2004 901 help

[derrick lee]

i am considering buying a 2004 901 with a 150 merc xr6 i know its rated for a 200 can anyone give me their opinion how it run on topend i know the holeshot may be a little slow. please help

 

[Chris F.]

My 2003 201 has a 200EFI and its top end is in the upper 60's. Chris F.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Run it loaded before you buy it and I mean loaded....Tackle, 2 guys and full livewells. If I remember correctly that rig is hard to get out of the hole with a one fiddy.



TOXIC

 

[Jim B]

Yep, id do what Tox said. Run it and see for youself.



If i had to guess id say it would be really poor out of the hold and a top end of maybe high 50's



My concern is how hard you will be working that motor on top. When i had my 882 with a 150 if i had a full load you could tell the motor was working at top end. It wasnt bogging by any means but you could hear and feel it working a lot harder then a light load. The 882 is a little smaller and lighter then the 901 and i dont think the 150 is even remotely the right choice. I would look for one with a either a big block 200 3.0l efi or a 200 opti. I think you would be much happer with that combo long term.

 

[Bill Hamilton]

For what it is worth. If you are looking for a great hole shot and high top end speed then the 150 is NOT what you want to get. If you want to get across the water in a reasonable amount of time at 50-55 then that engine is fine. It is a function of your needs and COST of what you want the boat to do.



I have a 200 XR6 and it runs great, albeit a hard starter in the cold. Do I wish I had the Opti or the EFI - absolutely. Did I have the extra money at the time - NO, but I wanted the 200 on my '02 896 because I (thought) I wanted to go fast and the boat was heavy. In retrospect, I wish I had put the money into the EFI or Opti and went with the 150 which the boat came with since I very seldom take it above 50-55 mph.



If you can find the EFI or Opti I would certainly go that way unless price is a major consideration.

 

[Derek Chance]

I would not recommend the 150 on that boat. I have an 02 901 with a small block 200 (2.5 liter, same block as the 150) and this boat really needs the 3.0 liter (big block efi or Opti). It is really the only downfall of my boat is it is somewhat of a dog. Tourney loaded I am at 60-63 gps WOT with a 23p tempest.



the 150 on that rig will have to work way too hard and it won't last near as long as a 200.



Awesome boat though.

 

[Tom Haley]

Spent a good deal of time on this question back in 2004 when I purchased my 901. Trust me, find a 901 with a 200hp and if you go with a 200efi get the big block. It makes a huge difference. Boat jumps right up on plane with the heqviest tournament load and runs 68-69mph(GPS) fully loaded. One thing people don't realize is that an undersized motor eats fuel and it is a safety hazard. I had an old Nitro 884 with a 150EFI and it took forever to get on plane.



Not sure what you are looking for but mine is for sale on the Swap/Sell page.

 

[Tooltime Tim]

I have a 2005 901 CDX with a 150 XR6. It does 55mph fully loaded. When I bought the boat I was given the choice of the 200 which would take me to 65, but it would cost me $5000 more. It was all I had at the time to get what I got. The boat is a fantastic fishing platform and has given me zero problems. The holeshot was a ploblem until I got the gight combination of engine height and plugs removed from prop. I did try a foil but found it dangerous at full tilt. The fact is no one passes you at 55 on most waterways, so its an ego thing, the only boat that may pass you is a bass boat. Can you live with that?:lol: Personally I just go fishing!

Thanks Tim.

 

[Derek Chance]

Hey Tooltime Tim,



How did a foil make it too dangerous? Just curious I was thinking of trying one. I know you run a 150 and I have the small block 200, but what are your setup numbers?