Have you disclosed what size motors you're building? Does anybody know how the lines sizes/hardware differ between Merc black motors and say a 525EFI?
As quick as we can be to condemn Merc for cutting a corner or two, they seem to offer stuff that holds together for its design intent. Nobody would go racing with a stock 454MAG, but the 525EFI and the 850SCi are spec motors for some of the race classes. IMHO, replicating what they use for your intentions should work out alright.
Have you disclosed what size motors you're building? Does anybody know how the lines sizes/hardware differ between Merc black motors and say a 525EFI?
As quick as we can be to condemn Merc for cutting a corner or two, they seem to offer stuff that holds together for its design intent. Nobody would go racing with a stock 454MAG, but the 525EFI and the 850SCi are spec motors for some of the race classes. IMHO, replicating what they use for your intentions should work out alright.
Hmm. Hmmm. Maybe I will start by seeing what the existing setups look like. The old motors were built up a little. My use of the term "stock" may have been misleading. I really meant existing.
You probably don't need oil coolers- 90% of the time. You probably don't need oversize plumbing- 90% of the time. You probably don't need alot of things 90% of the time. It's the 10% that matters.
If you can maintain 3/4" plumbing (-6) throughout and use the right adapters, coolers, etc., you're going to be far ahead of the game. The angle fittings are the worst. If you read Smitty's overview on OSO, you saw how restrictive some block adapters can be. And the stock coolers- that's a one-way ticket to oil pressure and volume issues. Follow Smitty's advice and you've got all you need for 5800 rpm 540's.
Due to the limited space in my bilge lots of 90 degree fittings need to be used in the remote oil setup. 90's obviously dont help flow rate so I opted for the largest port sized parts I could find, -12. and increased oil volume (hp6 style filter). Is any of this necessary for a slightly more than moderate SBC, NO. I have luck like Gino and I think anything worth killing is worth over killing. The biggest resriction in my oil system is going to be the engine block itself. Like Chris said, its that 10% that matters.
Route it with -12 and run the dog **** out of it like the boat was built for.
If you can go ($$) the Hardin with the built in Stats use those .... easier to plumb and a If you price the extra AN fittings and hose its Prob cheaper than seperate coolers and Stats ...I used -10 hose (550hp) and its worked out fine for about 2 years ..however I would go with -12 .... Piece of mind and not get *****ed at by other members ....
The big Cooler Teague sells (which is the same as the big one at the bottom of Rex's list) are built here; http://www.aihti.com/home.htm In Chicago I believe.
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ive got some tandem coolers i need to sell, they are pretty big, bought them and didnt use them, ended up going with a plate style cooler, i used the KE remote filter with the tstat in that, so they dont not have a t stat, any intrest?
-10 fittings and hose have worked very well for me. They have double the cross section sq. inches of area of HP500 plumbing. -12 plumbing is a good bit more expensive and it's size and stiffness makes it hard to rig. Not worth the trouble imho.
Get the coolers with 1 1/4 hose barbs. If you get the coolers with 1" threads then you have to buy the barb fittings and they aren't cheap. The less expensive coolers like the Eddie Marine have 1/2 npt bungs welded in. The -10 x 1/2 npt fittings have a nice large i.d. so I am comfortable using them. If I were building 1000hp+ I would use the -12 and the more expensive coolers but not with these engines.
ive got some tandem coolers i need to sell, they are pretty big, bought them and didnt use them, ended up going with a plate style cooler, i used the KE remote filter with the tstat in that, so they dont not have a t stat, any intrest?