What he said.

Not sure thats true. I think all are and have been aluminum.....I have on 01' with alum and my neighbor has an 04 or 05 with alum....the elbows are SS. I would agree 100% on the save the money issue for the next boat. I just caught myslelf wanting to spend cheese on my HO...so i bought a dirtbike instead.

I will quote the best line I have ever heard on OSO...


Run some boost through them biatches.

I have Forged stock replacement pistons in stock for the 496's You will need them. I have them with the stock wrist pin size or I have the pin bushings and .990 pin size pistons.

I thought they were all aluminum too until I saw some threads on Merc changing over to cast iron. There was one guy that had bought a new 288 Sunsation and was mad that the paint was burning off the underside of his manifolds where they bolt up to the heads and they were rusting there already. I have an '04 boat but my 496 MAG was built 09/2003. I will double-check what my manifolds are made out of, but I'm pretty sure I have some surface rust around the gasket area where the riser bolts to the manifold.

Thanks everyone for your help but after much debate and a nice converstion with Ray from Raylar.I have decided to go with the 100 HP Raylar kit mostly for the fact that I can run it on pump gas and retain the existing exhaust manifolds to keep it quiet when the kids are aboard and around the marina.Beside the great bolt on power I like the fact that it is still reliable and user friendly and that doesnt compromise the short block components.The boat currently runs a solid 74 and with this upgrade should put me at 80+mph .Which for me in this boat is plenty for now.

What's the ball park cost on the Raylar's?

$6400

where do you see this??

nevermind i found it.