Hei, I am going to throw out my -99 7.4 MPI/Bravo One and put in a HP500 carb with Bravo X and have some questions:
1. do the drives have the same cut out and bolts?
2. is there any difference on the inner transom?
3. the drives do they have the same measurements/dimensions ?
4. anybody have a pdf of the original brochure?
5. anything spesial to look for before I innstall this engine?

Thanks...

No major diffrences between the two, it is a plug and play swap unless you go with the offshore front mount wich you probably should.

Hi Hydrolift:
That's the exact same engine swap that I did!! You will LOVE IT!!!!

I'm still running the 1999 Bravo drive, so far without problems, but I do baby it out of the hole, and my boat is small.
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If your HP500 has close to 200 hours on it or more, you really need to change the valve springs. I did mine at 180 hours, just before the swap, and the springs were all very weak, none broken. 1999 was a bad year for the Crane springs, and they will weaken and break. I went back with the Comp 929-16's.
I went ahead and pulled the heads and had a valve job done and had them planed a touch, but they didn't need it. Everything else was perfect.

Mine just dropped right in.
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I always understood that an X drive will bolt right up to the Bravo housing.

Kent

I will go for the offshore style engine mount. This 500 was replaced in 01 on warranty not shore but I think it was only the short block. Does this engine use "gil" manifold, same bolt pattern? I will for a short time have to use the std. cable steering, will this fit the inner transom?

OK, just to get this right. Is the cut out in the transom the same on the Bravo One and Bravo X?

Mudball do you have the spec for the HP 500 no EFI? What parts did MC use in this engine when it was new?

The HP500 carb in 1999 had all the good stuff!!!
The HP/torque is almost identical to the EFI. I personally like the carb version much better. No computers to screw up...

I don't have a spec, but the carb version used Crane valve train components, good steel cranks and rods, forged pistons at 8.75:1, built to withstand offshore racing at WOT all day long!!
The weak link in these engines was the valve springs. The cam is very radical with a very steep ramp, and the earlier Gil exhaust risers were too low, creating reversion problems. Moisture in the valve covers kills springs. Many people reported RUST on the valve springs!!
The valves are the good big stuff. Inconel exhausts and stainless intakes.
These use the Dart single plane intake with a Holley 800cfm double pumper w/electric choke and mechanical secondaries (Note that I removed my choke).

The Gil's were stock. I am lucky to have the taller risers.
Here's a picture of my motor just before installation.
The reason for the crossover is the stock circ pump was leaking. I recommend NOT using a crossover. I had a nightmare of a time getting it to work right with a thermostat.
The billet pulleys were because the stock pulleys looked pretty bad, rusting in several spots...
The stock flame arrestor had most of the silk screened lettering rubbed off (cheasy job by Merc!).

I forgot to mention that everything will work with the new power!
I also had the stock cable steering when I swapped engines.
I do now have full hydraulic steering though...
Kent

And, the exhaust outlets of the Gil's are exactly the same as the 7.4mpi through hull!!

This sounds good, which prop do you use, and what gear 1.5?

Here's the info for my setup:
Boat: 1999 Donzi 22ZX with the step.
Engine: 1999 HP500 carb, top end freshened and installed 15 hours ago.
Drive: Stock Bravo 1, 1.5 gears.
Prop: 28p Stock Bravo 1
RPM: 5,100
Speed: Best of 78.2 GPS (Garmin eTrex) 76-77's every day.
Steering: Full hydraulic single ram XS marine.
Tabs: NONE!
Handling: Rear end moves around above 75 or so when trimming up. (A little scary!) I don't know if this is chine walk....It doesn't feel like it, but it could be.

Plans:
1. Add 19s Victory Tabs (thank God Brian is back!)
2. See what that does for handling.
3. Do prop work if handling improves with Throttle Up!
4. Hope to hit that magic 80 mark!!
Kent