New Mercury 200 XS Consumer Outboard

[Dave Hensley]

Dave,

Thanks for your email, I always appreciate hearing from our valued customers. We are starting to build a business case to support an engine meeting the criteria you and others are requesting.

Stay tuned, I hope we can create something in the future that meets your needs.

Sincerely,
Kevin

Kevin Skiba
Mercury Racing
National Sales Manager
Phone: 920-924-2033
Fax: 920-921-6533

E-mail: kskiba@mercmarine.com

Lots of Debbie Downers out there and with Mercury's recent history it is understood. Pouring in requests can't hurt and maybe Mercury has something totally different from a lightweight 2.5 in mind but at least they know there is a market, if the emails keep hitting Kevin's screen.

 

[bec]

Dave,

Thanks for your email, I always appreciate hearing from our valued customers. We are starting to build a business case to support an engine meeting the criteria you and others are requesting.

Stay tuned, I hope we can create something in the future that meets your needs.

Sincerely,
Kevin

Kevin Skiba
Mercury Racing
National Sales Manager
Phone: 920-924-2033
Fax: 920-921-6533

E-mail: kskiba@mercmarine.com

Lots of Debbie Downers out there and with Mercury's recent history it is understood. Pouring in requests can't hurt and maybe Mercury has something totally different from a lightweight 2.5 in mind but at least they know there is a market, if the emails keep hitting Kevin's screen.

Wow.that is cool .i guess it is the squeaky wheel that gets the grease

 

[scj]

I went to my first ever boat drag race this past Jasper event; what I noticed is that very few boats parted from the norm which is a 2.5 based Mercury. Even the experimental block used by Caldwell (not sure if that's the correct person) is based off a 2.5 Mercury.
Almost twenty years ago, the dirt bike/four wheeler world was in the same stage of using all 2 stroke powered machines. There was even a special event at some of the races called the 4 stroke class for the odd ball 4 stroke rider. Now everything is four strokes in that market even jet skis and some odd ball F1 boats use some sort of hybrid street bike engine. I wonder how long it'll be until someone introduces a four stroke class to the drag boat market?......................you know it's coming.........

 

[whipper]

Some of those Bike engines are lighter than the 2.5 block and making way more than 300hp at 2.0 lts and spin to 13000 rpm. There out there just not many people making them for marine. Yet...

 

[Dave Hensley]

Weight is the difference SCJ. If you look closely the OMC stuff is on adapted Merc mids and gearcases. The OMC motors that make the big power are one off, custom built monsters. The ingenuity and time that it takes to build one of those is incredible. The four stroke is going to need real tweaking to pull from 1000 to 11,000 rpms and make torque for the first 8000 with a two stroke. It will be done out of pure necessity. Mercury just needs a nudge, with a sledge hammer!!!!

 

[fasteddie]

Ask FastEdddie what they will run and he had to buy one and go through all the work on a brand new motor to get there.

He will lie to you!!!! In all honesty I can and have busted 90 with a 175 0n a xb 2002, it was a lot of trial and error butt not that much. I got a great set up man and he hooked me up!!!! Thanks Jeff!!!!!

By the way I am looking for a ECU off a late model 175 150 pro xs if anyone runs across one let me know.

 

[Lotus 50]

just sent my e-mail, thanks for setting this up

 

[Dave Hensley]

He will lie to you!!!! In all honesty I can and have busted 90 with a 175 0n a xb 2002, it was a lot of trial and error butt not that much. I got a great set up man and he hooked me up!!!! Thanks Jeff!!!!!

By the way I am looking for a ECU off a late model 175 150 pro xs if anyone runs across one let me know.

Hey Sandbagger, could you outline what you have done to your 175XS since you bought it new to get it where you are?

 

[scj]

The advantage of a 4 stroke is low end torque. A forced induction 1.5 liter 4 stroke could easily make 250 horsepower and meet epa requirements easier than any 2 stroke. Mercury's 2.6 liter 400R is not at the engine's potential. They're building those monsters to hang off the back of multi-engine off-shore boats. Design an engine for 19' to 21' lightweight bass and go-fast boats that can be tuned between 175 to 250 horsepower that weighs 400 pounds and you have something people will stand in line for. I'm not going to jump up and down and stand in line for a twenty year old design 200 horsepower 2 stroke.

The mid in the pictures below are of a skeltonized mid section sold thru Monty Racing. It's reported to save over 50 pounds from a typical 2.5 mid section. This is the stuff that grabs my interest along with a new 4 stroke that hopefully someone is developing for the future of the marine world.
That's just my opinion as I'm new to this market but it seems like it's time for something new to be introduced so I don't have to look in every garage across the country to knock the dust off a 2.5 liter Mercury.

 

[ally2dextreme]

The advantage of a 4 stroke is low end torque. A forced induction 1.5 liter 4 stroke could easily make 250 horsepower and meet epa requirements easier than any 2 stroke. Mercury's 2.6 liter 400R is not at the engine's potential. They're building those monsters to hang off the back of multi-engine off-shore boats. Design an engine for 19' to 21' lightweight bass and go-fast boats that can be tuned between 175 to 250 horsepower that weighs 400 pounds and you have something people will stand in line for. I'm not going to jump up and down and stand in line for a twenty year old design 200 horsepower 2 stroke.

The mid in the pictures below are of a skeltonized mid section sold thru Monty Racing. It's reported to save over 50 pounds from a typical 2.5 mid section. This is the stuff that grabs my interest along with a new 4 stroke that hopefully someone is developing for the future of the marine world.
That's just my opinion as I'm new to this market but it seems like it's time for something new to be introduced so I don't have to look in every garage across the country to knock the dust off a 2.5 liter Mercury.



View attachment 9804 View attachment 9805

That's a nice dream but won't happen anytime soon if ever.Your SHO somewhat works for you because you have a pretty large platform, most of the hot boaters don't.Lets see how you fair with your new xr2002 without these antiquated two stroke Mercs....

 

[xb03fs]

That's a nice dream but won't happen anytime soon if ever.Your SHO somewhat works for you because you have a pretty large platform, most of the hot boaters don't.Lets see how you fair with your new xr2002 without these antiquated two stroke Mercs....

The mercury 150 4 stroke is very intriguing platform at 455 lbs and seems to be their most reliable motor yet, hard to find a negative comment about them, just not sure if they could get 230/240 out of it...... Maybe if they bump the displacement a little and let if rev it could be a good light platform.

Their latest 4 stroke the 4 cly 115 is actually lighter than the outgoing 115 Optimax by 20 lbs.......

 

[GotMyAlly]

The difference between the motorcycle world and the outboard world is that the bikes have transmissions. How would those motors perform if they only had a single gear? And how long would they last if you pinned them to the redline for an extended duration?

 

[ally2dextreme]

A big difference between 1

The mercury 150 4 stroke is very intriguing platform at 455 lbs and seems to be their most reliable motor yet, hard to find a negative comment about them, just not sure if they could get 230/340 out of it...... Maybe if they bump the displacement a little and let if rev it could be a good light platform.

Their latest 4 stroke the 4 cly 115 is actually lighter than the outgoing 115 Optimax by 20 lbs.......

big difference between 115 and 225 plus...455lbs is still heavier than what we want and when you try to make 300 hp with a four stroke you need aa power adder which adds weight or more cubes which adds weight..Eventually there will be only 4 strokes,its just a ways off...I would think aa four stroke Honda 3 cyl turbo would make 300 hp and could be light enough ...

 

[Dave Hensley]

Just sold a 1998 XB2002 that is getting a 115hp 4-stroke hung on it. It will be interesting to see how it performs. The weight is around 350#. 2.1 liter. I believe the powerhead is built by Yamaha. That is more displacement than an Formula One race motor. They make what, about a gazillion horsepower??? Power curve, as Neal mentioned, will be the test. I am not a water lice fan but are they not using 4-stroke motors? What is the performance difference between the 4 stroke and two stroke on a jet?

 

[xb03fs]

A member of screamandfly that has had all 4 versions apart has told me in the past:

The 175 ProXS powerhead is very similar to a gen 1 200, extra power is via a 3.0 liter reed cage for more flow, rpms and ECU

The 2.5 XS and gen 2 200 XS have noticably better porting porting close to 280, exhust close 225 promax and do in fact make a little more HP throughout the rpm range. This would defiantly be the preferred powerhead.

HP is lost due to parasitic loses from Compressor. So the gen 2 is likely as good as it gets.

 

[Dave Hensley]

Please define what "build a business case to support an engine" in Kevin Skiba's letter means.

My guess would be market research. That is what I/we are trying to do for him. 10 emails won't cut it. 1000 emails might be a start. I know 14 motors meeting the criteria are sold if they build it. Not enough but a start. They have a right to be cautious. Jimmy Hensley got them to build several 200XS gen 2 powerheads a few years back and they didn't sell. Whenever the green class was going to be a part of ODBA. Giesler knows that story better than I.

 

[Dave Hensley]

Just sold a 1998 XB2002 that is getting a 115hp 4-stroke hung on it. It will be interesting to see how it performs. The weight is around 350#. 2.1 liter. I believe the powerhead is built by Yamaha. That is more displacement than an Formula One race motor. They make what, about a gazillion horsepower??? Power curve, as Neal mentioned, will be the test. I am not a water lice fan but are they not using 4-stroke motors? What is the performance difference between the 4 stroke and two stroke on a jet?

Here is an idea. Mercury advertises this 2.1 liter motor at 115 hp and 6000 rpm. I am guessing it is a small gearcase which would be good. Would be nice to see what one would do adapted to a lightweight mid, XR6 case if the stock case can't be modified to hold the hp, nitrous injection first then possibly supercharged, or both. Break whatever is weak and ask Mercury to help fix those issues as far as crank, rods, valve train, pistons. Engineering from Merc not $$$. Do the old racer thing with porting, polishing, camshaft regrind for a non-nitrous set up. Hmmmmm.....I can do the mid anyone else in?? Might be flying the reciprocal on this deal but I bet Mother Merc would be more interested in "helping" if you were flogging the new stuff. 100% increase in hp give you 230 hp. Might not be a drag motor but it could be fun. Need a dressed powerhead.

 

[mikesufka]

Hope this isn't a dumb question, but what was a 225 Promax?

I am talking about a set of decals here guys and a trip to another parts bin at the factory. Does anyone remember what a 225 Pro Max was???? Steel liner, Laser injection, Sportmaster, Solid mounts, Cowl?? It was a fishing motor.

MDS

 

[xb03fs]

Hope this isn't a dumb question, but what was a 225 Promax?

I am talking about a set of decals here guys and a trip to another parts bin at the factory. Does anyone remember what a 225 Pro Max was???? Steel liner, Laser injection, Sportmaster, Solid mounts, Cowl?? It was a fishing motor.

MDS

This was posted on the thread in snf...A promax was apparently 248ish

 

[mikesufka]

I know but where did the Promax come from? Did mercury make a 248ish HP consumer fishing motor that they added a sportmaster gearcase too? What was it exactly is my question. They should bring back that motor.