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View Full Version : 454 330 hp 22c prop help for a prop newbie



Planetwarmer
05-28-2008, 12:47 PM
I have a 1987 22c with a 454 330 hp all stock. It currently has a 21p cleaver. It is the only 22c that I have ever driven, and the only prop Ive ever had on the boat.

What prop would yooz guyz throw on there if it were your boat? And how would it change the performance and handling of the boat with the prop that you reccomend?

It runs 63-65 mph @ 4300-4400 rpm

When I pulled the boat out of the water last weekend, I noticed that I bent the leading edge on one of the blades. I don't remember hitting anything though.:smash:

Thanks for your input

mjw930
05-28-2008, 01:41 PM
I have a 1987 22c with a 454 330 hp all stock. It currently has a 21p cleaver. It is the only 22c that I have ever driven, and the only prop Ive ever had on the boat.

What prop would yooz guyz throw on there if it were your boat? And how would it change the performance and handling of the boat with the prop that you reccomend?

It runs 63-65 mph @ 4300-4400 rpm

When I pulled the boat out of the water last weekend, I noticed that I bent the leading edge on one of the blades. I don't remember hitting anything though.:smash:

Thanks for your input

Your numbers don't match if that's the original 454MAG/Alpha unless that came with a 1.36:1 ratio drive. Regardless, your best bet is probably a 21P Turbo 1 prop based on the way my '87 22C likes the 23P Turbo behind a '96 7.4L/Bravo1 1.50:1 package.

VetteLT193
05-28-2008, 01:44 PM
What is your drive ratio? It should be 1.5, but like mj said those numbers don't add up.

Are you positive you are running a 21p? I think it should have a 23 on it.

mjw930
05-28-2008, 01:49 PM
What is your drive ratio? It should be 1.5, but like mj said those numbers don't add up.
Are you positive you are running a 21p? I think it should have a 23 on it.

Agreed, my 7.4L is technically rated @310 HP and the Bravo is not as hydrodynamic as the Alpha and I turn a 23P to 4700 RPM @ 63.5 MPH GPS in the exact same hull. Mine is a 1.5:1 drive.

justleft
05-28-2008, 01:49 PM
I'm running a 21 Turbo I, the 23 was a little too big for everyday.

The Turbo I give nice bow lift which these 22c's like.

mjw930
05-28-2008, 01:51 PM
I'm running a 21 Turbo I, the 23 was a little too big for everyday.

The Turbo I give nice bow lift which these 22c's like.

I see you have an '86 22C, what's your motor, drive, ratio and speed?

TXDONZI
05-28-2008, 01:52 PM
My 99 22 Classic runs 63-65 on the crap-o-dash-o-meter at 4800-5000 it depends on the day. It's a bone stock Merc. 7.4L/330 pkg. with K&N filter and stock Mirage Plus 23P. I am at sea level in the Houston area in sometimes brackish water. Wouldn't a cleaver turn higher rpm's at the same pitch?

justleft
05-28-2008, 02:11 PM
I see you have an '86 22C, what's your motor, drive, ratio and speed?

'91 Gen V 454/330hp (w/ a few tweeks), '90 bravo 1.5 (X raised 2").
Getting about 60-63 mph before running out of RPMs (5200).

The 23p just didn't have the snap down low.

If I had the money I would lab the 21p for more top end.

mrfixxall
05-28-2008, 02:52 PM
I have a 1987 22c with a 454 330 hp all stock. It currently has a 21p cleaver. It is the only 22c that I have ever driven, and the only prop Ive ever had on the boat.

What prop would yooz guyz throw on there if it were your boat? And how would it change the performance and handling of the boat with the prop that you reccomend?

It runs 63-65 mph @ 4300-4400 rpm

When I pulled the boat out of the water last weekend, I noticed that I bent the leading edge on one of the blades. I don't remember hitting anything though.:smash:

Thanks for your input

What drive do you have,bravo,alpha or a trs?

cant go wrong with a turbo 1 like everybody else said:wink:

Cuda
05-28-2008, 05:28 PM
I run a three blade 24' Turbo on my 82 22C with a 454/330. It runs right about 4600, with zero trim at 59.4 mph. I didn't use any trim to get the speed, so I could take trim out of the equation, when I check how much speed the upgrades have given me. Btw, Trs with Merc transmission.

Planetwarmer
05-29-2008, 03:01 AM
I run the quicksilver 21p cleaver behind the Alpha 1 drive. Im not sure the drive ratio. It is the stock 87' 454 MAG Alpha combo. The only time that I GPSd the boat was last saturday. I had 3/4 tank of fuel, 5 (big) adults, and 2 full ice chests and the gps read 59.9 mph. So Im assuming that with me only and 1/4 tank it would run low to mid 60s. The speedo in the boat said 65 ish +/- 1or 2 mph when I ran by myself.

Have they not come up with a better prop over the years? Or were they just lucky and got it right for that boat the 1st time?

Rodger
05-29-2008, 08:00 AM
The Alpha on an 87 22c is unusual. Most BB 22's had TRS units back then. But since it is an Alpha, I'll bet it has 1.33 gears.

Cuda
05-29-2008, 08:40 AM
The Alpha on an 87 22c is unusual. Most BB 22's had TRS units back then. But since it is an Alpha, I'll bet it has 1.33 gears.
Not in 1987. It was the only year that Merc mated an Alpha to a BBC. I have one of those drives in my garage. It's a 1.5:1 ratio.

BigGrizzly
05-29-2008, 09:02 AM
Actually My Criterion had a 330 with TRS, Merctrans and 1:5:1 ratio and it ran the same speeds with a 23 mirage + and Turbo was just a tad better.

Rodger
05-29-2008, 09:58 AM
Not in 1987. It was the only year that Merc mated an Alpha to a BBC. I have one of those drives in my garage. It's a 1.5:1 ratio.


I didn't know that Merc dared to mate the 1.50 ratio Alpha to a 454. I did know of the 1.33 gears coupled to a 454. I know of four "non-Donzi"
'1987' boats with the BB 1.33 Alpha's on them.
I also have seen 1987 Donzi 22's with BB TRS drives...I almost bought one of them. I personally have not seen a BB 22' coupled to an Alpha back in that era.

mjw930
05-29-2008, 10:05 AM
Not in 1987. It was the only year that Merc mated an Alpha to a BBC. I have one of those drives in my garage. It's a 1.5:1 ratio.

That's what I was thinking. If it's the original dash then that tach is probably as far off as mine was but in the opposite direction.

Here's the numbers with my original dash and VDO tach:

21P Cleaver = 58.5 MPH (GPS) @ 5100 RPM on the rev limiter
23P Cleaver = 62.7 MPH (GPS) @ 5100 RPM on the rev limiter

Here are the numbers with the Livorsi tach verified with a separate digital tach:

23P Cleaver = 62.7 MPH (GPS) @ 4700 RPM on the rev limiter
23P Turbo 1 = 63.5 MPH (GPS) @ 4700 RPM on the limiter if over trimmed

If I were you I would confirm the tach reading. That will tell you if you have a 1.33:1 drive or a 1.5:1.

If it's a 1.33:1 then try a 21P Turbo 1. If it's a 1.5:1 then try a 23P Turbo 1.

mjw930
05-29-2008, 10:09 AM
I didn't know that Merc dared to mate the 1.50 ratio Alpha to a 454. I did know of the 1.33 gears coupled to a 454. I know of four "non-Donzi"
'1987' boats with the BB 1.33 Alpha's on them.
I also have seen 1987 Donzi 22's with BB TRS drives...I almost bought one of them. I personally have not seen a BB 22' coupled to an Alpha back in that era.

My '87 was originally a 454MAG/Alpha. I don't know the original drive ratio but the factory prop was a 21P Cleaver.

Planetwarmer
05-29-2008, 11:28 AM
My '87 was originally a 454MAG/Alpha. I don't know the original drive ratio but the factory prop was a 21P Cleaver.

I guess I have the stock prop on the boat.

So what would be the difference in handling characteristics with a turbo 1? Would it be worth buying a different prop? Is there that much of a difference?:shark:

Cuda
05-29-2008, 03:44 PM
I didn't know that Merc dared to mate the 1.50 ratio Alpha to a 454. I did know of the 1.33 gears coupled to a 454. I know of four "non-Donzi"
'1987' boats with the BB 1.33 Alpha's on them.
I also have seen 1987 Donzi 22's with BB TRS drives...I almost bought one of them. I personally have not seen a BB 22' coupled to an Alpha back in that era.
The guy in St Pete, who did all my drive work (Bryde's Marine) had a 454 mated to an Alpha drive (I don't know what ratio) on a heavy Pursuit fish boat, that they used in fishing tournaments. I know he said he had over 3000 hours on the drive. I pointed out, it might be because he kept drive oil, instead of salt water in the drive. They tend to last longer that way.

mjw930
05-29-2008, 03:51 PM
I guess I have the stock prop on the boat.

So what would be the difference in handling characteristics with a turbo 1? Would it be worth buying a different prop? Is there that much of a difference?:shark:

Best $350 (or so) you'll spend on the boat. The Turbo carries the boat better (higher), requires less trim, reduces/eliminates porpoising, reduces torque lean on and off power and will give you 5 - 10 mph higher cruise speeds.

Yes, it's worth the money.

Cuda
05-29-2008, 04:23 PM
I tried a 21 cleaver, and a 23 cleaver on the 22, and the 24 Turbo handled much better. It ran like it was on rails, and none of the porpoising I had with the cleavers.

DONZI
05-29-2008, 04:24 PM
My 87 22 Classic came with the 454/Alpha 1.32 ratio also.

I had also switched to the Turbo prop's and loved the all round performance of them on this appl..
http://www.turbo-props.com/
Sometime you can pick the Turbo prop's up second hand on Ebay.
I recently sold off a couple 3 & 4 blades for around a hundred dollars each there.

kd5cue
05-29-2008, 05:02 PM
try propellers online, deltaprops.com they good prices on turbo props:pimp:

cutwater
05-29-2008, 05:03 PM
try propellers online,deltaprops.com they good prices on turbo props:pimp:

www.deltaprop.com

Planetwarmer
05-29-2008, 07:02 PM
What about the turbo vector and lightning models? Is the Turbo 1 series better for the 22c?