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525 EFI Reliability, Maintenance, Overhaul Questions

Old 03-23-2010, 10:21 AM
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Default 525 EFI Reliability, Maintenance, Overhaul Questions

Newbie questions here.

I'm new to big boats and looking at a few 40' express cruisers. I'm trying to understand the operating and maintenance costs of 525 EFI motors. Can anyone point me a page or thread that might help answer these questions?

- in a EC boat, how long (hours) should I expect a 525 to run before an overhaul is needed?

- what's a full rebuild of a 525 typically cost?

- how much should I expect to incur in regular maintenance running a pair of 525s?

- does the use of Bravo One XR vs. Bravo Three XR factor into this?

- how long should I expect the drives to last?

- does one typically rebuild or replace outdrives?
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Old 03-23-2010, 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Ben Diss
Newbie questions here.

I'm new to big boats and looking at a few 40' express cruisers. I'm trying to understand the operating and maintenance costs of 525 EFI motors. Can anyone point me a page or thread that might help answer these questions?

- in a EC boat, how long (hours) should I expect a 525 to run before an overhaul is needed?

- what's a full rebuild of a 525 typically cost?

- how much should I expect to incur in regular maintenance running a pair of 525s?

- does the use of Bravo One XR vs. Bravo Three XR factor into this?

- how long should I expect the drives to last?

- does one typically rebuild or replace outdrives?
with basic maintainence, 525efi can last for several hundred hours before rebuild. These motors are just about bullet proof, if you take care of them.

mercury can rebuild for around $9,000. im sure local motor guys can do it for less. IMO let Merc do it.

Basic maint is minimal. change the oil, plugs, impellers once a year. Winterizing is minimal. drain the water, flush and fog the engine and treat the fuel. I would say 4 man hours at most. plus parts.

Drives should last for years if you dont tear them up on the bottom. And if your easy on the throttles.

They are generally rebuilt if the cases are in good shape.
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Old 03-23-2010, 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted by BRUCE SEROFF
with basic maintainence, 525efi can last for several hundred hours before rebuild. These motors are just about bullet proof, if you take care of them.

mercury can rebuild for around $9,000. im sure local motor guys can do it for less. IMO let Merc do it.

Basic maint is minimal. change the oil, plugs, impellers once a year. Winterizing is minimal. drain the water, flush and fog the engine and treat the fuel. I would say 4 man hours at most. plus parts.

Drives should last for years if you dont tear them up on the bottom. And if your easy on the throttles.

They are generally rebuilt if the cases are in good shape.

Thanks for the info. This is very helpful. Coming from airplanes, it's hard for me to wrap my head around an engine that needs a tear-down after a few hundred hours. We cry when we we're forced to rebuild a perfectly fine engine at 2,000 hours.

Outside of fast boats, would a 525 tend to last longer? How uncommon would it be for a 525 to go 1,000 hours?
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Old 03-23-2010, 01:56 PM
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For a 40' express cruiser in European waters, I'd look at Volvo Penta D6-DPH diesel packages, hands-down. 1,000's of hours, no sweat.
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Old 03-23-2010, 06:24 PM
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Originally Posted by C_Spray
For a 40' express cruiser in European waters, I'd look at Volvo Penta D6-DPH diesel packages, hands-down. 1,000's of hours, no sweat.
Thanks. I'll be keeping it on the Hudson and boating on the Jersey shore and LI sound areas.

I see some boats with Penta D6-350s. Same thing?
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Old 03-23-2010, 06:39 PM
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[QUOTE=BRUCE SEROFF;3073321], 525efi can last for several hundred hours before rebuild.
QUOTE]

Several hundred? I think that number should be doubled.
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Old 03-23-2010, 06:49 PM
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Follow-up question: All other factors being equal, how much more would you pay for a diesel?
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