Found a 76 degree 225 Yamaha 420lbs for $3200 but its a 30" shaft. These 30" shafts are getting to be a pain.

mobile.craigslist.org/boa/3030928094.html

Add another 100 to that amount and you will be in the ball park of it's actual weight. I have a blown 250 76 degree YAMAHA, and it was a heavy SOB to get off the boat. They went to the offset cran kand 76 degree V to keep the engine from being so big that it wouldn't fit an average splashwell because it was such a big engine(3.4L with a BIG block design). The 76 degree engines were built for pushing heavy loads and to push out the OMC V-8 engines.

Nada must be off. I googled L225turv weight and got 494 pounds on a couple different sites. I have been pulling the weights from NADA.

blown engines are not necessarily a bad thing. If you get it cheap enough. Drop on a rebuilt powerhead and start off fresh.

76 degree V engines cost a small FORTUNE to rebuild, and even more to buy a running one. I've got one in teh shed in pieces, and I just can't justify building it as I would only be able to make a few hundred off of it rebuilt.

Right now i know where a carbed 1996 Merc 225XL is that has low comp on all cylinders. not sure if its a 2.5 or 3.0. Still trying to figure that out, as there seems to be an overlap when they produced a 2.5L and a 3.0L 200 at the same time. Would Capt Petes idea be practical? Right now i also have seen a 225 Excell on CL for $1000.

pensacola.craigslist.org/boa/2994949014.html

I have seen an ad on CL for outboard rebuilding for $1850, i know rebuilds can cost half that or ten times that, heres the ad

pensacola.craigslist.org/boa/3056815292.html

Also i have a V6 Yamaha counter rotating lower unit in the shed from the 250 Sportsman.

Just emailed the seller of the 2.5L Merc 200 for $2000, waiting to hear back on the shaft length controls and hours. I have the feeling the 2.5L Merc is a "weak" 200. Is this the case? Because they also have a 3.0L 200. But i bet the 2.5L would be less thirsty? I may say to hell with the Optimax and EFI and stay with my original idea of a carbed outboard that i can work on. I really cant afford to put one in the shop for work i cant do. May take a loss in speed. Is 50mph possible for a 2.5L 200 pushing a V20 on a bracket?

The 2.5L 200 MERC is not weak by any means. It doesn't have the torque of the 3.0L, but it will perform very well on a V-20. MJ pushed his 23 foot SEA OX with a 2.4L, and I don't think he ever complained about the power. A 225 is almost certainly a 3.0L. The main reaso nthey went to the 3.0L 200 MERC was for emissions and torque for heavier boats. The 2.5L engine was available all the way up to 280HP from MERCURY's performance division. Look over on scream and fly for an engine as well.

Yep like I said, I had a 2.4 Merc 175 on the Sea Ox and its a heavy boat, at 3300# before bracket, motor, 100 gal gas, tackle, ice and people! Ran a 15 pitch prop, got low 30's GREAT on gas!!!!I got it from BS and after I bought the 4 stroke I sold back to BS, he just blew his 200 Merc and put it on his 23 Seacraft and loving it.

IMO you need nothing more for a V20, never can use it at 50 mph 99% of time any how! Then the gas at today's prices, heck I am happy in the 30's any day!! lower then that most of the time.With the 200 HDPI I have now it goes great and the thing sips gas:beer:

You're running the V with 200 hpdi or other boat ?

jason, i'd stay away from the guy in milton. heard many horror stories locally about him & his "rebuilds". go the the hull truth & do a search under blackwater.