Evinrude XP 300 -88

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charlie_kula

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Is this engine any good?<br /><br />I just bought one and I have recieved different warnings from so called experts that the engine is inreliable, that the VRO may break, that the engine is likely to blow up, etc.<br /><br />Anyone with experience of this engine?<br /><br />I am also interested in what champion plug to use and what gap.<br /><br />Thanks!
 
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Dhadley

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

Welcome!!<br /><br />I've had several and personaly I love 'em. <br /><br />If you set them up like a V6 they will most likely die. They have to be set up as they were intended to be. They live on fuel supply. If you have a fuel restriction, its not going to be pretty.
 
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charlie_kula

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

Yes its drinking fuel allright. <br /><br />Have you been using your VRO:s or disengaged them?<br /><br />3 or 4 blade prop?
 
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Dhadley

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

We ran the VRO's on some and ran premix on others. If it still has the VRO pumps I would replace them with the new oil injection pumps. If you run the injection be sure the oil tank is protected so no water gets in. A remote fill on the oil tank is a no-no.<br /><br />We ran all kinds of props on different boats.<br /><br />Set up is key. What kind of top rpm (average load) are you set up at?
 
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charlie_kula

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

The VRO is changed to the latest version. So is a lot of stuff in the engine. New CDI, carb repair kits, new engine mounts, new packing boxes (spelling?), etc.<br /><br />I have it set up to top 5500 with a four blade Mercury revolution four 21".<br /><br />The engine smokes like crazy when cold. My wife isnt too happy about it. Any quick fix to that?
 
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Dhadley

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

At 5500 you are lugging the motor badly. At 5500 a properly set up 200-225 would perform about the same. That motor needs to be set up at least to 6200. <br /><br />The excess smoke at start up could come from several things. Could be an oil pump starting to leak internally, could be a spark plug issue (Champions ONLY!!!), an oil issue etc.<br /><br />Is the boats transom a 20"?
 
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seahorse5

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

Make sure the thermostats are allowing the cylinderheads to reach around 140 degrees to minimize smoking. This is assuming that the pumps are in good shape and there are no restricitions or air leakage into the fuel system.<br /><br />5800-6000 rpm is the preferred propping point for those motors
 
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charlie_kula

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

Thanks for the replies.<br /><br />Yes the height is allright for the boat.<br /><br />I have heard the 300 XP is sensitive to high rpms. Anything above 5800 will trash it has the repair shop told me. However its like with all other sports, you get as many variations of answer as you ask questions. One repair guy read from som kind of Evinrude repair manual that the 300 XP shall operate between 5000-6000 rpm at WOT. He said 5500 was perfect.<br /><br />The smoking gets less when the engine gets warm. Its when the engine has been sitting unused for a couple of days the smokes comes out thick and white. The engine revs up to 1100 (automatic choke?) Then the smoke lessens, and eventually it goes down to none or little smoke.<br /><br />I just now changed to Champion QL77RC4 gaping close to 0.40. Any comments on my plugs?<br /><br />The previous owner had QL82YC which I believe is completely wrong plugs for it.
 
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Dhadley

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

OK. If the boats transom is 20" the motor may be mounted too low. Keep in mind a 20" V8 is actually 23". Thats a large gearcase and we want as much of it out of the water as the prop will allow. We normally mount a 20" V8 on a 25" transom. <br /><br />Those motors love rpm. Thats why the limiter is at 6700. At 6200 youre still 500 rpm away.<br /><br />Is your gearcase stock or does it have a nosecone?<br /><br />I noticed you mentioned new mounts. Be very very careful if someone put a solid motor mount in the upper.
 
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charlie_kula

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

Its has got a new nosecone and all mounts replaced with new rubber replacements.<br /><br />How do I measure the hight of the engine? I know from the engine code that its a 20" but it could be interesting to get the exact height.<br /><br />How is 20" compared to an XL?
 
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Dhadley

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

What kind of boat? What kind of speed?<br /><br />Where is the AV plate now in relation to the bottom?<br /><br />Has the hood ever been repaired near the #1 cylinder?
 
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charlie_kula

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

Lot of question but few answer to mine :=)<br /><br />The engine is ok in height, the boat is 24 foot race hull and tops out around 60 mph.<br /><br />No repair in the engine hood, strange question by the way.<br /><br />Now back to my question about the spark plug. Type and gap please, if anyone actually knows in this community...
 
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charlie_kula

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

Yeah but i have only tried three times about the plugs but all I get back is a bunch of strange questions about my engine height.<br /><br />Never mind, this community is like most others - amateurs trying to help other newbies (like me).<br /><br />Merry new year.
 
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Dhadley

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

OK. Either of the plugs are fine. I prefer the 77's myself.<br /><br />At 60 mph the nosecone on a 300XP gearcase is creating a lot of drag and costing you rpms. Youll probably run faster without it. If its a 275 gearcase its slightly better but still is hurting more than helping. <br /><br />If youre using the nosecone to prevent blowout, dont worry. We've run that style gearcase (stock, as produced) well over 90 without blowout. A lot depends on prop style.<br /><br />A nosecone on a 300 gearcase also adds tremendous side loads to the motor because it ends up so far in front of the steering shaft (axis center). Youll probably have very noticable "scrape" marks on one side of the stern brackets where the motor trims in and out.<br /><br />Those same side loads often cause the upper mount to break. When that happens and the motor falls back somewhat there can be damage to the hood from the powerhead hitting.<br /><br />Without knowing what type hull its difficult to say about the X dimension. Usually if we run a 20" V8 on a 20" transom we use a jackplate to get the proper set up. Thats why its not unusual to see a 20" V8 on a 25" transom.
 
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charlie_kula

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Re: Evinrude XP 300 -88

OK thanks about the plugs. I hope low end will improve with QL77JC4 compared to the QL82YC plug. Also the heat range 82 seems way of. Do you use 0.30 or 0.40 gap?<br /><br />I have not measured the transom height yet. I may do that and also check for scrape marks as you said. The engines height seems OK because it runs well straight and just barely starts indicate ventilation in turns. Of course the Mercury Revolution 4 prop helps keep it on track.<br /><br />There is a stainless steel plate on the transom, also the previous owner reinforced it with bars going from top of transom to the bottom of the hull. <br /><br />The hull is a european boat with 22 foot length and 6 foot width. I think the boat runs great, however its the engine I worry most about. I'd rather change it to a 2000 or newer 225 Ficht or an Optimax or something.
 
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