I'm having a hard time getting on plane in my new Z520. It bogs down pretty bad when I gas it and has a horrible hole shot. Once I get on plane (usually 5-8 seconds later), it runs like a top.

I took it to my mechanic and he ran all his tests and said the Motor is 100% perfect shop-wise (he didn't take it out on the water). He told me that since I just added a new 25p fury, it still has all 3 plugs installed in the prop, and I should experiment with taking some of the plugs out. I guess that makes sense to me, seeing as the 25p takes a big bite out of the water and might need a little tweaking.

My questions to yall, what is the optimum amount of plugs to keep in/take out of the prop?

I had to take out all 3 plugs. Had same issues. Also check your engine height. I went from a Evinrude 250HO to a Merc 250 Pro XS on my Z520 and am still having to tinker with the best setup some.

I take all of them out, really improves the hole shot..

Do you have to take the prop off to take out the plugs?

Rick, will taking them all out cause a blowout?

They pop out with a pair of needle nose pliers...

Thank you

How many inches below pad are you? Call Josh at Steve's custom props and I bet he could help you out

No idea about inches below pad. I trim down, put jack plate all the way down, and I'm usually good to go. Sometimes I raise the jackplate like an inch and I'll get a quick hole shot.

Also, I could've sworn that my fury came with no plugs installed? I could be completely wrong.

Your prop shaft should be no lower then 2 1/2" below center running pad.

I run my Fury with no plugs for best results.

Take all the plugs out and then run it. Should not have any in it unless it is blowing out on takeoff. Have never had to put plugs in a fury on 2 Z520, skeeter or a cat.

Take all of them out.

The Fury props like to run with no plugs in them.

Two strokes don't have a lot of low end torque so they need to be allowed to rev up a bit to get into their RPM sweet spot in order to get a heavy bass boat up and out of the hole. The best way to accomplish this is to get the prop to slip or ventilate when you first hit the gas. When you raise the jackplate it helps the prop to ventilate as you hit the gas. The Mercury PVS plugs are designed so you can pull out one, two or all three to customize the amount of prop slippage to help your motor get the rpm's up just enough to get into the motor's powerband so you can get up & out of the hole.

Make sense?

I run a 25 Fury as well and I have all the plugs out.

the new fury's come with plugs (in the box) not in the prop.

on a merc. fury's run with NO plugs.

your hole shot issues are from you having the motor all the way down on the hydraulic plate.

measure and set your prop shaft height at 3" below pad... don't move the hydraulic plate.
trim engine all the way down and let er rip!!!

then stop the boat.. raise engine 1/2" with the plate and do it all over again. if you see an increase
in speed/performance then go up another 1/2" if you don't see an improvement .. go down 1/2" .

you may find, the only time to move the hydraulic plate is going into shallow water or navigating rough water, and trailering.

hope that helps.

p.s. the reason merc put a set of Large hole plugs in the box is because so many people with other brand engines have
been running the fury. brp engines like medium hole plugs, same with hpdi's. the SHO engines run best with solid plugs.