Mercury 520 / 540 / 565 opinions

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11-20-2016, 06:16 AM

#21

Pismo10

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Keep the 496 to put back in in case you sell the boat. Get a custom engine and keep it as you move to a new boat someday. Chief or Teague 750ish..

11-20-2016, 07:04 AM

#22

IGetWet

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Advantage of the mercurys
1. Smartcraft engine communication
2. Digital throttle and shift (DTS)
3. Two year warranty on the NA models

I'll be honest I don't know much about many custom builders. Do any of them offer two year warranties?

11-20-2016, 07:34 AM

#23

hogie roll

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These are just old school big block chevy's. No rocket science here that merc knows which another builder with a good rep wouldn't know. What you're paying the merc premium for is that they do actual validation testing so they can warrant it with confidence.

11-20-2016, 09:56 AM

#24

SecondWind

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Quote:

Originally Posted by IGetWet

Thanks for the compliments offshore! A reputable Bravo builder here on this forum tells me both a bravo X and XR can live with higher horsepower with good parts and sensible driving behind NA motors. Yea if I did go 700+hp I wouldn't trust a X or XR for and hr of running. It is my plan at some point to go with a SCX, worry free from what I hear. That's why I'd like to start with a NA motor and then add a blower down the road. Not that I'm expecting the same results, but wildcard achieved 81mph with his 25 OL with a 525 then only 4 more mph, to 85, with a 600sci, but twice the fuel consumption at cruise with the 600sci.

I haven't priced the teagues or any others but at those power levels I bet they're beyond my budget. And if I did decide to sell this boat at some point, I probably would pull whatever motor to go into my next one.

Sounds like you've put some thought into this and have a great platform to run bigger power. I'd agree with your opinion that once a supercharger is added the Bravo style drive is out of it's comfort zone. If you're staying NA and under 600HP another option is to use as much as you can from your current engine and drive setup to save money. Instead of buying a complete drop in engine you can use the Merc accessories off of your 496MAG, sell your long block, and keep your drive as is. Engine builders like Eddie Young will tell you what you can and can't carry over to an upgraded power package and what the savings will net. Just another thought. Good luck with your upgrade, should be a ton of fun w/ more power.