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Malibu Response LXI Engine Options


BoatFlyRide

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I am thinking of upgrading to an RLXI from my current RLX to get a bit more room and newer boat. I am a barefooter so Im interested in the more powerful engines. What year(s) was the Corvette motor in the RLXI? I was considering the Hammerhead until I saw all the issues with that engine. Any help/knowledge is appreciated!!

Edited by BoatFlyRide
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23 hours ago, BoatFlyRide said:

I am thinking of upgrading to an RLXI from my current RLX to get a bit more room and newer boat. I am a barefooted so Im interested in the more powerful engines. What year(s) was the Corvette motor in the RLXI? I was considering the Hammerhead until I saw all the issues with that engine. Any help/knowledge is appreciated!!

I don't think what you see on this site recently should be something that should steer you away from the Hammerhead. Like most things a bad piece make much more noise then all the good or happy people with them.  I will say I have footed behind the old carb SSlxi with less power then my LCR  and the overall performance is very very marginal. The 320 hp LCR will pull a footer without issues but I would not say LS 1 is a poor choice just I am not sure I would walk from a nice boat with less power. I don't have a clew if you are pulling more then one footer at a time and I have footed but that is as good as I am at footing I have done it.  The biggest thing with more power in my eyes, the ability to get someone out of the water in a short time.

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Another thing to consider is hull drag. Malibu are more slippery than some others, but the hull changes in 07 and again in 13(? I think ?) led to wider, deeper boats. Better for not dipping the bow than the 06 and prior, but you may want to check with other footers as far as speed and wake shape/table.

Consensus seems to be that your RLX is still the favorite hull among many footers. But if it were me I can see a small trade-off to be in a more spacious and newer boat.

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Thanks for the input everyone. My RLX has the Merc Black Scorpion and it has been a good motor. The boat will just about kiss 50 mph with a 449 under the right conditions. Seems like 2005 is the best year for me as it was the last year of the Vette motor and faster hull. Can anyone confirm if the Vette powered boats are closed loop or semi-closed loop cooling?

 

 

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Hammerhead isn't bad if you keep up with oil changes, use the updated dipstick (if your year Hammerhead requires).

Also, unless you're pulling 6 man barefoot lines, I wouldn't necessarily rule out a Monsoon in an '05 or '06.  340 HP in a lightweight slippery hull made those boats pretty fast.  Heck, the Monsoon in our '01 vDrive will top out at 48 MPH and that was before the power was bumped up 20 HP.

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i have a vette engine in my 2003 Sunsetter and it will hit a solid 48 with a 525 prop @ around 5500 - will probably do 50 with a 515.    I guess it depends on how fast you foot - we pulled our buddy the other day at 40 mph and rpm was somewhere around 4300-4500

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@BoatFlyRide:  I suggest you steer towards the Gen 1 LXI, 2003-2006 as the footing wake is much better than the Gen 2 LXI.  If you have more questions, perhaps you can get a hold of Ron Scarpa as he used Malibu's when his school was active.  He is out of the sport now, might be a bit hard getting in touch with him, I do recall the school did not embrace the Gen 2 LXI and reverted back to previous models.  As noted, the better barefoot wake is from the LX, the table is flatter and more defined.  Unfortunately, the demand for good barefoot boats is pretty limited so manufacturers are not focused on that discipline (other than Sanger).  Happy Hunting.

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