Did you give the thing a tune-up yet. Plugs, wires, cap , fuel filter and so on. What did it run before you had the drives off the boat ?. I would also check to see if the motor mount has not backed off and let the motor drop a little and put everything in a bind.

Those motors should turn 5150rpms, if I remember correctly. Seems you're quite a bit off on RPM's. However, I do not believe a straight hull will run 80. The newer SS, twin steps, with HO's are usually around an 82mph boat, so you may be asking alot out of a straight hull to hit 80 with the same power.

Dragonheart new had HO's and ran 80 MPH GPS with 4 guys at the rally back in the day. 5150 is the rev limiter. Merc's RPM range is 4,600 - 5,000 RPM. Motors make peak HP just shy of 5K RPM (per Bob Lloyd's dyno testing).

Teague tested a 454 mag (385 HP) boat, I think in 1999, that ran 80.5. But take into consideration that was a brand new boat, almost no load at sea level. Still remember that boat with red stripes fading to a black checker flag pattern at the back of the boat, and an american flag painted on the nose. Great paint job for that boat, made it look 35 feet long sitting in the water. Then again, I always liked the old dominators lines sitting in the water better than the new ones.

I have 2001 Dominator with 385 454 Mags. I see 75-76 on most days and I have labbed 28's I also think I am missing a few MPH but I think you have something limiting your RPM's if you are only seeing 4600 and 4900 on your engines. It might be the props themselves? I think we should put my props on your boat and see if we can get the rpm. Thank goodness spring is right around the corner.

I think I would be looking to try a different set of props also if I was the OP. Even if the props on the boat look perfect to the naked eye the actual pitch could be way off. The fact that he has several hundred RPM's difference from one side to the other makes me wonder if the lower rpm motor has a prop that might have a tweaked blade or something.

Trying 32wanted's props is a decent idea. You could also try swapping props from one side to the other. You would have to operate the shifters in reverse but if the RPM difference migrates to the opposite motor with the prop you can be pretty certain its the prop.

Also, personnel opinion and experiences with props. A "labbed" prop is a mysterious thing and can behave differently from one boat the next. Also not all "lab" jobs are created equal. There are so many things that can be done to a prop. I have seen a "labbed" prop that was said to be "X" but it never worked like one thought "X" would. So the prop was sent to a prop shop for measurement. The shop didnt do anything to the prop except literally measure each blades pitch and provide a print out. None of the blades were within 1/2 inch of each other...there was literally 2 inches of pitch variation between the blades of said "labbed" prop. Also another experience is I have actually seen a brand new prop get measured and have blade pitch variations of a 1/2 inch. Point is, in my experience having props measured by a reputable prop shop and seeing the print out of your personnel props is very good knowledge to have. Especially if you plan to try and tweak every last bit out of a prop. If you talk to any racer(I have experience with SVL). You can try 8 props and have them all "labbed" the same. But one of them will be "the one" that just works like none of the others and if or when something happens to that prop its a real catastrophic! Ok im kinda off topic now....sorry.

Interested in hearing the outcome.

No cap. plugs and filters have been replaced. I will be replacing wires this spring. Engines have been realigned just recently along with drives so everything there should be good. Drives removed serviced and gimbals replaced.

I believe we have boated before on St Claire. Mine is the green/blue on white 2005. Has single step.

Sounds good. i am sending props in this spring to have them checked. I am also servicing the injectors and will be checking fuel pressure at WOT. We will get together.

good info and i will be sending them into (?), my boat mechanic certain somebody that is the only person that he will use. I'm quite certain that i will have the straight up on the props soon.