250XS / Fuel Economy

RidgeRunner

RidgeRunner

God
Just got back from a weekend on the Suwannee. Preliminary results shows some very good mileage. I am pleased with the running of this new to me motor. Looks like it burned about a gallon of 2-stroke oil and I know I went approx 160 miles in 2 days running. From the Gulf of Mexico up the Suwannee to the Sante Fe River and back (conservative 120 miles round) Then out the west pass and back, up the river to the East Pass and back. Just pumped in 32.3 gallons of high test for round about 5MPG. I admit to being lighter than normal as I was solo. The trip up river was done at about 3800 to 4000 RPM cruising 35-38 MPH On the way back I was cruising at a spitired pace of about 45 miles per hour the entire 60 miles back from the Sante Fe split. Somewhere in between I was blasting thru the twists and turns in the river at 55+ for minutes at the time.
I got back with just under 1/2 tank showing on the gauge. Before the motor swap I was lucky to get 80 or 90 miles on a tank of fuel. No way could I have done that trip with the EFI 250.
As for the rest of the weekend :cen:
Darned tubers, one guy dropped one of his riders and on the turn around lost the other one in a real narrow part of the river. He had the entire river blocked off. I was giving them plenty of room and damn if I didn't find a rock as I was idling by. Nicked the prop, bent the skeg. To top it off the weather sucked this morning, called the weekend early, then got clocked doing 65 in a 45 zone on US 19 to the tune of $281. Damn Bully Dog. :zip: It has been a while, So I was overdue.. I will take my lashing now..
 
Ridge, I hate it for the mishaps encountered...nothing more gut-wrenching than contacting a rock w/your lower unit...not to mention the speeding ticket, there hot foot...I'm overdue myself...

But even w/all that, I wish I coulda been w/ya for the test run of the Opti!!...sounds pretty exciting in the turns!!...

And congratulations on the fuel numbers!!...:clap:
 
Great news on the mileage.....the rest of the stuff ....not so much. To me the prop hit is one thing but NOTHING ruins your day faster than a speeding ticket.....It's been a long time for me too thank god.
 
Not letting the somewhat minor setbacks ruin the mood. I know better, stupid is as stupid does. Being somewhat brain dead costs lots of C-notes. Note to self Nobody put crabtraps 50 miles up the Suwannee.. Hence, No Crabtrap Buoys. :cen:

Still.
5 MPG !! 5 MPG !!
Is this possible or do I have a SNAFU with the calc. 160 miles /32 gal = 5 MPG
Maybe my mileage is off. Anybody have a method of calculating the distance traveled on a river? I have a trip function on my GPS but never used it. My 8 year old hasn't got that far with her teachings.
 
RidgeRunner said:
Not letting the somewhat minor setbacks ruin the mood. I know better, stupid is as stupid does. Being somewhat brain dead costs lots of C-notes. Note to self Nobody put crabtraps 50 miles up the Suwannee.. Hence, No Crabtrap Buoys. :cen:

Still.
5 MPG !! 5 MPG !!
Is this possible or do I have a SNAFU with the calc. 160 miles /32 gal = 5 MPG
Maybe my mileage is off. Anybody have a method of calculating the distance traveled on a river? I have a trip function on my GPS but never used it. My 8 year old hasn't got that far with her teachings.
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Well you know your take off and return point...if you know where you turned around, can you verify distance on a chart?...:head:
 
Yes, if I had a chart and some string I could figure it out. Suwannee to Branford is 55 miles by road. The Suwannee River is not very straight, As the crow flys would be a grossly underestimated number. I will work on it.. I think setting up a route on the GPS might be the easiest way.
 
I got 62 miles one way from the houses at Suwannee to the Sante Fe split using a Google Chart online, not 100 percent accurate but in the ballpark. http://www.floridabywater.com/lakes-and-rivers/suwannee-river so that would be 124 round, plus the trip in and out of the canals three times plus the trip from east pass to west pass. I am close at 160 miles. Bring on the Smartcraft, I want to see my instantaneous MPG. Maybe I can find the sweet spot, LOL. Probably not the best mileage out there but I am ecstatic. :sun::beer:
 
That is amazing. You've got me ready to do the same thing this winter. My mechanic is going to kill me after the hell I put him through rigging the 225.
 
Is your 250 SX stock or has it been modified and could we see a picture with the V stopped in the water to see how it sits with that size outboard.
 
So top speed is 55 ? Ok..........that's it...........gotta get me one of those new 557's so I can blast by this guy while doing 75mph in my V21 !

Congratulations with the new engine - sounds great.
 
bgreene said:
So top speed is 55 ? Ok..........that's it...........gotta get me one of those new 557's so I can blast by this guy while doing 75mph in my V21 !

Congratulations with the new engine - sounds great.
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AWESOME MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, be sure to post pics.
 
Chart - She sits a bit low in the stern that is for sure. I will get some new pictures soon. Not much different than these. New motor is only slightly heavier than the one pictured. The 250XS is stock. There isn't a lot of options for modifications on the Optimax motors, YET. I read up on the motor quite a bit before taking the plunge. It has been modified and hand assembled by Mercury Racing. They raised compression and use different fuel and timing curves than a stock 250 Optimax and call it an XS. The new ones are supposed to make 270 hp at the prop running on premium fuel.
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YeeHaw! BGreene We need pics. LOL ! And thanks it seems to be working out.:beer:
 
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