Engine Hours

[LuvBoating]

Have a 1992 Celebrity 200 Cuddy w/a Mercruiser 5.7L I/O that we bought in March 2009. I started it up yesterday, using the flush ears on the drive, at our RV/Boat Storage. The boat sits in an outside space, so during this time of the year here in Jacksonville, FL, I start the engine, get it up to operating temp (150 degrees) generally twice a month. There is an Hour Indicator just to the left of the battery in the engine compartment. It reads 578. I'm wondering how that relates to how good of condition the engine is in. I done some Internet research on this and found out that an engine can generally go for 1,500 hrs before a major repair could happen. Does that mean our boat really wasn't used that much before we got it. The last two summers we've used it, but not too much......basically, not enough to pay for the monthly storage and yearly insurance. Basically, how good of shape is an engine that only has that many hours on it?

 

[Don S]

Re: Engine Hours

It reads 578. I'm wondering how that relates to how good of condition the engine is in.

Means about as much as the odometer reading on a car or truck. Has no relationship with the care it's been given, or lack of.
You also have to realize, that an hour meter in the engine compartment is not OEM, and since you don't know when it was installed, the numbers mean nothing. Trust me, an engine that is cared for will last much longer than 1500 hours.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Engine Hours

It reads 578. I'm wondering how that relates to how good of condition the engine is in.

Ayuh,... What they said,...

It don't mean Squat....