'99 Baja 272 w/HP500
 

I'm looking at purchasing a used 1999 Baja 272 Islander with a
HP 500. Supposedly, motor was gone over approx 2 years ago and about 150 hours ago. Compression is great. Motor looks and runs awesome and sounds even better!

Are these motors reliable or do they require alot of fine tuning and tinkering? Are they extra thirsty compared to a regular 502/415? We'll mostly be doing cruising (with an occasional burst :p) and probably alot of idling (because of the canal systems and no wake zones).

The only problem I have found is a corrosion hole thru the transom plate, which trickles water back into the bildge. The dealership is fixing it. No damage to the transom. Should the hole be patched and put back together, use a regular Bravo transom assembly (to save $$) or just buy a new HP Bravo transom plate?

Corrosion bad enough that there is a hole through the transom plate????????

Never heard of that. How do you know the transom isn't wet???? Did you have moisture meter test done??? It could still be wet, even if its solid.

That leak may be coming through the upper pinion. Not sure I worded that correctly. But it needs to be torqued down on a regular basis. If not it will work loose and eventually allow water to seep into the bilge. (Happened to a buddy of mine.) Once it gets to that point the only recourse is a new transom assembly.

That boat should rock with a HP5 in it! I had one with a 502 mag. Fun boat! But once we formed the HRPA and started making day runs across the Ches Bay I got tired of trips to the chiropractor every Monday morning so traded to a 34.

But with these gas prices, I'm starting to think about going back to a single...or twin clip ons...

I got a 2002 25 outlaw i'll sell you! heck, i'll even deliver it to ya for FREE!!!! it's got a 496 HO and never seen salt water. :) that's all the input i have!

Yeah, the boat is pretty fast and fun! Once the outer transom plate came off, it's apparent that the factory overtightened the two transom plate bolts that are the second ones down from the top. What that did was make the transom have a slight indentation where those bolts were. The must have held up for a while. But I guess the seal was not as tight as it should be and finally started to let enough water into the transom plate to wear it was able to start corrosion. There is only two corrosion spots on each side (by the bolt holes) that are a little smaller than a dime. Interestingly enough, the transom is completely dry and solid.

A fiberglass guy is going to fix the indentations and we are looking for a used outer transom plate.

Rode on a friends of mines 25OL with a carb HP500. Lots of fun sure was different than when I had a stock 502 in my 25OL. Only thing I have heard is make sure you have good gas, no knock sensors on a carbed HP500. Stock Bravo should be fine all around that is what they had back then just taking it easy out of the hole of course. They also had external steering back then on the ones with HP500's, enjoy.