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Best Engine for 2021/2022 - 25 LSV


4mc

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After endless research I have decided to order a 2022 Malibu 25 LSV for next season, unless I find a good deal on a 2021.

 

Please share thoughts on engines.  What is the best for this boat.   Want to balance great power with noise level and fuel consumption.  

Please share you experiences.  

Edited by 4mc
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If cost of the option to get the LT4 (607) is of no concern then definitely go that way. They have significantly reduced the cabin noise over the earlier models like my 2016 with the super charged raptor. I actually think fuel economy will be better with the LT4 for most activities minus wide open throttle.

Edited by krward
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We need more information.  

Will the boat only be used in Texas?  Save me the trouble of having to google what the highest lake elevation in Texas is.  Elevation is important.  Are you going to be happy with stock ballast and a few people or are you going to try 1000 pounds of lead, full ballast and 15 people in the boat?  

Wakeboarding or surfing?  Wakeboarding with lots of weight requires much more power.  

I had the M6 in my 2019 (same running surface, IIUC), and was very happy up to 3600 feet in mine.  It was quiet, fuel efficient, and had plenty of power for cruising and surfing.  I almost thought I could have even propped it to give me an even lower RPM, but never got around to it.  I would do it again.  Financially, the supercharged motor was a stretch for me.  If it isn't a financial question, I would go supercharged all day, even though I did not particularly need it.  

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I have one on order as well and am curious if that extra power is really needed or if it’s just a muscle flex. 

 

Also, does anyone have any experience with the sound ratings between the different model engines?

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I have a 2021 25LSV with the M6 and it works very well.  We only boat in Texas, so can't provide feedback for higher elevations.  Coming from the raptor motor in my 2018 it is very quiet and burns way less fuel.   

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I went from a 2019 450 23 LSV to a M240 LT4. I'm usually at 4500-6500 elevation. The 450 was fine for most applications but it would struggle with a heavy crew when surfing. I had a high altitude prop on it as well. IMO, the LT4 is hands down better in every way. It runs at least 1500 RPMs lower than the 450 at the same speeds and is very quiet. Not sure about fuel burn but it seems slightly less.  Of course the power is great but the 240 is a heavy boat and it needs the power. Regardless of what boat I would buy in the future it would have a supercharged motor in it. 

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I will never get the smaller motor in a bigger boat. I’ve seen way too many struggle and kinda ruin the day. Ours was amazing and it was the supercharged Raptor. The LT4 is supposedly a better setup.
 

The only way I’d go with the smaller motor is for lakes close to sea level and if the lake I used didn’t have 91oct on it. There’s a lake here in AZ that only has 87oct and we’d spend 3-4 days out there, requiring me to bring along the race gas concentrate stuff that bumps up the octane. That stuff gets expensive quick and can make quite a mess when dumping it in the tank. 

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Hey crew,

I have had 3 25 LSV's - long story - and 2 had an LT4 and standard props and 1 had an M6Di with a high altitude prop. While the M6 equipped boat worked well, I realized pretty quickly that the LT4 was the better power plant. Opinions will vary of course. But for me, the ease at which the LT4 pulled a surfer of any size is remarkable. And, you also cannot beat the rush of 604 HP.

Best,

Chris

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On 6/1/2021 at 2:31 PM, BarliBear said:

I have one on order as well and am curious if that extra power is really needed or if it’s just a muscle flex. 

 

Also, does anyone have any experience with the sound ratings between the different model engines?

I don't get the muscle flex thing about big engines. For my application I operate at high mountain lakes and I just want to not have my engine redlined in ordered to hit the target speed. The LT4 is not loud, it doesn't make the boat in to a offshore racing boat. Most people wouldn't even know you had it, even if they were driving the boat, unless they asked. So if someone is looking to "flex" the LT4 really won't be impressive to anyone.

Not sure about sound rating,  but my old 450 at 5000 rpm was waaaayyy louder than the LT4 at 2900 rpm. It's nice to have a conversation without talking over the engine noise while surfing.

As stated before, the LT4 is probably overkill at lower elevations unless you're running really heavy. 

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3 hours ago, qbeam said:

I don't get the muscle flex thing about big engines. For my application I operate at high mountain lakes and I just want to not have my engine redlined in ordered to hit the target speed. The LT4 is not loud, it doesn't make the boat in to a offshore racing boat. Most people wouldn't even know you had it, even if they were driving the boat, unless they asked. So if someone is looking to "flex" the LT4 really won't be impressive to anyone.

Not sure about sound rating,  but my old 450 at 5000 rpm was waaaayyy louder than the LT4 at 2900 rpm. It's nice to have a conversation without talking over the engine noise while surfing.

As stated before, the LT4 is probably overkill at lower elevations unless you're running really heavy. 

The flex I was referring to was about having more HP, which might not necessarily be all that helpful, not the engine sound. 

 

We’re at sea level and apart from the occasional trip to Tahoe, it sounds like the M6 would probably do just fine. FWIW, my dealer said he doesn’t sell many LT4’s down in the Sac Delta.

Edited by BarliBear
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On 6/2/2021 at 11:41 AM, 23LSVOwner said:

Can you easily get premium fuel?

If you can't, get the M6.

That’s certainly something to consider. We have 4 refueling areas nearby and I know that 3 of them only sell 89 where I think the 4th might have a higher octane and that’s the one I’d use the least

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We only have 89 easily available at our doc.  That likely settles the question for me.  On lake ray Hubbard just outside Dallas.  Assume elevation is not an issue since we north Texas is pretty flat 

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We only have 89 easily available at our doc.  That likely settles the question for me.  On lake ray Hubbard just outside Dallas.  Assume elevation is not an issue since we north Texas is pretty flat.  I think about 500ft. above see level.

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21 hours ago, BarliBear said:

The flex I was referring to was about having more HP, which might not necessarily be all that helpful, not the engine sound. 

 

We’re at sea level and apart from the occasional trip to Tahoe, it sounds like the M6 would probably do just fine. FWIW, my dealer said he doesn’t sell many LT4’s down in the Sac Delta.

The M6 at sea level probably performs like the LT4 at higher elevations. No reason to spend another 20k based on your operating elevations.

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On 6/5/2021 at 5:20 AM, Capdoogie said:

The 2022 25lsv is pushing 1000lbs wet weight heavier than the 2021!   I know I ordered one. And I had a 2020 25lsv with lt4.  New boat has  Larger fuel tank, more Ballast,and heavier hull.  I don’t care what elevation you are at you won’t be happy with M6 in the 2022. . Oh and the lt4 is the quietest motor I’ve ever had in a Malibu. Plus fully loaded leaded etc. I ran 2400 to 2600rpms on this motor surfing.

That low of an rpm setting must be incredible. So quiet I’d bet. 

Starting out with 1,000lb of extra weight is no joke and would likely make me give the LT4 some serious consideration. The only bummer would be getting the proper octane fuel. Would likely have to bring my own tank and do my own refueling from our dock. 

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The dry weight is significantly higher with additional 575 lbs.  160lb (20 gal) bigger gas tank and about 300 lbs more ballast.  Anyone actually know why the dry weight went up another 575lbs.  Did they raise the gunnels?

 

i was in the market but damn that just puts me into the cant get away with the extra near 1k weight with the fuel. My lift gotta be changed(again)

 

 

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On 6/7/2021 at 1:57 PM, BarliBear said:

That low of an rpm setting must be incredible. So quiet I’d bet. 

Starting out with 1,000lb of extra weight is no joke and would likely make me give the LT4 some serious consideration. The only bummer would be getting the proper octane fuel. Would likely have to bring my own tank and do my own refueling from our dock. 

Why can't you put octane booster in the fuel you can get at the marina?

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29 minutes ago, qbeam said:

Why can't you put octane booster in the fuel you can get at the marina?

You can, but it gets spendy quick.  That's my plan when at lakes without premium, but the goal is to keep booster use to a minimum.  

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On 6/8/2021 at 2:40 PM, Dwake said:

The dry weight is significantly higher with additional 575 lbs.  160lb (20 gal) bigger gas tank and about 300 lbs more ballast.  Anyone actually know why the dry weight went up another 575lbs.  Did they raise the gunnels?

 

i was in the market but damn that just puts me into the cant get away with the extra near 1k weight with the fuel. My lift gotta be changed(again)

 

 

The entire hull on the 22’ 25lsv has been changed/redesigned.  Thus the added weight.

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On 6/11/2021 at 7:35 AM, qbeam said:

Why can't you put octane booster in the fuel you can get at the marina?

Certainly could, but that’d be about an additional $60 per tank and just something else to deal with. 
 

Spoke to dealer again about it. He said at sea level and even at Tahoe, the power is nice but not necessary. He rarely sells and LT4 and his customers have never had a complaint. 
 

Our M5 pushes a fully laden 22LSV just fine but what I was mistaking for a lack of power was more about poor balancing because those can get back heavy really quick with PNP bags. 
 

I would be curious about the reduced sound by running at a low rpm. That sounds like the most attractive aspect to me. 

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On 6/5/2021 at 7:20 AM, Capdoogie said:

The 2022 25lsv is pushing 1000lbs wet weight heavier than the 2021!   I know I ordered one. And I had a 2020 25lsv with lt4.  New boat has  Larger fuel tank, more Ballast,and heavier hull.  I don’t care what elevation you are at you won’t be happy with M6 in the 2022. . Oh and the lt4 is the quietest motor I’ve ever had in a Malibu. Plus fully loaded leaded etc. I ran 2400 to 2600rpms on this motor surfing.

Love our ‘20 23LSV with M6 and surfs fine, 600’ MSL, full load, 3500ish rpms, and std prop. Wondering if the LT4 in a 23 can surf with a speed prop. Next 23 in a year or 2 will have the LT4. 70% of time cruising speed prop would be nice. Guess I’ll find out.... 

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