Procharging a 496HO

[Irishluck]

This summer my dad and I are going to put a procharger on 496HO. Will run 3 psi on a 21ft boat that weighs 3400 lbs and has a Bravo 1. I have heard that the procharger system runs hot and that you really have to watch the temperature. We have been told to go with whipple but worry about the added horsepower blowing out the outdrive. Any suggestions on who we should go with? The top speed on a gps is 76, hope to add 8 MPH.

[502procharger]

i have no experiance with the 496 but my 502 ran cool with the procharger and intercooler. keep the boost and timing down and you will have no problems. the procharger should make about the same power as a whipple except the whipple has better low end, but is harder on your drive because of it. 8mph is well within reason.

[BoatFloating]

I put the Procharger system of my 496 HO last March and ran all summer and put 90 hours on it with no problems what so ever. If you look at the dyno's at Procharger you will see that they have the lowest air temps. With the 3lb system it's seems to be bullet proof. I gained 10-15 mph on my boat.

[cougar27mtr]

BoatFloating
I have heard that 496 HO break pistons with any procharger system. Have you heard this problem? I was interested on putting this on my 27ft cat so any more heads up would be great. You are the first person I have heard about that is happy with it so far. Where in Temecula are you? What kind of boat do you have? I have a cougar27mtr (obvious based on my name) and would love to see your setup.
cougar27mtr

[Liberator TJ1984]

This may not apply , on my first go round had stock Mercury 7.4 with 177 blower@ 4-5 psi,, broke pistons first year out,was told it was because I had Stock type cast pistons ...what kind are in the HO496 ???
Gopherrr

[Risky Business]

For what it's worth..........
My friend was all set to buy this boat a few weeks ago. It had a 496 and Procharger. Boat only had 80 hours and was very cherry. We took it out for a test run and the blow-by was rediculous. Had so much air pumping into the crankcase the dip stick just about came out.
Best of luck, but I wouldn't do it.

[BoatFloating]

Risky, sounds like he didn't install the breather on the oil fill cap. I was told this would cause that much pressure. I put it on last year and haven't had a problem and I put on close to 100 hours, like I said.
Cougar, I live in Paloma Del Sol. I don't have a problem showing it to you. I heard the same thing about pistons, but I haven't seen it happen. I'm very happy with the unit and really think it is safe at 3lbs of boost. The pistons are cast but they are made to run hotter than stock pistons according to what I've heard. I would do it over again if I had the choice. I haven't heard of that many people running the system, so I don't know where you heard of them breaking pistons. I talk to the guys at Procharger quite often and they said they haven't had any problems, this is why they came out with 5lb system. I haven't heard people say anything bad about the 496 unit. I'm on boards often and haven't seen anybody besides me running it, not saying that nobody else is running it here, I just haven't seen them post about it. So I don't know who else is running one but, I would like to hear their feedback.

[bigq]

Maybe I'm wrong here , but if you are breaking pistons with about 5LBs. of boost, even with cast pistons, is'nt there something else wrong with the charger setup? The pistons break under the stress of detonation, some that can't even be heard. I don't know how taxed the fuel system is on the stock 496 motor, but might that have something to do with it. Does Procharger still use an FMU to manage the fuel delivery?
I thought the 496HO had forged pistons, I'm pretty sure the crank and rods are forged.
Thanks, Wayne

[Irishluck]

The crank and rods are forged but the pistons from what I have heard are hyperutictic (however you spell it).

[dave b]

I have the 3# procharger kit on my 496HO. I installed the kit myself last summer in my shop took me about 16hrs. I increased 2pitch size and 8mph on my 288 sunsation. So far no problems after about 25hrs.