Need a little more POWER!! Help!
 

Hello, I bought a 1997 scarab 22 last year, It has a 23p mirage prop and a 454 carb merc in it. with a bravo I outdrive. If it is just me or me and my wife in the boat it planes after a few and i get right around 4800 rpm wot. If i have 4 adults and 2 kids it will plane but i have to have one person stand up by the captain chair untill it planes then 'm fine i pull about 4700 rpm. I know I can go down to a 21p prop but i would like more speed to.
So what im asking is how can i get more output without breaking the bank so i can keep the same prop or move up a prop size to get more SPEEEEEEDDDDD!! Will just doing an intake and a 750 carb do it or do i need to go a step further and do a cam when i do that. Help me out so i can keep up with Joneses.

First off what 454 do you have? It should be a 330HP or 365HP MAG.

Sir...how many hours are on the motor ? You may wanna run it like it is for this season...then pull it out in the fall and freshen it up correctly. You can do any upgrades then. :drink:

Just remember this.....there will ALWAYS be people faster than you, and trying to increase speed is a great way to make alotta money disappear. Sooner or later you gotta be happy with what ya got.

I had the same problem with my 21. I went with some alluminum heads, new aluminum exhaust, 10.1:1 pistons, intake, cam and a BG 830 CFM carb.
Moved up to a 25P mirage plus prop for the speed days and a 24P Hydromotive for the rough water cruising days.

Boat planes at 3K rpms in under 10 seconds. I also picked up 11MPH with that combo.

If it's a 330 sell it and get a 502 . I had a 98 22 with a 330. It did 71 . I put in a 502 and got low 80s

Good advice,

Great advice.

540 with -2 shortie

Sorry i have been away. It is the 330hp motor. Im just looking for what would be the best to get enough hp to plane better and maybe move up a pitch in prop for the least amount to spend right now. Im NOT looking to be faster than everyone else.
Lets start over.

What would be the best way to get some more power out of my 454 330hp motor. I'm looking for the best bang for my buck. Will I get 50 hp by doing a intake and carb? will I get 100hp gain for intake carb and cam? That is what im looking for not buying a 502 I don't have 5 6k laying around.

Thank you by u boy I will look into that buy a whole rebuild might be out of my park right now. I dont even know if just doing the little stuff will even make a diff?