225 ETEC prop Query...

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Thu May 26, 2011 10:06 am

Last summer I purchased a new 225 ETEC for my 20' 10" Stratos boat. I am not satisfied with the performance of the two 13.5" 4 blade Renegade props that I am currently using. The 23 pitch prop pops me out of the hole, but is running at way to high of RPMs on top. The 25 pitch prop will push me out of the hole as long as I keep the RPMs at 4000-4300, anything above that and she blows out and over spins. The top end is acceptable for me, but it still slightly runs to high of RPMs at top speed when fully trimmed, and from time to time it cavitates and slips at WOT unless I trim her down in calm waters. My preference is to run a 4 blade for the good hole shot and handling here on the River, I'm not concerned at all about top end speed.

At the moment I'm waiting on a new lower unit from the factory and am replacing the 8" Detwiler fixed jack plate with a 10" Bob's fixed jack plate. I've come to the conclusion this motor is over powering my props and I'm gonna have to re-prop this motor and want to get some ideas of what the rest of ya are using, be it a 3 or 4 blade prop.

My question to those of you running a 225 ETEC, what Jack plate if any are you using, and what prop are you using on yer motors?

Phil Burgess · Post by **Phil Burgess** » Thu May 26, 2011 10:17 am

COOCH IF YER HAVIN PROBLEMS BREAKIN LOOSE WHEN YOUR COMMIN OUT OF THE HOLE AS YOU START TO PITCH OVER ONTO PAD....... TRY LOWERING YOUR MOTOR DOWN BIT BY BIT TILL IT GOES AWAY.... SOUNDS LIKE YOUR MOTOR IS RIDING A BIT TO HIGH....... AS FAR AS PROPS THAT 25 SHOULD BE GOOD ONCE YOU LOWER THE MOTOR DOWN...... I DONT KNOW IF THEY MAKE A HUB KIT FOR THE EVENRUDE TO FIT THE FURY BUT THE HANDLEING ON THE FURY IS AWESOME COMPAIRED TO THE OTHER PROPS I HAVE RAN ON THE BANANNA......

Phil Burgess · Post by **Phil Burgess** » Thu May 26, 2011 10:20 am

OH YA AND LOWERING IT DOWN MIGHT ALSO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROBLEMS RUNNING W.O.T. WHILE TRIMMED OUT........ THAT PROP IS BASICALLY RUNNING IN DIRTY WATER...(BUBBLES COMMING OFF THE BOAT CAUSING IT TO SLIP)....

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Thu May 26, 2011 10:44 am

Thanks Phil. On the 8" Jack plate, the exhuast on the motor is currently sitting at the water line and blows from time to time depending how many I have in the boat. I've noticed other boats, with this same motor, this is not the case, so I don't think going down on the jack plate is an option, hence why we're going from a 8"-10" to extend it.

I have heard that there is indeed a converter of some sort for the Fury to work on these ETECs. Mercury's site is recommending the 27 3 blade Fury, but for my specific needs it is highly recommending the 27 or 28 Trophy 4 blades.

Hipster · Post by **Hipster** » Thu May 26, 2011 1:07 pm

Cooch,

Give Philip at C&C Marine a call (916) 729-0590. He can work wonders with every motor out there and head you in the right direction. Tell him Mark sent you!!!
I gaurantee my good name on it that he can help you!!

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Thu May 26, 2011 3:40 pm

Hipster wrote:Cooch, Give Philip at C&C Marine a call (916) 729-0590. He can work wonders with every motor out there and head you in the right direction. Tell him Mark sent you!!! I gaurantee my good name on it that he can help you!!

Thanks Mark, if and when I get to the point of calling the dealer set up guys, I got Philip on my list. I wanna git an idea first hand though from what guys are actually running themselves b4 I start calling around to various shops and riggers.

DanIsaac · Post by **DanIsaac** » Thu May 26, 2011 4:00 pm

Coochie, try playing with the different size prop plugs available. You can tweak the performance of the prop to where you want it. Sounds like the one that pushes you out would work fine if it were plugged correctly for your needs.

Mine was doing the same exact thing and I went down one size in plugs and bingo, works great now! Like a new prop, pops me right up!

Dan

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Thu May 26, 2011 4:55 pm

Thanks Dan, but I got no plug system on the Renegade props. I know I need to re-prop this motor, I am looking to hear what details other guys with the ETECs are using.

DanIsaac wrote:Coochie, try playing with the different size prop plugs available. You can tweak the performance of the prop to where you want it. Sounds like the one that pushes you out would work fine if it were plugged correctly for your needs.

Mine was doing the same exact thing and I went down one size in plugs and bingo, works great now! Like a new prop, pops me right up!

Dan

DanIsaac · Post by **DanIsaac** » Fri May 27, 2011 9:51 am

sorry, thought you already had the Merc Prop. Quess you should go get her asap. I'd go with the Trophy for what you do Andy.

Dan

Bayou Boy · Post by **Bayou Boy** » Sat May 28, 2011 7:37 pm

Cooch,

Park on a flat and level concrete slab:

Get a helper; one on trailer jack, one under boat with a bubble level and tape measurel... Put bubble level on centerline of the keel; and raise or lower boat with tongue jack until bubble level shows level....measure distance from keel to slab.

Place bubble level on cavatiation plate of engine and use trim to obtain level... Measure distance from centerline of prop shaft to concrete slab.

Adjust jack plate up or down until prop shaft is 2 1/2 inches less in distance than the distance from the keel to the slab measuremet e.g. keel to slab 16", CL of prop shaft to slab 13 1/2" . Should be a good starting point and then you can tweak jack plate up or down depending on prop cup...

offduty · Post by **offduty** » Sun May 29, 2011 11:04 am

Cooch

I got a TR-21 with a 250 SHO and nothing feels as good as the Merc Bravo 1. This four blade prop gets up quick and gets me well over 70 and I also have the 10" Bob's hydraulic. I would bet if you put a 24P Bravo 1 on it and had small vent holes in it you would love it. I have tried a lot of props and to me nothing compares to the Bravo 1 not even the Tempest or the Trophy. I got one being pitched down to a 25 and getting labbed and if I can get up that way I will let you try it although there are no vent holes in it.

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Sun May 29, 2011 7:20 pm

OD, thanks, yer the 3rd person to recommend that Bravo Prop, I'm also gonna git my hands on a REV 4. So I've learned with this motor, there is a higher exhaust flow, so a bigger 4 blade prop is indeed required to compensate for this.

Are you running with the new Magnum Gearcase(Gear ratio 1.85:1), or the older Lightening(1.71:1) case on yer motor?

offduty wrote:Cooch

I got a TR-21 with a 250 SHO and nothing feels as good as the Merc Bravo 1. This four blade prop gets up quick and gets me well over 70 and I also have the 10" Bob's hydraulic. I would bet if you put a 24P Bravo 1 on it and had small vent holes in it you would love it. I have tried a lot of props and to me nothing compares to the Bravo 1 not even the Tempest or the Trophy. I got one being pitched down to a 25 and getting labbed and if I can get up that way I will let you try it although there are no vent holes in it.

offduty · Post by **offduty** » Mon May 30, 2011 6:06 pm

Cooch

The VMAX SHO gear case is 1.75 - 1. I love the new motor but if I had not lost the old one I would not have had to cancel our days on the river this year. If you can turn a 25P 3 blade in the right rpm's you will want to buy a Bravo 1 that is at least 1" P less or maybe 2" less pitch. I do not run the one with vent holes but I bought a 26 and was running a 27P 3 blade Solas Scorpion that is supposed to have the same geometry as the Yamaha T1 designed for the SHO. The 3 blade had 3 1/4" vent holes and I could not stand the hole shot it was to slow and then would slip and catch which I did not care for but that is what the vent holes do, they help slip so you can get some rpm's up. The 26P Bravo 1 I bought stock only got me about 5600 rpms and I needed to be about 6000, a speed of 75 was fast enough for me but I needed more rpms. I sent it in to get more rpms by tuning it down to a 25, sharpening the leading edges and balancing it. I have not got it back yet but if your boat chine walks this prop will probably help a lot. On mine it really settles her down without sacrificing speed and it gets her up on pad faster than anything else I have tried, I have sorta become addicted to it.

If I were you I would start with a 24 with no vent holes as you can get it tweaked up or down 1" in pitch and get vent holes added after trying it, although I would probably start with 3/16" vent holes and you can just make them larger yourself if you need to. as long as you dont open them up to much you should be happy. I personally dont care for the plugs. This is a very stout prop too and it can take a bit more abuse than some others. It holds great and actually has a progressive pitch so a 24 is a 24 in the middle of the blade and it has a nice cup too. If you want to save $200.00 to $300.00 bones you can find a good used one on line like I did on the various forums or eBay and such. I got mine for $500.00 and it looks new but is currently in the shop getting worked while I run the 3 blade T-1 in 25P and I miss the Bravo 1 a great deal. I wish I had known you needed a 10" manual plate I would have sent you the one I took off when I went hydraulic.