1989 merc laser XRI 220 Versus 1995 merc 200 EFI

[cpugourou]

Hello everybody.
I m from France and have a question only mercury specialists now the answer.
For the same price (6000$) I can have a 1989 mercury laser 220 hp XRI with 250 hours OR a 1995 mercury 200 EFI with 600 hours. What would be your choice ? What are the + and - for both of them ?
My boat is a guiliani river racer (italian) 170 inchs for 600 pounds (without engine).
New engines in Europe are very expensive and I can only buy a used one to replace my merc 150 xr2.
Thank you in advance.

[us1]

The 220 Laser is not the best motor ever built. Mercury stopped making it rather quickly. But besides that the 2.5 motor has around 30% more low end torque and will out run the 2.4 with its behind the liner technology. For me it would be no question because of the 2.5’s potential to be modified to produce over 300HP. As stock motors the 2.5 is a better motor.

[pyro]

1988 was the last year they called it a 220 Xri.

In 1989, they started calling it a 200 Xri. It was the same motor with a new style cowling. I have one. :D

[Markus]

Get the newer engine:

1. The Laser was not a great engine. Many people have converted them back to carbs

2. The design as well as manufacturing quality improved dramatically from 2.4 to 2.5

3. You can get more power out of a 2.5 if you want to modify it

[JOHNNYGUN]

INSTALLED A RE-MAN POWERHEAD FOR A GUY THIS YEAR. 2.4 220. HE WOULDN'T LET ME TALK HIM OUT A IT! NOT A REAL BAD MOTOR, JUST NOT VERY DURABLE. 2.5 GETS MY VOTE!
I HAVE A FRIEND WITH A CHECKMATE, WITH A LAZER220 MODIFIED SLIGHTLY, STILL ON THE ORIGINAL PISTONS!! GUESS THERE'S A GOOD ONE IN EVERY BATCH. HE RUNS HER HARD TOO!
I'D STILL GO FOR THE 2.5:cool:

[ImbadBob]

cpu, I ran an 88 220 xri for several years, the only thing it could do that a carb 200 couldn't do was to need expensive parts the carb motor did not have. It did this very well. You should go for the newer motor. I think the 2.5 runs better. Bob

[pyro]

Talk to T-Rex and Tony Brucato. They can tell you how to squeeze an easy extra 15 HP out of a 2.4 XRi without increasing compression or actually modifying any part of the powerhead whatsoever. Just be clearing away the vapor separator and some of the clutter under the cowling by going to an external pump/slosh tank setup, moving some bleed lines around and such, you can increase air flow enough to really wake one of these motors up.

It's still not a 2.5, but they're very long lived and fairly reliable.

Mine is an '89, it has been run at 6500 RPM every trip out, all of its life, it's still all original. 125 lbs on every cyl.

The TPI (throttle position indicator) should be replaced on an older Laser XRi EFI motor. They have a tendency to wear out. The only times mine had given me trouble, I spent 5 minutes re-calibrating it and it works fine every time. Next year, I am going to replace the aged sensor.

I wish I could find a 2.5 200 EFI and sell my 2.4 for the same price! I really like the EFI, and I would love the low end grunt and acceleration of a 2.5 Liter.

[ImbadBob]

I don't know it might depend on what you are looking for, my 220 at 6600 or 7000 could not move my Allison like a 2.5 motor at lesser rpm. My laser stayed screwed up, weekley adjustments to the tpi, having to fake the head temp sensore just to get it to start, "eating power packs and stators. It ran good when it worked. I looked all over the whole motor and it did not say "FORCE" anywhere. Mine ran good when it ran , But I think it offered nothing a carb 200 could not do. Ihad a 91 200 efi, loved it , I'm now running a 2.5 260. I like efi , but the laser just more work. Good luck with what ever you buy. Bob