05' X-Star and the 8.1 L-18

Im thinking about selling my 03' X-Star and getting an 05' with the 8.1 L-18. I tend to hold onto my boats for a few yrs, and then sell. I am happy with my MCX 350hp and new prop but I could really use some more muscle. It does get the job done. Anyone have any opinions on how much better the L-18 would preform when heavily wieghted? I currently run about 2800 lbs ballast, full tank of gas + people. In YOUR EXPERIENCE does the L-18 truely make that much of a difference? Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

i have it in my x80 and it does a great job.

I figured you would be the first to respond. Thanks for your input. How much weight do you run?

well when we ride we fill up the ballast thats a 1000lbs the boat proably weighs in at a little over 6500lbs with out the ballast by the time you load it down with gear and fuel and then we normally have 6-8 people but have had 12 = ballast when riding and it doesn't seem to bother it.
we're running the stock oj 13.5x21

the MCX is ample ..but the L18 8.1L is a HUGE engine with Throbbing amounts of power..no questions of lacking power ever!!!
you only live once...go for the gusto..every time you take off with that 8.1 roaring..it will be worth it!

by the way i look at an 05 x star yesterday, and I am very impressed with the new changes. The new vinyl is awesome, the JL sounds great and is very loud, and there are a new more changes that were pretty cool that haven't really been mentioned. after looking at that boat it really makes me want a x star

I'm still looking for pictures of the 05 xstar. Do you have any?

CDM,
I have said it before and I'll say it again the 8.1 is the ONLY engine for that boat. It will pay for itself in lower fuel consumption (less RPMs with 14.5x22 prop that doesn't need to be changed), lower maintenance cost and higher resale.

There is no substitute for cubic inches.

After looking at fuel consumption on Maeghan’s boat with the L18 MasterCraft is switching from the LQ9 to the L18 in school boats, Pro boats and the Tour boat for 2005 (at least that is what I am being told as of now). You will not be disappointed.

Lower fuel consumption, doesn't the bigger engine have higher fuel consumption?

I have it in a 25' Malibu and love it. Boat advertised dry weight 4600 + 80 gal of fuel ect. and 1500lbs custom ballast. Stock prop is a 14X20. The offshore boat racers love this engine wich can only mean it is a tuff piece. I would not say the boat is overpowered by any means, but it has enough power even when weighted. Go for it

I have the mxc....I would love not need the 8.1
Go for it.

The 8.1 uses less fuel due to lower RPMs to achieve the same speed in a ballasted condition.

Example: 2004 X-Star with 8.1 running 24mph with stock ballast full, one full fat sac on each side in the rear, a full fat sac in the walkway, 50lbs lead in each rear locker with the sac, and 400 lbs of stereo plus driver and passenger pulling a pro rider is turning 3300 RPM. Same boat and load with an LQ9 needs a much smaller than stock prop (14x20) to even plane out. With the prop switched to a 14x16 the engine was turning 4400 RPMs...Hence the increased fuel consumption.

The 8.1 has 550ft/lbs multiplied by the 1.52 transmission for an approximate shaft torque of 836ft/lbs it never needs to “work as hard” as the smaller engines. The 8.1 comes stock with a 14.5x22 prop. When you compare it to the 14x16 used on most LQ9s and MCXs (for ballasted use) the L18 is traveling 6” further with each revolution of the prop (not taking slippage into account).

Wow, good to know...thanks Zedz Dead.

Zedz Dead, exactly, nicely put. Thats what I was thinking.. One more question...The 8.1L has a stock prop of a 14.5 x 22, is anyone going to a smaller prop? Originally, the X-Star was stock with a larger prop 18 X 20? (cannot remember), and then they went to the 14 X 16 when running the MCX and LQ-9. Is that the correct prop for lots of ballast etc?? Thanks

to clarify.. is that the correct prop, 14.5 X 22 for the X-Star with the L-18?

Yes the 14.5x22 is the correct prop. We have yet to run across a situation that the 14.5x22 cannot handle. You can find more information about this over on our board... http://www.mymastercraft.com/forum/index.php

If you did decide to use all the aforementioned ballast plus 8 or 9 of your "closest" friends you could switch to a 14x20. We have never done it but it is available. Somewhere on our board someone had tried it and felt that the engine had too great an advantage on the rider and couldn’t get it any better with less KDW (way too strong a pull and couldn’t get “free” from the boat).

I did drive an 04 x-star with the 8.1 l L-18. The boat did get up and go. But just like all big blocks it had a serious amount of vibration during takeoff. the 6.0 liter would be a be a better choice in my mind. and a lot better on gas.

i thought the L-18 would use less gas as a result of not running as high rpms? I agree big blocks do vibrate more than small blocks. My only experience was in a friends SAN with the python engine. However if I upgrade I wouldn't get he LQ-9. I don't think it performs all that much better than the MCX.

The 2005 does not have as much of the "vibration" due to some changes in the running gear.

As to the LQ9...Dont waste your money.