Mercury Motors
 

I was just wondering why most race boats run Mercury motors instade of other brands of motors?

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Read the rule book :(

Re: Mercury Motors
 

NO say it ain't so!! :eek: they are making the rules?? :rolleyes:

Re: Mercury Motors
 

:eek: :eek: :eek:

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Sorry guys just learning about racing and what goes on with it. I never even seen the rules or real new there were many. Ijust thought it would be how could build the fastest boat in its class.

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Thats what it should be!! to bad its not :eek:

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Yeah/no...

Then it would become a sport where "he whom has the deepest pockets wins" vs a sport where the playing field is somnewhat leveled and "he whom has the most skill wins"...

Or in some cases, "she" :cool:

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Once you go black , you never go back!

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Don't count the Raylar Red out yet, we are just getting started!! This is the new Team LaveyCraft HO525 race motor!

Ray @ Raylar

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Looks good you guys, now quit spending so much time on them gas motors and help us Diesel Brothers out. :cool: Jeff

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Has there been any of the 250 and 225 mercury motors breaking of the boats. In our bass tournaments there has been three already this summer and two I no of last year. The motors are breaking of just above the jack plates in the goose neck. Has there been any in the races you no of?There has not been no one killed yet but have been badly hurt. I believe they have some casting problems since that has been five just in the bass tour that we fish in!!

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Fishing boat ya say. Found the problem, there allergic to the boat. :D

Re: Mercury Motors
 

For the dowm low on Outboards you will get a better response on www.screamandfly.com :chimp: Im not sure of the "gooseneck" failure you are talking about but there has been some issues with sport master lowers on 300's talked about here. Is this a midsection issue? or steering?
Sorry Im slow :drink:

Re: Mercury Motors
 

A friend had a 225 EFI some years back that broke off a 17 ft speedboat going at WOT. The boat was being thrown around real bad as it broke off, but he was lucky and only got some minor bruises, so he was OK. The engine was hanging behind the boat in the cables after it broke off. I couldn't believe it when I saw it. I helped recover the engine, and looked at the casting where it broke. Couldn't believe this could happen. The outboard was out of warranty, but Mercury did cover his loss and claimed they had never heard of this before and wanted the outboard to be shipped back to the US for inspection as to why this could happen.

Re: Mercury Motors
 

First rule . Grab the evidence against you ! :D

I've wondered about casting problems lately myself on I.O. parts . I use to work in a foundry ,without constant attn : weak parts get out real quick .

Of course as an owner its youre job to keep an eye youre equipment . I tap around my gimble ring and listen for tone before each run .

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Franklins,
Mercury is the only OEM that consistently fields a racing/high perf division. Other OEMS, could, and some (OMC) have, but it's an expensive proposition.
And yes, once you go black, you'll never go back :D .....
Here's one for you.
Steve

Re: Mercury Motors
 

I agree that as an owner it is your job to keep an eye on your equipment, but to actually check for casting issues before each run is probably beyond most people if you are running standard Mercury products.

Re: Mercury Motors
 

I did not POINT out Merc, but mine is a merc now that you bring it up . In the last year or so I've witnessed a lot of gimbal failure thats why I check it . It takes two seconds while i'm making the usual rounds ie , checking ram bolts ,and any steering component's .Also My method is not a fail safe . But you can hear a fatigue part fairly easy just by its tone . I use a pickle fork it has great tonal response .

As a kid in the 70's I was in a drag race (at national trails ) and lost a left front tie rod end . It made a mess of my weekend (and my pants :D ) So I have been cautious since then . Checking and re-securing parts on the boat is part of the fun of ownership to me . Kinda' like waxing youre new car in the driveway . :cool:

Re: Mercury Motors
 

I am sorry, I did not mean to point out anyone.
What I meant is that I think most people do not check for casting problems, and simply do not know how to do that, and do not expect any. This includes myself by the way, I do not check my gimbals before each run, but I tend to do a lot of checking in the engine bay before and after a run.

Re: Mercury Motors
 

You are right about people do not check out there boats!! I have learned alot my self about that to. On our outboard motors you should check the jack plate and motor mount bolts about every second time out. They should be at 80lbs and we find them losened off quit often. Most people would never even check the bolts once a year.

Re: Mercury Motors
 

I am kind of an outboard guy and I am confused. A "JACKPLATE" is not part of the motor or a MERCURY product but an ad on between the boat and motor. I have NEVER heard the term GOOSENECK in refrence to any boat / motor part. As far as the "NEW" outboard a good friend of mine installs over a hundred a year on his center console fishing boat and the take a BEATING at 60mph plus on an 8000lb boat. Much more so than a "BASS BOAT" at around 4000lbs? I've never heard of ANY CLAMP BRACKET faliures from them over the last two years.

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Just for the record: My friends Mercury 225 EFI was attached directly to the boat (no jackplate). And it was the "swivel bracket" (is that the right term ?) as part of the mid section of the outboard that broke. The swivel bracket broke off in the top part of the swivel bracket. Unfortunately I did not bring my camera so we have no pictures of this.

Re: Mercury Motors
 

It is in the OSS Supercat and Extreme classes. :drink:

Re: Mercury Motors
 

I was just wondering why this line of questions went from race engine manufacture to upper housing failure on Bass boats.........?

What exactly is your point? If it is to smear Mercury bass boat motors on an Offshore forum, I wonder why exactly.....?

Mercury, like all outboard manufacturers has a warrantee department because things do fail occasionally, and, yes, an ounce of preventive maintenance is worth a pound of after the fact cure...

In the meantime, Mercury is the best game in town for the spec engines currently mandated by the various racing organizations. Over the years their considerable engineering budget and R&D have given us everything from racing sterndrives, EFI, and readily available racing propellors,to onsite race trucks and support, to a nationwide service and Warrantee network for high performance engines and drives....

Mercury may not be perfect, but they have been there, through thick and thin ...for decades...and without the vision of Old man Kiekhaefer and his corporate creation...... our sport would be drastically different...and , I submit, for the worse.

T2x

Re: Mercury Motors
 

I simply asked these questions because I see you guys run the motors. I did not no why this was since it is all new to me!! The reason I asked about the motors breaking of is because I know you guys would put them to the full test. I am not meaning to nock mercury I am just speaking the truth for what I have seen. The motors are letting go and it has nothing to do with the jackplate. I may not be saying the right term of the motor part but I think it must be the motor clamp bracket. When they fly off the motor bolts and bracket are still there and they are breaking where the 90 turn is before the pivet point. My friend just got out of the hospitle last week from when his let go. He has a big gash in his head. Last year when the one brock off in Detorit Rive it brock a girls leg and nocked out the guy. Thank god for life jacket they were thrown out of the boat and the guys wife swam over and rolled his face out of the water. These where the only two times there has been people heart. The other 250 just fell of my other friends boat and in down in lake St Clair. This motor was only used about 4or 5 times since he justed bought the boat. (It was a 2006 modle)
So you can see I am not just making this up, but just wondered if you's were having the same problem!

Re: Mercury Motors
 

are you referring to outboards or IOs or both?

Mercury motors, IMO are nearly bullet proof, very reliable and affordable. I come from a build your own motor, race class and can tell you first hand, the Mercs are a pleasure to run.

In racing, there is a million ways to cheat. if there is a will, there is a way. Even merc motors have proven to be juiced, but were eventually caught.

In SVL, we chose to run the blue motors as a class. They are affordable, reliable easy to police and Merc support at the races is absolutely necessary.

Some Innovation/ GM Vortecs still run and very well, but must be replaced with Mercs for 07.

Since the 500, 500efi, and 525 efis were introduced I only know of a couple that were fried.

Raylar...

Dont take this the wrong way, your motor looks like a sweet unit, however I doubt very much you will see it running in the super series any time soon. Have Brian and Kevin talk to me about it.

Re: Mercury Motors
 

I didn't know they made anything other than a Black Motor!!!

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Bruce, relax..........we just put a freh coat of blue paint on it. :)

But seriously, this is the new motor for the former F1 boat. Since we are now racing it in the P5 class it will be a great avenue to introduce the Raylar engine package. Like Mercury, its time to prove itself on the race course.

The motor is based on my 496 which had a cracked block. Using the Raylar engine trade-in program I got a nicely upgraded engine with power equivalent to the blue 525. This motor package offers significant savings over the blue motor package and Raylar is willing to sponsor a contingency package and offer race support if there product becomes spec class legal at some point in the future.

In the mean time I'm just gonna hammer this motor and see if its worthy of future consideration. Ray may regret putting it in my boat :eek: :)

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Maybe because you know what your getting with a set price and no b.s..cause you will get it now...cause ther will be no issues....cause there is more than one service center..and a warranty even if it is just 90 days..the list is endless ....pleeeeze...sounds like the hottest deal around!!!!

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Hottest Deal Around? Not even suggesting it. A viable alternative when repowering your boat - hell yes!

Mercury Racing makes a great product, race proven and as mentioned service centers and warranty support. All are great reasons to own Mercury Racing products, our SVL is Mercury Racing sponsored and their support is highly valued and appreciated! You are trying to pick a fight where there is none.

That being said I am happy to be working with Raylar and am excited to put their motor out on the race course and see how she runs. I don't know many other viable options you have when you need to rebuild/repower your 496 and keep the costs a fraction of the cost of a new blue motor..........pleeeeze

Re: Mercury Motors
 

I hope you stick with it . The sooner more "Reputable" builders get involved ,the sooner the prices will go down .
Brian oughta' be able to beat it up for ya' on the west coast all rite . :D

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Jazz, do U have 1 of them thar cigar stink boats?? :p :eek: :evilb:

Re: Mercury Motors
 

Franklins.
In my years of hi-performance boating and racing I have always doubled up on mounting nuts on mounting bolts,preferably loc nuts,also Loc-tite thread lock could'nt hurt.This should prevent any backing off or loosening.
Good luck.