Looking to upgrade Headers from Cast IMCO Powerflow. Running Blown 540 at 900 HP. Any opinions on CMI versus Lightening versus anything else? Also if any suggestions what model?

I ran 1040 HP thorugh CMI Elbow Tops for a year, no issues. Gary Taylor puts them on his engines up to 1200 HP.

I think that they are a grea header and if you have a standard deck block and standard brove transom exhaust you can even go with the Unitops which are an etop with a welded tail and are even less money.

CMI are the best, the others are good too, but they are not CMIs.

Yeah what he said ,tried the Imcos on some 540s and then changed to CMI elbow tops and never looked back.good luck BIG Daddy

I would think that if you got enough bump stick to push 900hp the Lightnings will revert water.

I have CMI's on my 850 and like them.

hey stormbauer how much for the imco's? [email protected]

Mercury Racing has replaced quite a few motors due to cracked CMI headers. Just check warranty claims. They are certainly not as pretty, but the cast aluminum headers by Eickert support big numbers and will not crack!

Those were mostly sweepers. The E-tops have a much better record.

I'm just wondering what the percentage of failures really are? Does anyone REALLY know? How would it be determined?

Salt or fresh water? DId the owner flush their engines after running?

How would YOU go about this? I'm not trying to be an azz here, but it just seems to me everyone wants to blame someone for something. I've had my 2 sets of E-tops for 4 seasons with NO failures or leaks. They still look like they just came out of the box. Show me the numbers and percentages and I'll eat the crow!

Dave

Mercury headers are thinner and of a different alloy than the CMI headers. You guys really need to keep your facts straight.

I dont know of anyone that has had a failure of CMI headers, not the Mercury product!!!

If you pick up a set of 500 EFi headers vs an Elbow Top, you'd see what the difference is.

They are the best flowing exhaust on the market - period!!

Thats why Mercury buys them, except they make them out of a less quality alloy than the SS CMI does. And they are thinner!!

Bingo,

Give Elite here a shout, he has some nice prices on E-tops. They are worth it. I did a bunch of homework on this.