Has Anyone Procharged a 496 HO?

[LAPII]

Wondering if anyone has done either the 3lbs or 5lbs kit yet and hwat are ht results. I'm aware of Raylar but they havent posted any prices, I think so far "bang for your buck= HP" Procharger is claiming higghest gains.

[BADBLOWN572]

From what I have seen, the best bang for your buck is the Vortex supercharger. As for procharging a 496, pm Boatfloating. He had one on his 496 and said it worked good. I have heard both positives and negatives about it. Usually the positives are from the customers and the negatives are from the motor builders/repair shops.

[THOR]

I have not heard anything about PC. But, I have heard two separate instances with a whipple where the 496 HO was destroyed.

[TIBURON]

Originally posted by THOR
I have not heard anything about PC. But, I have heard two separate instances with a whipple where the 496 HO was destroyed.
OUCH !!
My bro has a 496 and we're also interested in looking into increasing HP, but I'm sure he doesnt want to destroy his motor.
:confused:

[BADBLOWN572]

I have heard that the rods and pistons are cast and anything more than stock will cause rods to break and pistons to melt. Additionally, I know of 2 experiences that the motors pushed out headgaskets. Dad was asking me if he should put a pro/vortex on his 496 and I told him that he would be better to pull the motor and buy a motor that is setup for it. Better to do it right the first time than to have a problem 6 months down the road that causes a big headache.

[RiverDave]

It's a damn shame that Mercruiser decided to do that on there "HO" (previously magnum) motors. Before they had forged pistons and rods in them from what I understand.
RD

[dicudmore]

I got a question...
How much of the "reliability" would have to do with the driver?
Seems to me the thing could live a long time if not slammed out of the hole and not run WOT all the time. Thoughts?
I mean, we all know guys running 700+hp w/stock Bravo-one drives that are several years old and no problem, and others with 20 +/- hrs that have scattered right?
I believe the later 496's are hypereuctectic (yes, I spelled that wrong) pistons???

[rivercrazy]

The 496HO uses forged rods and inconnel exhaust valves. Its only weakness for a mild blown application would be the pistons. But a number of suppliers are making forged slugs for this motor now.
I know a number of guys with more than a few hundred hours with a whippled 496HO and they have not had any problems at all. They just slapped on a whipple and left the rest of the motor stock. Whipple has a much better fuel delivery package with their blower than Procharger and IMHO the Whipple is a much better package.:D
Raylar also makes a really nice upgrade package including aluminium heads, camshaft, intake,etc that is supposed to make 550HP with over 600lb feet of torque normally aspirated. Sounds like a sleeper 500HP killer for much much less $$$:D

[Chris Winn]

hello
i saw that the raylar kit was mentioned, i am going to try that one out. form the quoet that ray provided the kit was about less than 6k witht the heads (saves 110lbs) intake and mild cam, the kit makes 550hp and 620fptq (ray said that the tq curve was almost diesel like). the A/F ratio was on the lean but still very safe side (i think 13.4:1)
ray is developing a kit for blown application (both long block and short block) these will be off the shelf engines that you can order ready and complete with forged pistons, h beam rods and cams. this will be during the next year. ray can rebuild the engine now with the good forged internals and cometic gaskets and his head package.
right now i will look to buy his head, intake and cam package,when he has turn key short blocks, i will buy one and put a 3.3 whipple on it then (ray is working on one with 8-plbs that should be good for 850hp)
i really like what i see from him, he has even invited us for a shop tour...

[THOR]

From 425 to 600HP is a pretty big jump. I would love to put an extra 175HP in my boat. :D :cool:

[dicudmore]

Originally posted by THOR
From 425 to 600HP is a pretty big jump. I would love to put an extra 175HP in my boat. :D :cool:
sign me up for a ride :D

[Dave C]

Be careful on the 496 with the supercharger.
496 HO uses cheap-ass pistons, valves and head gaskets. These are not meant for S/C's.
All these things can now be changed though too. (plus upgrade springs & rockers too)
So get the S/C but change these parts because you will be doing it anyway.
Yes you can slap on a whipple with 3-5 lbs of boost and pray but whats the point of that. Go BIG and be comfortable!
You know the 502 used forged JE pistons, decent valves, etc. GM got cheap on us.
Although the 496 has an advantage; a larger stroke, which makes more torque. I just wish they made the 496 with the same quality as the 502, because the 496 is better in some respects (stroke, EFI system, etc.)
BTW I know this all because I own(ed) both and built-up the 502.

[Chris Winn]

sorry for the SP, the hp on the N/A kit is 550hp 620tq, but that is still a kick ass # and a good deal for the package considering the cost of the AZ speed and marine kit (50hp for 5k)
Originally posted by THOR
From 425 to 600HP is a pretty big jump. I would love to put an extra 175HP in my boat. :D :cool:

[Chris Winn]

i wish i could have gotten the 502 with my new boat, the 496 is great if you keep it stock, but $$$ if you want to build it.
those raylar long blocks might be the way to go.

[Dave C]

CW,
keep us posted if you go the Raylar route.
I'm not really a S/C guy more a N/A guy.
thanks
BTW does anyone know the stock torque #' for the 496HO?

[Chris Winn]

dave,
i agree with you, i am going to stay N/A for now. i know if i said i wouldn't go blown i would be eating those words someday.
if i remember right, the tq was about 460flbs (someone will look this up and prove me wrong, but i was too lazy to)
this kit might give the blue motors (i still love em) a run for their money...

[rivercrazy]

Stock torque numbers for the 496HO: 505 foot pounds:D

[Chris Winn]

see...just like i said, a smart person would look this up!
that tq# is more in line with the HP increase than the # i quoted, thank you for the info:)

[rivercrazy]

Smart? LOL! Yea right. Just geeky.....:D

[Dave C]

CW.
plus you can "hide" HP #'s in a N/A motor better.
Although I bet if I really tried I could probably unbolt a blower before the claims adjuster arrived.....:D ;)
thanks rivercrazy... thats a good #.. must be that stroke:D

[welk2party]

Originally posted by Dave C
CW.
plus you can "hide" HP #'s in a N/A motor better.
Although I bet if I really tried I could probably unbolt a blower before the claims adjuster arrived.....:D ;)
thanks rivercrazy... thats a good #.. must be that stroke:D
Careful, you turn in a claim with falso numbers and they will deny your claim.

[Dave C]

thats not what I meant.
We used to joke that if it took more than 45 minutes to pull a boat motor, even out of a big one, then you are taking too long.
so what if you could change the blower motor before they arrived?
I didn't do it, no one saw me do it, you can't prove anything.;)
this is all hypothetical, of course;)