+1

I was kicking around the idea of CMI's (for the sound and bling as I don't really care about the extra 1-2 mph) but my mechanic recommended I leave it alone. The boat is kept on a lift and he felt the turbulators were a good thing.

Still trying to figure out how this would affect anything when it is stored on a lift. I remember you telling me this before.

I'm certainly no expert and he was talking over my head half the time, but the way he explained it was you're more likely to get condensation when the boat is stored on the water. The turbulators are there to collect and burn off condensation before it gets back into the motor....at least I think that's what he was telling me.

I am no expert either however this may be a case of overkill by Merc. I read somewhere that the turbulators only came into play when a boat was used at very cold temp such as just above freezing. This would make sence. Maybe someone has some more insite on this.

That's my understanding as well; if you only boat in warm weather it isn't an issue. In my case we actually do go out in cool weather sometimes, was in the high 30's to low 40's last Sunday when we got on the water.

What is a turulator??
 

No, thats correct, turbulators are there to collect condensation and burn it off when the engine is restarted.

A boat slipped or stored over water, especially around salt water where the condensation can build up and drip down onto the stock iron head valves and such that are steel and not stainless.

This type of condensation buildup can rust exhaust valves, intake valves, valve faces, valve seats and cylinder walls and quickly damage an engine with compression loss, sticking valves and such.

If your boat is a trailer queen that gets flushed after every use and is stored dry then the turbulators can usually go with no real problems from condensation.

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

I have been reading this thread and the tubulator rings are located under the riser. you can remove the riser ,remove the rings and reinstall with new gaskets. This is similar to gutting a catalytic converter.

So do I really need them? I boat only during summer months...May thru Sep.....boat is stored on hoist.....inland fresh water. I have been debating the new CMI's but would I expect to possibly see some damage?

If it were my boat and it sat on a lift over the water for a few months or so, fresh or salt, and it had stock iron heads I would leave the turbulators in.
Get our Raylar aluminum heads with our special valves, seats and guides and you won't need turbulators at all!
You'll also have a lot more power!
Put CMI's on a Merc 496 with captains call, silent choice etc, or drop type s-tubes to clear intergrated transoms and I can just about guaranty stock iron head valve and cylinder water and rust damage.

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

Thanks for your input Ray! You may have saved me a lot of trouble down the road....and a good down payment on a Raylar package if I still have this boat when the warranty runs out. :ernaehrung004: