you just gave a wide range of motors. Of course if money was not a factor I would go with the Zul or Sterling, but that would end up costing more. The 500efi's are good motors, but the 525's were to replace them. The 496 for 10k less seems like a very good deal, however something tells me after you start adding parts to that motor to match a 500 or 525, the 3 year warranty will no longer be good.

according to Raylar a set of heads alone added to the H.O. will already put you beyond the 500 EFI in H.P. and torque.. for A LOT LESS than 10 grand,,, and if it makes you feel any better, I'll buy you can of merc. blue spray paint.. :D :D



P.S. if I had the cash for Zul's or Sterlings why even bother mentioning the H.O. ?? it certainly is not an option for a 42 footer,, unles you wanna run around WFO @ 60 mph..

I'm going to weigh in here. If the 496 is all you can afford to put in a 42 then go for it!
The 496 is not all that bad of a motor. In fact with the closed cooling and other features I believe it is a much better motor than the 502 ever was. Yes, there have been failures in the motors but not anymore than the 502's.

As far as the Blue motors go, If I got a good enough deal on 500's then I would pony up. Otherwise, I am having a custom motor built. Pfaff, Teague, Zul etc.


It all depends on what you want and what you can afford.

makes sense Mirageman...Ho's if that is what fits your needs and for anything above and beyond that then go see Pfaff...Teague...Zul...Sterling...Cobra...

you don't get enough bang for the buck for "blue" ...

...500efi at 10k over HO's may not be a good spend either...

502 mag's were bullett proof and a thing of the past price-wise anyways...my opinion

...just wanted to show that 496's have some great features but I was gonna buy them and may later add a blower and many sources said not to do that....

Scott
Sorry your stuck with Amsiol oil and filters, Mobile one and the AC -PF series glass media filters work just fine for us.
Raylar:D :D :D :D

Two questions...
1. I didn't know Mercury ever had their own "Mercury Racing connecting rods".
Are you sure these are not a GM rod?
2. So, Mercury Racing designed special piston, I assume just for Mercury Racing.
Does J&E know about this?
LPA, Not sure where you got the info from, but if you want to see how the 496 handles higher horsepower or how it would stand up to possible upgrades, look at all the teams that ran the GM Vortec HP-3. Like I said before, we ran the SNOT out of those things! And now, the new HP-3's are running close to 530HP<or more?> and running very well.
Also, Don't think the Mercury 525's didn't have their problems last season.

Gordo, not sure whose forging the Merc rod is based on, but it has Merc Racing machined into the beams and they are very very pretty.

They began appearing first in 575SCi's and 525efi's. I'm hearing people say now that they are showing up in 500efi's too, although I've not had any HP500's apart that weren't carbed, and they didn't have em.

I came to see the ho's.:D

I saw! :D

You want to get in my box! :eek:


























Okay. :p