How much better (i.e., reliable and low maintenance) are new outboard engines?

hondam

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Nov 21, 2013
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I used to subcontract for the USCG and at one time was responsible for about 3500 engines. Basically if one of those engines had a major (power head, cylinder heads, motor mounts) failure they would box it up and ship it to me. At one time one of the higher ups gave me some numbers...

During my time there they used to use Mercury Optimax, most would last about 1800 hours, maybe 3500 if it was a good one.

The Honda 4 strokes would but 12000-13000 hours before replacing them and sending the still running motors to auction.

The Hondas had a 1.8% down time, the Yamaha 4 strokes were 3.5%, and mercury optimax were 18%. This was 2002 or 2003 models.

Here are only a few of the dead ones at one USCG station getting replaced with new Hondas

honda2005pics071.jpg
 
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ondarvr

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Apr 6, 2005
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The learning curve by manufactures was a bit steep on the early EFI models, that's why
they earned some of their nasty nicknames, the late 90's and early 2000's were a tough time for them. The more recent motors have been much better.

Those model Mercs had issues.
 
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HotTommy

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Mar 15, 2013
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Hondam,
Thanks. I really like data more than opinions on many things.
 

Sea Rider

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So the consensus is going for a Yamaha, right ? Thumbs Up. Is not that Amazon river boaters can't afford modern engines, Know guys that went from trustable 2 strokes engines to Etecs, had so much tech issues due to poor gasoline availability, inyector faults, computer issues, worst being located at far away distances from civilization with cero tech support.. Already back again to 2 strokes, they cant give themselves the luxary to count with stranded engines for long time periods.

Happy Boating
 

hondam

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Nov 21, 2013
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Your right they have gotten much better over the years. To keep it in perspective though the opti had been out for about 4 or 5 years at that point any it was the very first model year for a v6 honda
 

82rude

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May 8, 2012
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well I like my trusty etec 60.you will pry it from my dead cold hands someday.i see lots of etec,s in severe duty service all over the place.far artic,alaska,law enforcement ,border patrols on both sides of my river which is can/usa border.does evinrude give some kind of special deal to govt agencies as im seeing more and more of them .in the 4 years ive had mine its cost me 60 bucks total for mtc as I had to take it in for its 3 year deal.got a 6 year warranty.i do understand that salt water service requires more mtc vs fresh.says so right in manual that salt water mtc intervals should be shorter than fresh and I get that.as for impeller changing I will leave that one alone as some posters would be sent into fits .
 

pckeen

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Jun 20, 2012
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I used to subcontract for the USCG and at one time was responsible for about 3500 engines. Basically if one of those engines had a major (power head, cylinder heads, motor mounts) failure they would box it up and ship it to me. At one time one of the higher ups gave me some numbers...

During my time there they used to use Mercury Optimax, most would last about 1800 hours, maybe 3500 if it was a good one.

The Honda 4 strokes would but 12000-13000 hours before replacing them and sending the still running motors to auction.

The Hondas had a 1.8% down time, the Yamaha 4 strokes were 3.5%, and mercury optimax were 18%. This was 2002 or 2003 models.

Here are only a few of the dead ones at one USCG station getting replaced with new Hondas

honda2005pics071.jpg


Now THAT's a convincing argument.
 

bassman284

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Jun 24, 2006
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2,839
Tell you what, HotTommy, there is a lot of hate on this forum for 4 strokes. A whole bunch of guys who crave 30, 40 or 50 year old 2 strokes and constantly bad mouth 4 strokes as being "high maintenance". And most of the "necessary" maintenance they talk about is totally false. They're lying. It's all BS to poison your mind against 4 strokes. I have bit my tongue and stayed silent for years but a couple of posts in this thread just put me over the edge.

I have a 2001 Mercury 60 hp EFI 4 stroke that I bought new from the dealer when I bought my boat. Other than roughly annual oil changes, it has had no maintenance. I asked them about the annual or more often valve adjustment and the service manager kind of grinned and said, "You've been reading the internet." I said, "Well yeah." He said, "Quit reading the internet. If it needs a valve adjustment you will know right away. You will probably never need a valve adjustment." Some otherwise respectable posters on this forum have sworn by all that was holy that the problem with 4 strokes was they needed frequent valve adjustments. They're just making this stuff up.

An earlier poster in this thread stated several other high-priced maintenance items which he claimed were frequently required on 4 strokes. All bogus. I ahve never had those "maintenance" items performed on my motor nor have they been suggested by the dealer who had a green light from me to perform any work they deem necessary.

For various reasons, today was the first day this year that I took my boat out. It hasn't moved since October. My only prep was to check the oil to make sure there was some, pump the bulb a few times, back it in the water and hit the key. Vroom. This is the most reliable outboard I've ever owned.
 

Sea Rider

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Sep 20, 2008
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Need for valve lash adjustments is relative, will depend on engine HP, type of valve system installed and manufacturer brand.

There are 3 types :

- Hydraulic valves in which the oil does all the self adjusting work.

-Valves that uses removable round discs found between upper valve cup and cam hill.

-Old system in which there's a regulator that pushes upper valve rod.

Last 2 will need to be checked from time to time due to wear on parts that moves them, consequently will need to replace round discs and adjust valve lash on actuator to be within factory specs for engine to work opt.

Happy Boating
 

rickdb1boat

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Jan 23, 2002
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Totally agree with Bassman. Been boating with many different types of 2 stroke engines for nearly 30 years. Always liked them.But that was before I got a new 90 HP 4 stroke back in 2007, Would never go back to the old technology. Boat sits all winter and all I do is put the battery back in and it fires right up and runs like it was put away the day before. Maintenance is easy, Change the oil and lower every season. Fuel filters every other. Water pump every 3 years. No valves to adjust on mine. I have 700 hours on it so far and it still runs like a clock.I can't imagine in my wildest dreams of having an older 2 stroke again.Quiet, reliable and fuel efficient...
 

Silvertip

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Sep 22, 2003
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Somehow cars always manage to work their way into these discussions. 100,000 miles on a car cannot be equated to any number of hours on a boat regardless of the type of engine. A car has a multi-gear transmission to get it up to speed after which the engine is just loafing. A boat has one gear and it must get that hull out of the hole and on plane so it is operating under much higher loading all the time. And outboards cost more because of the limited quantities produced. Any econ major knows there if you produce just a few of something the costs are high whereas producing thousands or millions of identical pieces the cost per piece comes down dramatically. Reliability has much to do with the owner. One owner can get far more use out any product than another just because he/she knows how to use it and maintain it properly while another ignores things or uses it improperly and then complains when it fails.
 

Sea Rider

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Sep 20, 2008
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Yep, the least experienced or non handy boaters, the ones that thinks that engines runs just with fuel and oil are the ones who have more engine issues and failures compared to the ones that cares for their engines. One idiotic new boater once told me. If engines are meant to work on salted waters, why should you need to flush them after use. Told him, well your OB is not even remotely a car..

Happy Boating
 

dingbat

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Nov 20, 2001
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Yep, the least experienced or non handy boaters, the ones that thinks that engines runs just with fuel and oil are the ones who have more engine issues and failures compared to the ones that cares for their engines.
"Handy" can have just as many, if not more problems..... A guy in our fishing club is OCD about his motors. Always changing, cleaning, or adjusting something on his motors.

We share a mutual friend, one of the more revered local Yamaha outboard mechanics. I asked the mechanic about the reliability of the HPDI series. Specifically, the guy in our club's motor since he works on them. He said the biggest problem with the guy's HPDI was the owner. If he would just stop being "handy" and just worry about keeping gas and oil in the thing......
 

Sea Rider

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Oops, "non mechanic skilled" would habe been more suited than being handy for that matter.

Happy Boating
 
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