US1 Fountain

iTrader: (1)

What kind of hrs is everyone getting out of their HP500 (carb) motors without tearing into the motor, considering they are ran fairly conservative?
Aside from the Mercury recommended 200hr spring change, are the lifters lasting longer?
Thanks

WILDTHING TAZ

IM GETTING AROUND 230 HRS A YEAR ON MY MOTORS. I FOUND MY FIRST BROAKEN SPRING THIS YEAR.FOUND IT WHEN REFRESHING A 500 HP. WHEN THEY ARE OUT OF BOAT I ALWAYS PUT NEW SPRINGS IN THEM JUST FOR CHEAP INSURANCE. I NEVER RAN ANY OF MY SPRINGS OVER 250 HRS.MY LIFTERS HAVE NEVER WENT TO THE POINT OF NO RETURN.I REPLACED THEM AFTER ABOUT 500 HOURS, AND THEY WERE STILL WORKING.SOME WERE A LITTLE NOISY SOME TIMES BUT KEEPING OIL CHANGED REG. WILL EXTEND LIFE MANY TIMES.I RUN WILDTHING PRETTY HARD.JUST MY OPINION FOR WHATS ITS WORTH. RON BENDER

jbrauer

Doing mine now. Approx. 250 hrs on HP500 carbs. First motor no broken springs, but both head gaskets leaking between cylinders. Second motor - we'll see next week.

Jeff

Dixie Doug

Jerry,
Got 5-HP 500's and 2 HP465's running the 465's had rocker arm Issures at 500hrs(flat tappets).2 -1996 HP500's (carbs)1 spring broke at about 50hrs.(nice mess in the oil,put in a new long block)they now have 250 hrs gonna replace the springs and check lifters.3- 2001 HP 500's EFI about 50 hrs. may look at them .Those engines properly maintained are almost bullet proof

US1 Fountain

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Guys!

Doug, .......50 hrs? ouch!

JaayTeee

My 98's expired some time before 180 hr's,
I say some time, because, the only reason
I knew they was a problem was when
a lifter failed on the l/h engine.
Both engines were found to have
broken inner springs.
Luckily, this happened at the end of the
2000 season, and my dealer took
very, very good care of me (if you know what I mean )
My buddies 99's failed earlier than 180 hrs,
we decided to check them, after my disaster.

jt.

Tom McCann

If your in doubt about the springs change them. If a spring breaks, and you wont even know it especially a inner spring , You will keep running the boat as you do this that broken spring over time will wear into the head. Then when its time for a rebuild you will have a junk head. Allso if a spring breaks it could cause the valve to let go and smash the top of your piston. So for the little trouble it is to change the springs I would do that. The heads can be removed with out even removing the motor from the boat. Remove the heads and take them to your machine shop.

Scott

"The heads can be removed with out even removing the motor from the boat."


I wish
The inner Gill manifolds won't clear the studs you have to pull one motor to get both heads off of twins.
Whats sad is I had them both apart last spring and never replaced the exhaust studs with bolts.

Scott

jt29olhp500s

Is that the same Vandelay Industries that makes Laytex?

JaayTeee

Scott,
Yes, their in laytex,
also in the inport/ export
business, they sometimes
dabble in architecture.

They even sponsored
me last year at the
LOTO shootout.

jt