't worried about losing 1 or 2 of us. Unless they are big mouths like us that will call em out when necessary. have your ducks in a row and tell the straight story ( the truth ) and usually the good guy will win.

Not taking one side or another BUT......Consider the time year they were ordered....the very height of the building and MFG season...I am sure that weighs into the equation quit a bit.....also the shipping errors....they (CMI) are trying to keep up with demand at its peak at that time. Things go wrong and with CMI most of what I hear is very good.....unfortunately you are one of those in a small percentile that got screwed.


Best of luck and keep smiling....when your haulin' ass across the water GROUND vs AIR shipping will be a distant memory

LIOPA,
You are right. It is already water under the bridge. I am moving on.