225 Pro Max bit the Dust Yesterday! Worth Rebuilding or Not?

**RiverJunkie702** · 08-22-2019, 04:01 AM

Sad day for sure! 1996 225 Pro Max I've Ran for 2 seasons now, on 2 different Hulls, tore the **** out of the #6 hole. Don't know exactly why but at a hair over 90 mph and I believe around 6200 - 6400 RPM's as I was just lifting to slow up some, boom. Felt & sounded like lower unit gears grinding, then It shut down before i could do it my self. (still had my hands full of squirly boat for a few seconds). Haven't pulled the power head or dis assembled anything yet but I'm going to go out on a limb and say this block is toast! #6 has about 1/2" x3" hole (connecting rod size) and I can peek inside and see some ne

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w porting on the exhaust cavity side as well.

#1My question is should I rebuild it, find a block and use what ever is salvageable, or is it going to be cheaper to find a freshly rebuilt or used low hour motor.

#2 If i was going to go the rebuild route should I not tear it apart my self. leave it together for a builder like JSRE or whoever to dis assemble? Reason being when I was working as a mechanic and someone brought in their junk they already tore apart, lost parts, re assemble parts of it incorrectly, etc. I remember I would be irritated, we charged more time to figure out what the customer did and how it goes back together. so I really want to tear into it but I also don't want to be that guy with the box full of pieces walking in to Jay's shop or wherever. LOL Figured I should maybe ask before I tear it apart, if that's frowned upon like it was in the shop I worked at?

#3 What should I expect cost wise to rebuild ? ball park? with steel bearing cages and maybe top pinned pistons?

Thanks in advance!

**mach351** · 08-22-2019, 05:53 AM

Rebuild it yourself - there are lots of good machinists out there now who are very familiar with building hipo steel bore motors. Let them do the machine work, then you do the assembly. Real easy nowadays to take a 200, port it a bit, buy the right parts, and make an even better motor than your promax was.

**Greg G** · 08-22-2019, 06:08 AM

That is quite a window you have there.

IMO I would part it out to recover some funds and find a newer complete motor to replace it. A Promax 225, or 225X or even maybe a 2.5 200XS Opti.

**Merc 2.5** · 08-22-2019, 06:12 AM

Originally Posted by mach351

Rebuild it yourself - there are lots of good machinists out there now who are very familiar with building hipo steel bore motors. Let them do the machine work, then you do the assembly. Real easy nowadays to take a 200, port it a bit, buy the right parts, and make an even better motor than your promax was.

I agree with this 100%, same thing I did. Built a promax out of a 200 (minus 14 pedal reeds) just get a merc manual ,and study it , keep it on same work bench and read as u work , and there is plenty help rite here and b glad to help ,, as long as ur posting pics of the build as u go haha. Gotta have pics

**Jay Smith** · 08-22-2019, 06:48 AM

OI build them weekly with 100% success , my bet is locater pin failure , if the replacement pistons aren’t top pinned you can relive history , I top pin EVERY MOTOR I build that elevates that issue in the future ... Just what I ve found building them for 25 years ...

PS there are many many tricks in assembly that AINT in any manual just things I’ve learned over 25 years to make more dependable HP and added life ...

Jay @ JSRE

**mrichartz** · 08-22-2019, 06:49 AM

I Agree w mach351..
I would decide on who you want to do the work and ask them about tearing it down you or them..easy phone call and save some headache's..
Have someone do machining and do the rest you will end up with a better motor!
It's what I did with my last two motors mostly because there was no way I could sit/stand at a bench(nerve damage missing discs++ etc) to do all the porting AND not screw it up..

**RiverJunkie702** · 08-22-2019, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by Greg G

That is quite a window you have there.

IMO I would part it out to recover some funds and find a newer complete motor to replace it. A Promax 225, or 225X or even maybe a 2.5 200XS Opti.

Thanks for the Reply Greg!
why a 2.5 200xs? I know opti's get better fuel economy but is there a particular reason for a 200xs?

**Greg G** · 08-22-2019, 07:36 PM

I was just casting as wide a net as possible for used motors assuming that you needed something light like your existing Promax. The 200XS makes about 220 horsepower and is still fairly light as a 2.5

**RiverJunkie702** · 08-22-2019, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Greg G

I was just casting as wide a net as possible for used motors assuming that you needed something light like your existing Promax. The 200XS makes about 220 horsepower and is still fairly light as a 2.5

ahh ok, thought maybe there was some secret little known 300 hp ,2.5 mercury was slipping under the rug for us. dam, oh well. Seriously though I like the weight of theses 2.5's the manual and tag on the motor say 350 lbs, that's a whole lot less than 475 and 500lb or more 3.0 or anything i've looked into with the same or more power. my bow is elevated enough with the 350lbs hangin off it. I'd have to do some weight distribution for sure with 500 lbs of motor. I only weigh like 160 with just me in the boat it feels like it go over real easy. It's faster with 2 people in it or at least i'm more comfortable with a little more weight in front. 95 on gps was as fast as i've had it but i was just getting it dialed in and propped right. I Know people run big power on these mirages and all but It's a blast as it is or was. Gotta find a power head or motor soon. Anyways thanks for the reply's Greg G and everyone else who responded.

**Capt.Insane-o** · 08-23-2019, 04:24 AM

Fix it

**tux974** · 08-23-2019, 04:41 AM

Get a reputable and knowledgable machinist and fix it!
Not uncommon to repair blocks with similar hole/damage.
Now depending on the possible internal damage like crank, sleeve(s) holder, bore bottom etc it could become pricey to repair it properly.
The 225 PM is a great little motor!

**eli** · 08-23-2019, 07:51 AM

2.5 FF blocks are ported same as pro max would be option for you they come up for sale from time to time

**nitro_rat** · 08-23-2019, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by eli

2.5 FF blocks are ported same as pro max would be option for you they come up for sale from time to time

200 FF blocks are ported same as 200 PM. 225 PM has different front half (7/14 petal) and different porting...

**TEXAS20225** · 08-23-2019, 09:48 AM

FIX IT send it to James Perry he has plenty of this type of experience and has turned 200 ff blocks into 225 pmaxs for me several times

advanced sleeve catalog list 200 efi and 225 promax sleeve as same part number james will add rod slots and big champers to the ports which is the only difference ive seen aside from ecu and 7 petal fuel set up. looks like rod bolt may have let go or part of the skirt got in between rod and front half hard to tell with out taking it apart if it knocked the floor out of number 6 then the could be a problem welding it back up if its too close to the edge of the register and crank may be a big sinker but in any case i would fix it i have fixed many of this type of explosion of parts

**TEXAS20225** · 08-23-2019, 09:55 AM

and yes Nitro they are the same motor except for ecu on the 200 pmax and 200 efi James Perry is the one who pointed out to me the same part numbers on all 3 motors years ago im running a oring head block modified to a 225 pmax and some more!!!!! its had all kinds of port work done to porting,brucato,heads,deck cut .044 to run gasket heads and some stuff ive learned over the years on my Bullet its no Allison (ive owned 3)but it enough for my Antique body