Comparing MCX to the 8.1

[PendO]

The old 6.0L (LQ9) and the new 6.0L (LY6) - both require premium octane fuel

The MCX and L18 have the same fuel requirement (89 Octane Minimum)

If you want go to this page and look at the owners manual for both years

http://www.mastercraft.com/index.php?znfAction=Manual

Also, you can try www.waterskimag.com and look at what others have had to say:

http://www.waterskimag.com/product.jsp?ID=66263 2003

http://www.waterskimag.com/product.jsp?ID=1559 2004

[Andyg]

The old 6.0L (LQ9) and the new 6.0L (LY6) - both require premium octane fuel

The MCX and L18 have the same fuel requirement (89 Octane)

If you want go to this page and look at the owners manual for both years

http://www.mastercraft.com/index.php?znfAction=Manual

Also, you can try www.waterskimag.com and look at what others have had to say:

http://www.waterskimag.com/product.jsp?ID=66263

Pendo
The LY6 requires 89 octane also. The MC owners manual is incorrect. If you go to Indmar's site they have the correct information on the engine.

LY6 Indmar

[PendO]

Pendo
The LY6 requires 89 octane also. The MC owners manual is incorrect. If you go to Indmar's site they have the correct information on the engine.

LY6 Indmar

Thanks Andy - just can't trust the proof-readers anymore So, have you slammed the throttle down on your new toy yet

[FlatBoard]

I have a 2004 X-30 with the MCX. Plenty of power, good fuel consumption, no complaints. I told the dealer when I bought the boat please do not under power me... I was willing to buy the bigger motor if needed to get the performance I wanted. Again, no complaints. The boat runs and performes great. Power has never been an issue

Good luck in your decision.

[PaulW]

I had an 01 X30 with the ltr330 hp and thought it was a good fit. I would think the mcx would be a better fit for that boat. The new one 06, 1000lbs more weight, might need the biger size, but I did not need, or want it for the X30 I had. If I had to chose between the two engines I would take the MCX over the larger one. I would think it would take more fuel, and for that boat 3300 lbs you just don't need it. We ran stock balest and an additional 1000 lbs and the 330 was ok, the MCx would of been just right.

[Kummer]

Personally, I would not put all of the decision on the engine. I had an '03 with an MCX and it wasn't that bad. I ran the stock prop also. It got up fine, even with alot of weight in it. Now it didn't yank you out of the hole, but it wasn't unbearable.

Now a new style X30, those are 1000# heaver and really need the bigger engine.

Chalk this up as one option and weight the other aspects of the boats equally (color, other options, condition). Hours shouldn't even come into play, those are both pretty low hour boats, even though the 8.1 only has 28 hours on it, it's been sitting for 3 years too. I've found that not using an engine regularly is just as bad as putting ALOT of hours on one.

I would have to agee with Huff - I would have driven several 03 X30's with the MCX and they are not underpowered. Plus a boad engine is just like your car. They are not good to sit that long. I look for boats that have had 50 - 100 hours a year. So i would go with the 2003 from what you have told us. so far -

[RobertT]

I truly hate the fact that the larger engines need premium fuel.

I would buy one in a second, but that would exclude me from fueling up on the lake.

Grrrrrr

[Andyg]

I truly hate the fact that the larger engines need premium fuel.

I would buy one in a second, but that would exclude me from fueling up on the lake.

Grrrrrr

The only engine that Indmar makes (2003 - Present) that requires premium, 91 octane fuel was the Anniversary Malibu LS7. Here is a copy of the fuel info from Indmar's owners manual. Here is the link to Indmar's Manauls also.

[Vegas X-Star]

I had an X-10 with the 330 hp LTR and it did fine. My current boat, an X-Star, needs more power and it has the 385HP engine. My next boat will have the big block. Just think about having the ballast tanks full, 8 people in there with a big cooler...you will never plane.

The weight of the X-30 will definitely strain the MCX...I think bigger is better in this case. The other option is to get a new prop but then you will top out at 35 mph.

[Sodar]

Bigger is always better.... Right!?!?

[rick s.]

I have an x45 with the mcx and I, my family, and all my friends families that boat with us are perfectly happy.

Big Boat & Small Engine = Crappy Experience

We have an 04 X-Star with the 8.1 and I could not imagine pushing that big of of boat with the MCX. We only have 350 hrs on our 8.1 so I can not comment on the longevity but the boat has run perfect thus far. Do not get an X-45 with the MCX, you will not be happy.

Let me repeat, do not get an X-45 with the MCX.

[Doug G]

I have the MCX in my 06 X-30. Regularly ride with 6 or more people stock ballast and no problems. When loaded it definately takes more throttle out of the hole and eats the fuel with the ballast full but it still performs fine. I have no complaints.

Our use is mixed wakeboarding and cruising and we have no complaints. If I was a hard core, many day a week, extra ballast rider I would want more but then I would probably have an X-Star.

[Ryan27r]

Get the 8.1 you will be amazed by the torque. Nothing phases it ran up to 4000 LBs of ballast without to much hesitation while a smaller motor would have begged for forgiveness.

[MYMC]

No matter what anyone here posts or says you cannot compare 450hp to 350hp and expect the 350 to come anywhere close in performance (unles the L-18 has a plug wire off)! Is the MCX adequate sure...but so are a lot of things, is adequate what you are looking for when buying a toy?

The REALITY is the 450hp engine works less and is stressed less than the 350hp...Further in resale value look in the NADA, the 450 is still a $10,000 add to the boat where the MCX is not as a matter of fact it is the engine that was considered standard so it adds nothing even though it was an added cost option...game, set and match...enjoy your big block!

[rstitson]

I got a x-15 with a mcx, considerably lighter, it has plenty of get up an go but supposedly will top out around 43. I would not get a heavier boat with the mcx as I would be afraid of top end. A boat that expensive is worth spending a bit more for more that the base engine. For the x-15 the base is the 315 horsepower.