Fuel consumption figures for Mercruiser marine engines:

3.0 L: 6gph at 3500 cruise, 11.5 gph WOT
4.3 L (2 bbl): 8.5 gph at 3500 cruise, 16.7 gph WOT
4.3 L MPI: 9.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 19.5 gph WOT
5.0L (2 bbl): 9.0 gph at 3000 (not 3500) cruise, 20.5gph WOT
5.0 L MPI: 10.9 gph at 3500 cruise, 22 gph WOT
350 Mag MPI: 12gph at 3500 cruise, 22gph at (5000 rpm) WOT
MX 6.2L MPI: 13.2 gph at 3500 cruise, 25.1 gph at 5200 WOT
496 Magnum: 16.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 30.5 gph at WOT
496 Magnum HO: 18.5 at 3500 cruise, 33gph at 5000 WOT.


Hmm, lets see: Running a pair of 496 HO gassers at well above cruise
speed would likely burn
close to 30 gph per side or 60gph total. 60 gph X $5/gal = $300 per
hour in fuel costs. Over $2000 for an all-day high speed run.

Running the same engines at 3500 rpm cruise would burn 37 gph, for a
total of $185 per hour in fuel costs at $5 a gallon. Still not cheap by
any stretch of the imagination, but at least not as far out of the
questiong for most folks as a $2000 daily (or even weekend) fuel bill
would be.

Harry Krause wrote:
wrote:
Fuel consumption figures for Mercruiser marine engines:

3.0 L: 6gph at 3500 cruise, 11.5 gph WOT
4.3 L (2 bbl): 8.5 gph at 3500 cruise, 16.7 gph WOT
4.3 L MPI: 9.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 19.5 gph WOT
5.0L (2 bbl): 9.0 gph at 3000 (not 3500) cruise, 20.5gph WOT
5.0 L MPI: 10.9 gph at 3500 cruise, 22 gph WOT
350 Mag MPI: 12gph at 3500 cruise, 22gph at (5000 rpm) WOT
MX 6.2L MPI: 13.2 gph at 3500 cruise, 25.1 gph at 5200 WOT
496 Magnum: 16.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 30.5 gph at WOT
496 Magnum HO: 18.5 at 3500 cruise, 33gph at 5000 WOT.


Hmm, lets see: Running a pair of 496 HO gassers at well above cruise
speed would likely burn
close to 30 gph per side or 60gph total. 60 gph X $5/gal = $300 per
hour in fuel costs. Over $2000 for an all-day high speed run.

Running the same engines at 3500 rpm cruise would burn 37 gph, for a
total of $185 per hour in fuel costs at $5 a gallon. Still not cheap by
any stretch of the imagination, but at least not as far out of the
questiong for most folks as a $2000 daily (or even weekend) fuel bill
would be.



Runnone *one* 496 HO gas engine in a boat is an acceptable definition of
stupidity. If your is heavy enough to need a pair, then you should have
gone diesel.

No argument from me, but that immortal line "I can sure buy a lot of
gasoline for the difference in price between putting gas and diesel
engine in my boat" is going to be severely strained, if not sorely
tested, in the coming months. The high $/gal figures, for both gas and
diesel, probably have some people second guessing choices to power with
big block gas engines.

Here's a typical day at the lake. - This does not include the monthly
payment, maintenance, insurance or possible repairs needed after the
trip on either the boat or the tow vehicle, only the expense for the
day.

If we're on the lake for about 8 hours and cruise (~35-40 mph) about
25% of the time and approximately 10% of the time we're running wot
to pull a skier or towable and the other 65% the engine was off and
we're relaxing or swimming, we would burn about 35 gallons of gas.
That will cost us about $112. And I used to think the beer and ice was
the big expense.

(8 x .25)9.0=18 x $3.25 = $58.50
(8 x .10)20.5=16.4 x $3.25 = $53.30
34.4 gph 111.80
Park entrance fee 7.00
Food/beverage/ice 38.00
TOTAL= $156.80

Fuel consumption figures for Mercruiser marine engines:
3.0 L: 6gph at 3500 cruise, 11.5 gph WOT
4.3 L (2 bbl): 8.5 gph at 3500 cruise, 16.7 gph WOT
4.3 L MPI: 9.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 19.5 gph WOT
----- 5.0L (2 bbl): 9.0 gph at 3000 cruise, 20.5gph WOT ----- My
category
5.0 L MPI: 10.9 gph at 3500 cruise, 22 gph WOT
350 Mag MPI: 12gph at 3500 cruise, 22gph at (5000 rpm) WOT
MX 6.2L MPI: 13.2 gph at 3500 cruise, 25.1 gph at 5200 WOT
496 Magnum: 16.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 30.5 gph at WOT
496 Magnum HO: 18.5 at 3500 cruise, 33gph at 5000 WOT.

On 24 Apr 2006 11:33:54 -0700, "azboating" wrote:

Here's a typical day at the lake. - This does not include the monthly
payment, maintenance, insurance or possible repairs needed after the
trip on either the boat or the tow vehicle, only the expense for the
day.

If we're on the lake for about 8 hours and cruise (~35-40 mph) about
25% of the time and approximately 10% of the time we're running wot
to pull a skier or towable and the other 65% the engine was off and
we're relaxing or swimming, we would burn about 35 gallons of gas.
That will cost us about $112. And I used to think the beer and ice was
the big expense.

(8 x .25)9.0=18 x $3.25 = $58.50
(8 x .10)20.5=16.4 x $3.25 = $53.30
34.4 gph 111.80
Park entrance fee 7.00
Food/beverage/ice 38.00
TOTAL= $156.80

Fuel consumption figures for Mercruiser marine engines:
3.0 L: 6gph at 3500 cruise, 11.5 gph WOT
4.3 L (2 bbl): 8.5 gph at 3500 cruise, 16.7 gph WOT
4.3 L MPI: 9.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 19.5 gph WOT
----- 5.0L (2 bbl): 9.0 gph at 3000 cruise, 20.5gph WOT ----- My
category
5.0 L MPI: 10.9 gph at 3500 cruise, 22 gph WOT
350 Mag MPI: 12gph at 3500 cruise, 22gph at (5000 rpm) WOT
MX 6.2L MPI: 13.2 gph at 3500 cruise, 25.1 gph at 5200 WOT
496 Magnum: 16.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 30.5 gph at WOT
496 Magnum HO: 18.5 at 3500 cruise, 33gph at 5000 WOT.

Where did you find that info, and why isn't the 5.7L included?
--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

Where did you find that info, and why isn't the 5.7L included?
--

The 5.7 isn't included because it hasn't been a current offering in the
lineup for some time now, other than in the 350 mag version. The 5.0 has
replaced the 5.7 as the standard small block V8 offering. Go figure.

"azboating" wrote in message
ups.com...
Here's a typical day at the lake. - This does not include the monthly
payment, maintenance, insurance or possible repairs needed after the
trip on either the boat or the tow vehicle, only the expense for the
day.

If we're on the lake for about 8 hours and cruise (~35-40 mph) about
25% of the time and approximately 10% of the time we're running wot
to pull a skier or towable and the other 65% the engine was off and
we're relaxing or swimming, we would burn about 35 gallons of gas.
That will cost us about $112. And I used to think the beer and ice was
the big expense.

(8 x .25)9.0=18 x $3.25 = $58.50
(8 x .10)20.5=16.4 x $3.25 = $53.30
34.4 gph 111.80
Park entrance fee 7.00
Food/beverage/ice 38.00
TOTAL= $156.80


You forgot to include what it costs you in gas to get to and from the lake,
towing your boat. The hits just keep on coming.

You did have to remind me of that. We live about 30 minutes from the
lake which burns about 15 gallons round trip, so add another $48 to
that total. Yikes! a $200 day.

Typically for a day trip we go to lake pleasant, it's close enough for
us to go afterwork on a weekday or first thing on a Saturday morning
for a breakfast cruise. If we're going for a few days or more we'll
head to Lake Mead or Lake Powell.

"azboating" wrote in message
ups.com...
Typically for a day trip we go to lake pleasant, it's close enough for
us to go afterwork on a weekday or first thing on a Saturday morning
for a breakfast cruise. If we're going for a few days or more we'll
head to Lake Mead or Lake Powell.


Mine's slipped at Saguaro. I towed a friends boat to Lake Mead two weeks
ago. He keeps it in dry storage at Lake Pleasant. We launched and stayed
at Temple Bar. My boat hasn't been on Lake Powell since Summer 2003.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Fuel consumption figures for Mercruiser marine engines:

3.0 L: 6gph at 3500 cruise, 11.5 gph WOT
4.3 L (2 bbl): 8.5 gph at 3500 cruise, 16.7 gph WOT
4.3 L MPI: 9.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 19.5 gph WOT
5.0L (2 bbl): 9.0 gph at 3000 (not 3500) cruise, 20.5gph WOT
5.0 L MPI: 10.9 gph at 3500 cruise, 22 gph WOT
350 Mag MPI: 12gph at 3500 cruise, 22gph at (5000 rpm) WOT
MX 6.2L MPI: 13.2 gph at 3500 cruise, 25.1 gph at 5200 WOT
496 Magnum: 16.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 30.5 gph at WOT
496 Magnum HO: 18.5 at 3500 cruise, 33gph at 5000 WOT.


Hmm, lets see: Running a pair of 496 HO gassers at well above cruise
speed would likely burn
close to 30 gph per side or 60gph total. 60 gph X $5/gal = $300 per
hour in fuel costs. Over $2000 for an all-day high speed run.

Running the same engines at 3500 rpm cruise would burn 37 gph, for a
total of $185 per hour in fuel costs at $5 a gallon. Still not cheap by
any stretch of the imagination, but at least not as far out of the
questiong for most folks as a $2000 daily (or even weekend) fuel bill
would be.


Our 21 foot runabout is powered by a single 190 HP 4.3L Volvo Penta I/O. We
normally cruise at about 3200 rpm, although we may run it up a bit to catch
up with some friends on the Lake or to get somewhere.......fast. This boat
cruises at 35 mph and will do close to 50 mph WOT.

Most of our high fuel consumption comes when we pull the kids skiing or
tubing. As we only purchased this boat late last summer I have not had the
chance to develop any GPH estimates when cruising vs. pulling our kids on
skis or in tubes....but the bottom line for us is that the fuel price
increases will not be a problem or impact our new boating habits.

I am certainly glad we sold our 32 footer with twin 260HP engines. ;-)