Since the heads were off it wasn't a bad move at all having them cleaned up/ported at this time. I don't think anyone is calling you a F up for that. Now that you have the raw data on them, part selection can be optimized making the end result much closer to your goal. We can all agree there was a bunch of room for improvement on both endurance and performance....

Some guys are just gonna hate.

I don't think spending a couple bucks having a set of heads touched up with a nice valve job little bowl work and a port match is bad money spent. I spent $700 for some bowl work VJ port match and assembly. And have a set of flow sheets. At this point I bolt the heads and intake on and I'm done. To me it's worth the couple extra dollars to bolt the stuff up and not have to full around with anything. Flow benches vary a lot. Knowing the exact CFM a head flow really isn't that important. What is important is knowing where the head falls off...

That's everywhere Tim... especially in the winter throughout the boating community. We all give and take **** daily

I agree, cam info coming will be interesting im sure..

Correct and I give my fair share at times, but the hating on me building my engines and calling people helping me jacks and no good is getting old, he's been porting heads for 40 years.... his son who is designing things has been very successful at engines for 20 years... this is not a hack job by far, guys are forgetting I had zero issues with engines since last June, and only reason they are apart is the cam issues, not my building... 65 hours of hard abuse... clearly I can build and be fine, sick of being told I can't.

I knew my previous combo was lacking. Here is before and after port work and new cam selection. We flowed heads before and after on same bench and dyno'd before and after same dyno. It all comes together with good info. Red before, blue after.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]563060[/ATTACH]

Did these heads get new exhaust seats? Just wondering.

No way- I picked up 2 mph with my single 427 in my 242. I'm sure I'm losing at least 40 hp a side. These engines are subrtatially bigger and will be able to benifit even more from the Eickerts. Plus the Gil's are obstucting the exhuast port some. I knew it when I installed them, but I had bigger fish to fry last spring.

Check out this link- http://www.custommarine.com/headerap...o_data_520.php

This compares the CMI E-tops, Sport Tubes and Stock Manifolds. I'm going to guess that the Gil's are around 18 hp better than the stock manifolds used on the Merc 520. The stock manifolds stop making power at 4800, the e-tops really slow down at 4800 and the Sport Tubes are still making good power up to 5200 RPMs. Thing to remember is that even the sport tubes are just a shorty header at best. I think the longest runner is 24" and none are equal length. The Eickerts are a 2" primary by 4 equal length 32" runners. So the gains seen on the Sport Tubes are going to be even greater with the Eickerts. Coolerman- who's dad developed these is currently running 1250 hp through them on his boat.

they are way past 1250 hp currently.