525 header issues?
#31
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Ok, sorry but after holding in my comments for over a week - - - here I go. I lost 2 mtors to leaking headers on my last boat. Rebuilt both and sold the boat. My 700 boat I have now, all 4 headers leaked and 3 of the 4 pipes. Needless to say it cost me alot of cash to replace all of them and now because of the water leaking in the motors I had to have both the upper and lowers done. BTW, mercury does not offer larger pistons for the 700, They want you to buy the entire lower end. Uppers I can understand needed attention at 200+ hours, but lower as well? Thanks CMI...100K spent in headers, pipes, and rebuilds. It makes me sick to read the page in Powerboating in Paradise where CMI has a page where all the major boat manufacures and dealers talking how great a product CMI has. I am here to tell you - 100K out of my poket is far from GREAT. i almost lost my dinner reading that page. Ok, I am done, sorry to vent..
#33
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There is a difference between the CMI headers and the Merc ones. Even though they look the same are made at CMI there is a very important difference. The Merc headers are not heat treated after production. This makes them more prone to cracking. You can thank Merc for being too cheap to have them made correctly and then charging you 3x the price for an inferior product!
#34
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Maybe Mercury Racing will speak for themselves?
It I remember Fred is a member here on OSO. Why doesn't someone here on OSO directly affected send him a PM and ask for Mercury Racings direct response. If not how about someone so affected put up a blog on their website blog page and see what happens??? Maybe even a direct written email to Fred. this is certainly a sad thing and when I read something like the post here from Mikalvballer it sort of makes my stomach sink. Very, Very, Very bad!
Last edited by Raylar; 03-09-2012 at 10:56 AM.
#35
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Alright guys here is the deal. I am looking at a 2005 boat with a single 525 efi. It has no choice exhaust but does have bolt on mufflers. It has only 100 fresh water hours. I will only run in fresh water. So all things considered in my previous posts, my questions are:
Should I be concerned?
If yes then do I put Hardin hurricanes or gen-x on?
I don't want to drill/tap the heads or stainless would be considered.
Like I said, I have been told the header issue does not pertain to single engine fresh water boats......
Should I be concerned?
If yes then do I put Hardin hurricanes or gen-x on?
I don't want to drill/tap the heads or stainless would be considered.
Like I said, I have been told the header issue does not pertain to single engine fresh water boats......
#36
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Alright guys here is the deal. I am looking at a 2005 boat with a single 525 efi. It has no choice exhaust but does have bolt on mufflers. It has only 100 fresh water hours. I will only run in fresh water. So all things considered in my previous posts, my questions are:
Should I be concerned?
If yes then do I put Hardin hurricanes or gen-x on?
I don't want to drill/tap the heads or stainless would be considered.
Like I said, I have been told the header issue does not pertain to single engine fresh water boats......
Should I be concerned?
If yes then do I put Hardin hurricanes or gen-x on?
I don't want to drill/tap the heads or stainless would be considered.
Like I said, I have been told the header issue does not pertain to single engine fresh water boats......
#38
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Does anyone actually have any proof of this? When I called CMI, they responded that the Merc specs were actually more stringent than their own. I don’t buy into the salt water issue either. I had Gil stainless risers that were used for twenty years in salt and still looked brand new. So do my CMI’s inside. Not one speck of corrosion. I do believe that stress induced by improper support and/or overheating is an issue.
#40
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Alright guys here is the deal. I am looking at a 2005 boat with a single 525 efi. It has no choice exhaust but does have bolt on mufflers. It has only 100 fresh water hours. I will only run in fresh water. So all things considered in my previous posts, my questions are:
Should I be concerned?
If yes then do I put Hardin hurricanes or gen-x on?
I don't want to drill/tap the heads or stainless would be considered.
Like I said, I have been told the header issue does not pertain to single engine fresh water boats......
Should I be concerned?
If yes then do I put Hardin hurricanes or gen-x on?
I don't want to drill/tap the heads or stainless would be considered.
Like I said, I have been told the header issue does not pertain to single engine fresh water boats......