Hey guys how well is the Merc 496 Mag HO suited for a Whipple Supercharger? I'm looking at a boat with this set up. It has 650 HP and 330 hours on this rig. I wan't depandable low maintinance power. Whats your thoughts on this?

Thanks

I'm no expert, but I'd look elsewhere. In fact, I wouldn't even consider it unless it was rebuilt from the ground up to handle that type of power.

Use the search feature and read for days. Bottom line is the bottom ends are not forged parts on the 496s.

I agree with chris@uga and flying_J.
It would have been different if it was a 502.
I had a 350mag with a Procharger.
Power went from 300hp to 450hp.
It drove well over 100hrs, but I never used it at WOT for longer then 10-15 seconds.
I sold it because I never trusted this combination.

I think I know what boat you are looking at.

I'm not a motor guy so I can't comment on the current setup. But, it looks like a great boat. You can always sell the motor and put in something a little more user friendly.

It should speak volumes that when Mercruiser builds the 6.2 and 8.2 MARINE engines, THEY use a forged steel Lunati crank and steel billet cam. The GM built engines are automotive use engines and use all cast internals.

Everyone can make their own decision about what they want in power in their boat but when the engine is going to be supercharged, I'm going to want forged steel internals.

Hey Dave here's a link to the boat, it's a 30' Superboat. Is this what you were thinking. It's a great looking boat I wish it had a 525 in it.

http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/13534

That's the one. I own her sister ship w/525.

Depends on how long it was on there and how many psi he is running (but I wouldn't be too scared of it).

Not sure about the whipple, but I have a friend running 3.5lbs of boost with a procharger on a stock 496ho and he has 300+ hours of trouble free on it now.. I think that level of boost is good for somwhere under 600hp, though- so I imagine that the whipple on the Y2K is putting out a few more psi than my friends setup.

That is a beautiul boat and has some great rigging from the sounds of it.