Dana flow tourque vs. Lightning headers
 

I am looking at purchasing either the Dana flow tourque manifolds or lightning headers (freshwater). Boat is run in freshwater only. I have seen the results of the full throttle marine dyno reports and was originally leaning towards the lightnings. But after seeing the report by Full throttle marine I turned my direction towards the Danas. Both options are around the same cost. Hoping someone can provide me some info on their experience that they have had with either product? Boat they are going on is a 2002 Nordic Rage 25 with a 496 HO and a bravo x drive. Boat has a whipple stage 2 ECM upgrade.

How do you like the Whipple stage 2 upgrade? I'm going to do the same but was going to use the Diamond Performance Thunder & Lightning cast aluminum headers and a labbed 28 4 blade prop.

I like the Whipple stage 2 it definitely helped the midrange and got me to top end a lot quicker. You will need to run 91 oct with this programming. When sending your ecm out make sure you indicate that you plan on installing headers as this may change the way they program it for you.

I have a 2008 Heat with a 496 HO and Danas. They are great for the cost! and I definitely feel the difference in performance from the stock manifolds. I had to change props from a 24p to a 26p to accommodate for the increase in HP. I am very happy with them. My only issue what the wait time from Dana. It took almost 6 months to get them so if you go that path be prepared to be patient and call them for progress reports weekly.

What did you pick up on the top end? I have been talking with Bob at Marine Industries West and it sounds as though he has purchased the patents from Dana, Bob has indicated 2-3 week lead time, did you purchase your set when it was still owned by Dana?

I'm looking at building a 496HO with forged internals and installing the Whipple 2.3 on it and the Dana's as well. Can you tell me what you did to your motor when you installed the Whipple? Thanks!

The stage 2 that I had completed by Whipple was an ECM upgrade. You are on the right track though with the forged pistons. I recommend calling Whipple and talking to Dustin he would be your best resource.

I was planning on it as well as Semper Speed and Marine in California as I see they have done a lot of these.

Is Dana still in business?

Padraig

Dana products are being made but Dana marine has closed their doors. Marine industries west is manufacturing the Dana products. Just placed my order today for a set of Flow Tourques

I had the Dana's on my 454 in my old Baja, increased prop pitch and exhaust netted me 3mph, that said I put cmi etops on my rage and run a labbed bravo 28 and I gained 4 mph, still tuning but ran 78 last fall

Blownhammer have you done anything with your ECM? With your experience with CMI and Dana do you have a preference? Did you have your prop done at Bblades?

Stock ECM, the HO makes max power at 5100, I didn't want to turn it faster and hurt reliability in long term or have to run 93, the Dana's were awesome, no complaints, i was hearing about the problems with getting the danas when i was looking so i opted in a different direction, i was going to go with lightning myself until I priced them with the 60* turn in the collectors, my rage has the side exhaust, that extra exspence put me right there with the etops, and the cmi is full stainless over steel, that's what made my mind up


I used cutting edge for my prop, hands down best decision I could of made......

If you don't mind me asking what were your costs for the labbed 28 from cutting edge?

How many RPM's are you turning at 78mph with the labbed 28 blownhammer? Did you try the 28 first before labbing?

I can't really answer that because auggie went above and beyond to get me where I'm at, I started with the cutting edge bravo style, he made 3 different 28's for me, a general lab, labbed with diffuser cut down, and a 28 turned to a 29, my boat was in the rev limiter with no gain on the first, ran 76 @ 5100 with the second but had horrible blow out in midrange, and couldn't turn the 29 past 4700 @72, after all that I told him I really wanted him to get me a bravo 28 and lab it, he did no question asked and that's when it ran 78 @ 5100 in Oct last year, my boat just did not respond well to his bravo style props, even after all that he said run it the rest of the year and if I wanted to tweek it more this spring send it back, all I paid was shipping out to CA and he adjusted and sent back no charge, that customer service speaks volumes to me

what type of paperwork did he have you provide for info before labbing your prop? I am debating on buying a 28 seeing how it run stock and then sending it back in for labbing if it doesn't perform as I'd hoped

I started with general lab, meaning a trueing and thinning of the blades, you will lose roughly 400 rpms going from your 26, you need to lab it to get the rpms up, I documented everything when testing, GPS speed, rpm, air temp, water temp, humidity, water conditions, wind, trim levels, fuel load, our rages like a good 6-8" wind chop, I'll pick up almost 2 mph, glass conditions I can only get 75

Thanks for the information it will help to reduce the experimenting that I will need to do. I look forward to getting my Rage dialed in this spring/ summer. Currently my max is 76 on GPS with one person no gear and a 1/4 tank of fuel on each side. The stage 2 Whipple really did seem to help the boat attain top end well. I am hoping with the right prop and the Dana that I see 80 but I am fairly optomistic.

80 is what I'm shooting for, I'm just not sold on the Whipple reprogram, I'm pretty sure mine would run 80 at sea level, I'm at 800', which also plays a big role in tuning a prop, some have met or exceeded 80 with Whipple stage 2, headers, labbed 28, good luck, sad part is it will never be fast enough!

Well said

Thanks! There is a Dana item I need and I thought I was SOL. Went to Marine Industries web site and they have it!

Padraig

Check300 makes over 1,500 HP with the Dana's

Great exhaust manifold

Jon

Also like that the Dana's run full length primary's

Jon