I have a 540 bulldog built by smith power. I don't know the specs on the motor because it was built by the previous owner. Its naturally aspirated and putting out @ 540hp in a 27ft v-hull. I'm running a 24- 4 blade prop and have no hole shot. I just put an AED850 carb on it and have been playing with different timing set- ups. Nothing seems to help. With 6 people in it and half tank of fuel it wont come on plain. Once it gets on plain it has great mid range and top end power. Any ideas?

what do you mean by it won't get on plane? is it struggling and rpm won't come up? Or the prop blows out/cavitates and it wont plane off?

I can throw the throttle wide open and the rpm wont come up.

We are leaning toward either the cam is degreed or is over camed.

what are you running for ignition and timing? Have you done a compression test? Know for sure the engine is running up to par?

Running a Pertronics Flame thrower distributor. I had the idle at @8 to 10 and full advance at 38. Tried from 34 to 40 and no different. We locked the distributor down at 34 and still made no real change. The compression tests good. Motor runs great and sounds great but has no bottom end.

What were your compression numbers? To be acting like that the cam has to be way off and I have a hard time believing brad degree'd it wrong or dyno'd and let it go out with an issue

It was a couple months ago when we checked it and i cant remember the numbers. All were the same. Ill have to check again. It was built around 4 years ago and has around 200 hrs on it. The previous owner told me the hole shot was sluggish when I bought the boat but it comes in hard around 3500 rpm. We were thinking maybe he degree'd it for top end and to keep from tearing up the drive. I want to get the bottom end back and go up on the prop. Right now I cant pull any more prop.

Try this, with 2 people in the boat tuck the drive all the way in, put the tabs about 4 positions down and ease the throttle to about 3500-3800 RPM. You get on plane relativity easy, add another passenger and see how you do. Depending on the X, you may need to shift more weight forward to get on plane without a lot of work. IMO, six people in a hot rod is pretty much an overload. With 540 ci, you will be also making a lot of torque from 3500-4000 RPM. Add more weight and you stand a good chance of killing your Bravo.

who's 4 blade prop? some just bite to hard and need port holes so t can slip a little..