Mercury 400CXL Verado FourStroke

This used Mercury 400CXL Verado FourStroke carries Mercury's supercharged inline-six 400 horsepower powerhead on a 25-inch shaft, built with counter rotation and electro-hydraulic power steering already in place for a twin-engine or precision-handling setup.

Inside the powerhead

Displacement works out to 2.6 liters, or 158.5 cubic inches, across six cylinders carrying twin camshafts up top and a 24-valve head. A supercharger adds charge-air cooling on top of electronic boost pressure control, and Mercury rates full throttle at 6200 to 6800 rpm. Ignition is SmartCraft's digital inductive system, fuel arrives through sequential multi-port injection, and an integrated wet sump handles lubrication. The SmartCraft Engine Guardian watches the engine while it runs, and the oiling circuit is tuned to hold a steady temperature, which limits the condensation and dilution that can build up inside a motor over time.

Steering, trim, and weight

Electro-hydraulic power steering removes the heavy feedback some outboards push through the wheel, and power trim and tilt adds SmartCraft programmable tilt, moving trim through a 20-degree range and tilt through 73 degrees, all running off a 1.75:1 gearcase. Electric start pairs with SmartStart, and digital throttle and shift is sold separately for a full SmartCraft setup. Dry weight is 668 pounds, the lightest Mercury builds in this family, and exhaust routes through the propeller for quieter running. Counter rotation ships standard on this CXL, which matters for the port side of a twin installation.