I recently purchased a bass boat with a deceased 2001, 200 horsepower, 2.5 Merc on it. One piston had melted to the point it seized and jerked the rod from the piston promptly ventilating the block, front and back half. The crank appears to be unhurt and I have a good 98 model block. I have 2 questions. Is there any performance gain to be had adapting the 2001 engine electronics to the 98 block rather than going with the 1998 electronic devices? Secondly, some of the racing mechanics I know tell me I don't need to install new needle bearings on the connecting rods, as I've always done, since they are a hardened surface riding on a cushion of oil on another hardened surface and virtually never wear. Is there any truth to this belief?
