Read something about this in another thread and could not find anything via SEARCH. Can someone elaborate?

Check this post out

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...el+rail+defect

Thanks for the link.

Interesting. So, does anyone know if Merc redesigned the rail in later models? I guess I'll make a date with the end mill and see what we can do with mine.

I do think that mercruiser fixed the problem sometime after 1997....I think when they went with MEFI 2 but I'm not 100% sure.
I had the best success with mine by using a dremmel tool with a long slender grinding bit. Fairly easy but be VERY careful not to slip and score the o ring mating surface. Make sure you insert the bit into the fuel feed hole before turning the dremel on and turn it off before you withdraw the bit. Thay way you minimize the chance of making a mistake. I found out the hard way! Good luck-

Merc does list 2 part #s for the fuel rail.

805405T - not available anymore

861261T1 - is available

Couldn't find anything that said what the difference was though

I can tell you that the mefi3 fuel rail DOES NOT have the restricted #7 hole,so at least 98 and newer is o/k,not sure if it was just the mefi-1 or if the mefi2 was restricted too,Smitty

Smitty, don't you have an extra MEFI 3 laying around?