[RidgeRunner]

Took off a 250 EFI weight of 465 lbs (No oil tank, oil injection removed. I believe it was a stock motor but came from a guy that builds hot rods. It has balls.)

Bolted on a 250XS Optimax advertised dry weight lightest model of 505 lbs (add 3 gallon oil tank to the stern full of oil plus the extra 5" of length in the mid stepping up from the lightest short shaft model to the 25") I would call it closer to 550 lbs in reality.

Dropped 5 mph (down to 58 from 63). But I did get some of it back with a slight working of the prop. Now it will do 60 when light and aired out. All around mileage is about 5MPG best as I can tell. I like top end, I love the 40-50 MPH cruising speed. The ability to tow another 20' boat on plane with the additional hp is cool but near useless most of the time. The sternheavy feeling of having the 40 gallon baitwell full of greenies with three people on board, not so cool.

The EFI's suck the fuel like no tomorrow. So do the carb motors. Was getting around 2 MPG if lucky with the 250 EFI.
All Optimax motors are direct injected with a seventh piston (the one in the compressor that provides the air for complete fuel atomization directly into the combustion chamber. Another thing about the XS Opti versions, some are limited at 6100 rpm and some are limited to 5800 like a stock Opti. I have the latter. Every now and then when I push it hard I will get an alarm for overspeed at 5900 rpm. Fist time it happened was an eye opener.

I think the 3.0L Optimax motors are great, provided your rig can handle the weight. The 225 Opti on the Whaler was a fine motor. Adequate for most, twin 150's would have been ideal although more costly to own and I am not sure 1x150hp engine would have put it on plane without a prop change.

As for the 225 Optimax and rated hp. I think the 1983 was only rated for 200 hp. The v-20 was definitely not intended for motors woth so much hp torque or weight. The way the transom was designed and how the stringers were cut down at the transom it was never intended for setback brackets and big hp. They designed them for the hp de jour.
Love hp threads.. Thanks Bgreene.