Raylar

You Ring! Here I am chiming in!
The HP525 from Merc Racing is an excellent overall power package and it Should drop in in place of your 496 with minor mods to fuel line hookup and possible slight exhaust outlet hose readjustments and some remount of the front and rear motor mounts to the stringers. I am guessing this is a $2K conversion cost swap at most shops.
The real issue is the expense involved. You might get $6K to $7K for your used 496HO if its late model and low hours,but in this economy there are not a lot of buyers for used 496's. You are going to spend at least $22K-$25K for a good ready to run HP525 complete.
$25K-$7K + $2K = $20K
If you put our Raylar 103 kit on your engine, add a good set of Dana 496 exhaust you will have about 565HP at the crankshaft and a very reliable, long lived, fuel efficient 496-87 octane engine and you will spend about $11,500 total with install and be a bit ahead on power and torque.
Your insurance carrier may like you better too, most now flinch when some boaters list a Mercury Racing engine!
You won't really go wrong with either option, just one tends to be a lot more affordable.
Just my chimes ring'in here!

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

outlawinil

OK guys here is the story on what I want to do. Last spring I sold my 33 Outlaw and was looking to move into a mid cabin open bow boat. Found a brand new 2006 SV30 Challenger and prestige trailer with a 525EFI and an XR outdrive. I got it bought right. I have less than $50K in the whole setup. Mercruiser flew in a service rep and had the dealership go through all the necessary steps to get the engine up to date and put their brand new warranty behind it. Well if you guys don't know the boat, it's a deep deep hull heavy boat that will just never perform no matter how much horsepower you throw at it.

So this spring I bought a 288 Sunsation mid cabin open bow boat. No comparison in quality and features. The Sunsation has a 496HO and just a bravo 1 outdrive. I'm just thinking what a wonderful package the Sunsation would be if I swapped engines and outdrives. I would then have a boat with a engine and outdrive that were both new and I'd know the history of both.

Hope this helps explain what I'm trying to do. Just asking how much trouble swapping the engines would be. I see that the 496 exhaust is about an inch wider overall. Is the engine block and therefore mounts wider and longer. I swapped out 7.4's for 500HP's in my outlaw back in 2003 and it was a piece of cake. Just wondering how much different the 496 is compared to a 502/525 in rigging?

Magic Medicine

I like your thinking! I am sure Ateco in Waukegan could assist you in the swap, the headers and the wiring harness will probably be the main issues. I would call Sunny and see what how they can help with exhaust locations etc.

Gladhe8er

Mahopac Marine took a 2008 SSR MCOB and took the 496/X drive out and replaced with a 525/XR. Boat runs awesome and I dont think it is too much of a pain in the rear. My boat also started as a 496/X boat and now is a 525/XR. PM Mahopacmarine, I'm sure they will help.

Magic Medicine

Good call, Charlie and Tom will take great care of you they are first class guyz!

Raylar

Sometimes I wish you guys would post your actual situation first in the post! A lot of here on OSO are trying to help and these posts that are "as the plot thickens" are kind of a pain when we are donating our time and expierence to just help OSO'ers. Be considerate to others here on OSO and be informative please.

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

outlawinil

You need to go back to the very beginning and re-read the original question. I didn't ask for a 496 upgrade kit. I'm saying I'm dropping in a 525 where a 496 sat. I don't think your comments were very necessary when you weren't sticking to the original toic of this thread.

ZXXX Donzi

That is a good point. You got everything from the actual swap to changing a cam. I think that what prompted Ray to jump in was some reference to him and his products.

I am still reeling from the cam swap comment myself. If we could just do that all the 496 guys would be running around with 525hp.

Good luck with your swap. It sounds like a great idea.

redbud35

Outlawinil,
I just did the same thing you are asking about. I put 525's in my 35 Outlaw. it originally had 496HO's. Here is my .02 cents worth. Make sure you are careful of the Mercury Racing engines you buy, there are alot of take outs that have had the holly sh t ran out of them, if you do this, spend the money up front for piece of mind (you will sleep better at night). Here are some of my experiences, expect to spend a little more than you think or people tell you because I'm sure you will run into something unexpected. The mounts in your boat should be the same match because the castings on a 496 and a 525 are the same. Baja used a Gill offshore mount in my boat and they dropped right in. The exhaust should not be a problem either because most boat builders use the "Bravo" template to layout the holes on the transom, however, I think you asked about your original quick and quiet. I don't think that will work. You probably would have to go to CMI's switchable exhaust if that's what you want. I just used the CMI tails and put mufflers on. The biggest problem we ran into was the harness. As someone else stated, the 496 and the 525 has a different harness. We had problems with the right AGI box. As for as Raylar goes, I did consult Raylar about possably doing a 496 upgrade. After the kits and exhaust it just made sense for me to do the 525's. I am very happy with my upgrade. He does mention about fuel requirements and insurance. He tells everbody that his kits uses 87 and the Mercury Racing 525 uses 89 are higher, that is not true, the 525 actually requires 87. As for as the insurance goes, You had better tell you insurance company about any HP increase if you want to have coverage if you need it. I hope this info helps, there are alot of people around here that are very helpful, and very informative. Good luck with your project.

Blue242

For the guy reeling on the cam comment, Wonder where these came from? Could they be rated at 525HP... same basic motor structure as a 496 HO, and even the same compression, stroke, piston, displacement. Oh, maybe the valve springs are different. The cam is for sure, not much else... Hmmmmm, oh, wait, someone is reeling, so it can't be true...

A lot cheaper than a blue motor... Obviously the firing order is different than a blue motor 525, so you need the cam with the firing order 18726543... Duration and lift are pretty similar, if not the same...

Did not mean to hijack the thead..