Cool...So what did you find out when you did the test? How much RPM did you get?

Its a bone stock 200 right now. I was having problems at high RPMs and its easier to diagnose and troubleshoot a problem when you put a load on it on the dyno than to take it to the lake so after running it on the dyno for a little while it started to act up. We found I had a bad computer.... But shes all good now.

I know you cant really see him work his magic but thats Ronnie at Texas Machine Works behind the motor

how much hp did it put out?

205 +or- 5hp

bad computer huh?smelled kinda bad...lol

bad computer huh?smelled kinda bad...lol

That was a different computer than the one Ronnie found to be the original problem.

what happened to that fast merc ronnie built

If you are refering to the 2.4 Merc in the picture. It had a locator pin issue and the ring got caught in the exhaust port and you can guess the rest.... Well since Ronnie is such a great guy he slapped the Mariner 2.5 in the video on my boat as a loaner. Well I have since fallen in love with the new grey cowling. It matches my boat so well he is letting me keep it! (for a small fee) However I just can't stand a stock motor sooo a new 2.5 hot rod block is in the works and will be under the new cowiling soon!!!

Here are some pics Ronnie sent me!

New Motor being built:

take a look at the rod slot porting in the 1st pic (some "behind the liner" work)



Estimated 260 hp and will easily twist 9k .............. and still launch harder than most Bass Boats



I hope to see mid to high 70's when finished!

what are they doin to them to get to the 12k range

"Subscribed" I gotta hear this............

Getting them to run 12k is easy its getting them to stay together thats the tricky part!

LOL! You know more about outboards than me TLW! I know he hits it with a 400 shot of nitrous oxide! And at 12K RPMs the tachs melt because the charging system is producing over 30 volts...

Ain't gonna get in on this. Just wanted ta observe. Might know a little more just cause I'm a TAD OLDER but probably not much if any at all. I know 'bout Ronnie's stuff n stories ....

I will give 'em this though. He ain't scared ta try anything, even when it blows up when ya write it down on PAPER....

sounds like you got a good motor. what year is that 2.5

I just don't understand this whole thing about trying to make a Ranger a fast boat. I could understand doing this on hulls designed to go fast, but a Ranger aint. I like Rangers, don't get me wrong, but if I wanted to go fast, there are way better choices to do it with less $.

I see motorcycles rev at 19,500 rpms every day so I would think 12K rpms on an outboard is doable. Sure would sound sweet.

Oh its doable and does sound sweet. For 'bout 500 feet. 600 if ya lucky. Least with SOME motors...

had a z400 atv with a 450 yoshi engine kit back in 04 it had a 10k rev limiter. I loved the sound of that ol thumper. hardly ever hit rev limiter. i miss that bike. but i really want to hear 12k behind me.

Sometimes ya gotta "dance with tha one that brung ya". Ranger did build a pretty fast boat several years ago that didn't need tha "Monster" motor of today. It was tha underrated 340......Just didn't keep 'em around long.

HMMMMMMMM! 9k-12k u guys must be crazy, or crazy rich!!!! something always goes BOOOM in the dark of knight. LOL. this i know 3 stages of nos on the car when trans breaks everythings goes KABOOOOM!

Well it started when I bought the boat for a great price with a blown motor. Ronnie asked me what I wanted to do with it and I said "Beat my brothers boat!" Well I did that! Now I am eyeballin a friend of mine that has a Triton 200XP with a 225 Merc that has run 78mph....

Besides no one expects to see a old heavy a$$ ranger pass them at 70mph...

When sumpin' breaks and zings tha motor on anything, nothin' good comes of it

There's lotsa built right 10 grand+ Mercs out there that do it over n over without explodin' but they are looked at on tha inside/outside over n over also. But its not done for a very long period of time. Just in short "squirts". Tha big thing ta make one (2.5 merc) live is tha quality of any and all machine work.......

I just happen ta be lucky enough ta have one

Can ya tell I'm bored tonight.......

The Mariner is a 1998

Update: My block has been assembled after all the port work and balance and blue printing.

Here are the rods after they were worked by Ronnie. They weigh EXACTLY 349 grams each..... and on a balance beam the tops are EXACTLY the same on each rod.



After breakin he ran it on a drag boat and hit 119MPH @ 9100 RPMs! Time to strap it to a Ranger and see what she can do!!!

Here is another pic of it. (Just the Block and Heads are mine.)

Glad ta see he has a lot of courage turning a stock side grinder ground on rod with tha little rod bolts over 9 grand. Thats kinda border line on a lite boat but put 'em on a ranger and I donno!!! It might have a tendency ta JMO.....T

JAN. Make him use NEW rod bolts when it goes on your boat!

Really makes you want to see that motor on a 20XD comp or a XB2002.

hows that

LMAO!!! You 2 guys kill me...... bring that 260 you call a "real motor" and Tommy can bring that 280 he assembled and I'll spank both with a "fishin motor". That 200 layed down an awsome pass, more bottom end grunt than the Drag motor, spooled up 9100 and kissed 119 mph in 800'.... that's only 2 mph slower than the Drag motor

BTW, Tommy, I've put the small rod bolts over 11,000 rpm with nitrous every pass for a complete season without a failure, and I "ground" the rods to 310 grams.... so I guess it's all in how you do it that makes it last

260, 280, or hot rod motor? Won't need ta bring either one of 'em out. All I need is ta make sure tha troller has a good charge. It will make it ALL THA WAY DOWN tha track without ING........

The 340 was the hot boat at one time then came the Champs and then all the others.

I didn't think anybody remembered that one! There's a real sleeper belongs ta a friend of mine with one of my old BP's on it. Its purdy sneeeeeaky!!!!!!!!!111

Ronnie we aint gonna have to worry bout the mega 200 you braggin about it will be scattered in less then a week just like all the rest of the trick motors you build there is one thing me an Tom can count on and thats either a bran new excuse or a variation of the last one as to why your hybrid " NEW" deal went south we luv ya man you really are a riot with out guys like you hangin round this would be very boring keep up the good work

I think the came out the year I bought my 375. The dealers were all talking about them.

Don't remember when they came out myself. Been way too long ago with tha brain cells I got left.

I know we srtipped it down a coupla times and would just touch 80 ta 82 with tha right water which is way fast for a Ranger of any kind with a small motor on it..........But was a real handful ta drive even with tha right set-up for those speeds........It was fun ta say tha least though!

Stump. Just wondering? Tha guy that has tha 340 and I have always wondered why they changed tha bottom and stuff then dropped it. We kinda figured it my have been tha same reason Brunswick (Astro/Procraft) dropped tha F18. Did you ever hear any rumors and/or reasons for it?