Finally ran the Bullet

[ReelRT]

I've been chasing demons in my XS since June and I finally got on the water yesterday afternoon. It only took a new to me low hour complete motor.
Motor is still in break in mode with Torquemaster lower, but the hole shot was amazing. It's never run like this since I bought it.
Turned out all along it was the HydroTech tuner I put in. The backpressure was too low and it would not build block pressure. Now I'm going to rebuild the original XS powerhead and go back to stock exhaust tuner. That way Hydro-Shok will be back to original.

Side note was able to fish for 1-1/2 and caught so many stripers on topwater I lost count. One was just over 10#. Man it's nice to be back on the water.

[Buck456]

It's hard to beat a top water striper/hybrid bite.

[alli ss]

So tell me about this hydrotec tuner issue? I have one ive been trying to install in my motor

[ReelRT]

So tell me about this hydrotec tuner issue? I have one ive been trying to install in my motor

Rather than clean up my stock tuner I decided to go with the Hydro Tech tuner instead. Big mistake; I lost all block water pressure, down to .06 psi at idle. Seems the lack of backpressue with the open exhaust tuner would not let the water pressure build up in the block. The Hydro Tech tuner was designed for the 3.0L and 3.2L but the MAP on my 225XS did not like it. I think it's very similar to the one that's in your 300X.

[ReelRT]

It's hard to beat a top water striper/hybrid bite.

It was a great way to get re-introduced to fishing.

[Bullet 250]

It's hard to beat a top water striper/hybrid bite.

Especially when there're 20+ lbers, but it's been a long time since I've got into that size schooling

[T-racer]

Interesting on the Hydrotec tuner.... I know a buddy who put one on his 250XS and he has a lot of issues with his motor.... Hadn't linked it to that tuner yet but??? I was thinking of buying one for my 225 Pro XS but... Maybe I'll wait...

[ReelRT]

Interesting on the Hydrotec tuner.... I know a buddy who put one on his 250XS and he has a lot of issues with his motor.... Hadn't linked it to that tuner yet but??? I was thinking of buying one for my 225 Pro XS but... Maybe I'll wait...

Is your buddy having cooling issues. If so have him get the block pressure while idling. With the Hydro Tech tuner I was getting only .06 psi and it should be
2.5 or higher. I Put a stock mid on and I now have 2.9 psi block pressure at idle.

[Rex1]

Was told by DBR that a tuner would not be any help unless you/they go inside the motor with port work. Thats
why I do not run one.

[ReelRT]

Was told by DBR that a tuner would not be any help unless you/they go inside the motor with port work. Thats
why I do not run one.

Agreed, I was trying to get back on the water quick and cheap by replacing the severely plugged stock exhaust tuner with the Hydro Tech and it bit me in the a** . Lost the entire summer and early fall fishing because of that tuner. Other than the Sportsmaster fixes, I'm never straying from Mother Merc on parts again.

[ReelRT]

Well it turns out that I think the Hydro Tech tuner would have been okay after all. I wanted to get my sporty and mid back on my boat this week and get the Pro XS motor I bought ready to sell. I put my mid back on with the stock tuner now that it's all drilled out and cleaned up and I was right back to no block water pressure at idle.

I pulled the poppet valve out of the brand new exhaust plate FOR THE 1ST TIME SINCE I installed it back in June and NOW I notice that the carrier and grommet that compress the poppet valve during idle are missing. This makes total sense that you wouldn't build block pressure at idle like this.

I never even looked inside the new exhaust plate when I installed the poppet valve and guess what you have to put those in when replacing a brand new exhaust plate. So long story short I spent about $8500 to fix something that would have cost under 50 bucks back in June if I had only rebuilt the poppet valve and left the exhaust tuner alone. I plan to put my original XS back on and sell the nice low hour Pro XS I've been running the last month or so. Hopefully I'll be able to recover some of the crazy money I spent trying to fix this thing.


I've been screwing with this motor for over 5 months. I'M AN IDIOT !

[WVBullet]

That is some serious cash!

[alli ss]

I was wondering because youre the only one that didnt love that tuner from what ive heard

[Kyle08]

Dam that sucks. It happens I've bin there

[ReelRT]

I was wondering because youre the only one that didnt love that tuner from what ive heard

Yeah, that's why I had to post this "I'm an Idiot" thread. I plan to call Wayne at Hydro Tech and let him know on Monday. I should probably post this on the Mercury forum also.

[ReelRT]

Dam that sucks. It happens I've bin there

I had a S10 that I dumped mega bucks into and could never get it to run cool. Tried everything could not figure it out. Sold the truck lost my a** found out later the 383 stroker I bought from my brother was 12:1 compression and it didn't like having cats on it.

[crank68]

That’s a bad deal...looks like the 12:1 compression at idle woulda been noticeable..?

[Bullet 250]

Fast motors HIGH COST!!!

[ReelRT]

That’s a bad deal...looks like the 12:1 compression at idle woulda been noticeable..?

Yeah, like I've said I'm an IDIOT. The back story is funny though...
I saw it on a tote the note lot about 6 months after I sold it. So I had to stop and see it. The sales guy comes out all smiles and I'm looking at it and it's all there as I sold it. I told the sales guy it must run hot. He said no way and I said let's drive it and he said oh it's not street legal. Then I told him I built it and it ran hot. Then he confessed they couldn't get it to run cool. I wish I had it back I would just register it in a county that doesn't smog test and 86 the cats.