2000 225 Evinrude FICT RAM ???

Hey all,<br />New to this forum, but am looking at buying a 2000 Hydra-Sports with twin 2000 225 Evinrude FICT RAM engines with 240 hours. I've searched this forum, and have read mixed reviews of the engines. Are the 00' RAM engines reliable, and the 98-99 engines the troubled ones ??? My mechanic said the bigger FICT engines have had a poor record, but couldn't give me the years. Thanks !<br />CST

Re: 2000 225 Evinrude FICT RAM ???

Hi, Grizzle.<br /><br />The V6 engines with the FICHT RAM direct injection built by OMC in their last years were bad engines. <br /><br />When Bombardier bought the assets in 2001 they agreed to cover warrantys on 2000 models and designed one fire hazard recall and several engineering improvements that made them good, reliable engines.<br /><br />If you can verify that the recalls and engineering changes have been installed on the engines you shouldn't have any more than normal big, injected engine worries. If you can't you can have them done, or you should run, not walk the other way.<br /><br />One more thing: If you buy these engines use ONLY oil designated for the FICHT RAM injected engines. Many failures have been attributed to use of "normal" TCW-3 outboard oil.<br /><br />Good luck.

Re: 2000 225 Evinrude FICT RAM ???

thanks JB,<br /><br />That is pretty much what I've gathered from my research... looks like I need to have the mechanic check on that for me. thanks again !<br /><br />Here is what direct e-mail to Bombardier.com resulted:<br /><br />Bombardier did not manufacture these engines, as they were built by OMC prior to the company's bankruptcy. Therefore we cannot vouch for the quality of these engines. <br />Engines built form model year 2002 and beyond were manufactured by Bombardier and are the highest quality engines int he world. In fact, Evinrude Direct Injection engines from 2002 and 2003 recently received the "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with 2-Stroke Engines" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Marine Engine Competitive Information Study. <br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Dave Thompson