How do you track hours on your outboard?

[zippy83]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

My previous boat didn't have an hour meter so I just kept a written log, and yes, idle hours count.

that would drive me nutts... I would forget half the time to record the hours/minutes

 

[dingbat]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

whichever is longer

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

your first goal is to enjoy the boat at least 100 hours a year!

Does that include time spent sitting in it in the driveway making pretend go-fast noises?

 

[pecheux]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

My calcs: Average Hours per fishing or riding trip X Avg. Times per week X Avg. Weeks usage per year = Approx Hours on motor.

 

[Grub54891]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

Just calculate how long it takes ya to drink a beer, when ya get it back in the slip or on the trailer,count the cans rolling around,do the math....lol Happy New Year!

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

I don't...it's a frivolous measurement.

Completely disagree.

If it were frivolous, why are there hour meters on virually all expensive vocational and farm equipment?

Yes, idling hours count.

I've sold many boats over the years. All had hour meters. It took all the BS out of the run time on the engine(s).

I could prove run time, other sellers could not.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

Guess I'm just weird but I keep track of hours by how much fuel I use. I use a 6 gal portable tank. If I use 6 gal a week I'm running a lot of hours. On average I use about 36 gal a year. Which by some is nothing. Last year the boat only got wet 4 times because of work and health restrictions. Working 55+ hours each week doesn't leave much time for anything other than eating and sleeping. But normally I'm out 4 to 5 times a week but probably 2/3 of that time is spent drifting or anchored.

Guess this year I'll have to add trolling motor hours as well now that I have one!

 

[dingbat]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

Completely disagree.

If it were frivolous, why are there hour meters on virually all expensive vocational and farm equipment?

Yes, idling hours count.

I've sold many boats over the years. All had hour meters. It took all the BS out of the run time on the engine(s).

I could prove run time, other sellers could not.

So you believe I should be performing 100 hour service on my boat every 6-8 days Change my $30 fuel filter very 3-4 days?

Hours are a meaningless measure for anything mechanical. A motor with 200 hours can be closer to failure than one with 1000 hours. I'd take the results of a compression and leak down test over an hour meter reading everyday of the week, twice on Sunday.

Btw, my expensive farm machinery gets treated exactly like the boat....seasonally and when needed. Couldn't even tell you what the schedule in the manual says.

 

[bspeth]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

Im with grub,thats brilliant......psht.

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

So you believe I should be performing 100 hour service on my boat every 6-8 days Change my $30 fuel filter very 3-4 days?

Hours are a meaningless measure for anything mechanical. A motor with 200 hours can be closer to failure than one with 1000 hours. I'd take the results of a compression and leak down test over an hour meter reading everyday of the week, twice on Sunday.

Btw, my expensive farm machinery gets treated exactly like the boat....seasonally and when needed. Couldn't even tell you what the schedule in the manual says.

Didn't say that. I just said that you, or anybody, really has no accurate way of measuring engine run time without one.

Maintain your stuff the way you want to. I'll maintain mine the way I want to. The difference will be that I will have an accurate, believable, record.

Again, if it were not important, manufacturers wouldn't put them there. Even heavy duty trucks, most pickups too, record hours along with miles.

 

[V153]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

To answer the origional question: An hourmeter ...?

 

[V153]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

Not to say that you shouldn't, but I don't bother tryin to keep an accurate count of engine hours. It'll blow up sooner or later ...

Fwiw if the average boater spends 25 hrs per year on his boat, then he needs to find a new hobby. I can do that in two or three Sundays.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

....Again, if it were not important, manufacturers wouldn't put them there.

Sounds like they gotcha.

My cars have tachometers which are absolutely meaningless space wasters for basic driving. I (and especially my wife and daughters) aren't going to do anything different based on the information coming from that device. Even with a clutch they don't mean much.

I only have (or have had) two boats with a tach. My 1988, I drive, tune and trim by ear, and discopnnected the tach a couple yeatrs ago and haven't hooked it back up. My newer one I watch some, but since I don't chnage props, it doesn't serve much purpose. A half dozen older boats, never had one, never missed it.

I'm sure I could find plenty of other add-ons on "manufactured goods" that don't really make any difference if they are there or not.

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

Sounds like they gotcha.

My cars have tachometers which are absolutely meaningless space wasters for basic driving. I (and especially my wife and daughters) aren't going to do anything different based on the information coming from that device. Even with a clutch they don't mean much.

I only have (or have had) two boats with a tach. My 1988, I drive, tune and trim by ear, and discopnnected the tach a couple yeatrs ago and haven't hooked it back up. My newer one I watch some, but since I don't chnage props, it doesn't serve much purpose. A half dozen older boats, never had one, never missed it.

I'm sure I could find plenty of other add-ons on "manufactured goods" that don't really make any difference if they are there or not.

Not at all.

Besides, what's all this angnst against me and some inexpensive technology that can be useful?

I don't want to be argumentive. But, the question was: "how do you track run time"?

I would not think of trying to find the right prop without a tach. Read the prop selection area. What is the first question asked: "What's your max RPM"?

As far as cars/trucks and tachs, I don't completely agree either. If you know what you are looking at, they can be very helpful, especially when towing. Even with an automatic. For many, I don't disagree, they are eye candy.

True enough, I run by "ear" too. A tach. got me to where I knew it was right. But, I can also pick up things by watching the tach. Especially a misfire that you can't hear with an engine under a dog house.

-A water pressure guage has saved me an overheat-several times.
-A voltmeter can tell you if your battery is going flat. Or, if you have a charging (stator/rectifier) issue on an outboard.
-An oil pressure guage can tell you that you have a problem before it grenades. Been there (bad oil filter).

Yup, all that "eye candy" stuff is useless.:facepalm:

Nope, I'm not feeling a "gotcha".

 

[dingbat]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

Didn't say that. I just said that you, or anybody, really has no accurate way of measuring engine run time without one.

Maintain your stuff the way you want to. I'll maintain mine the way I want to. The difference will be that I will have an accurate, believable, record.

Again, if it were not important, manufacturers wouldn't put them there. Even heavy duty trucks, most pickups too, record hours along with miles.

if it not the gospel for service needs or motor condition, what purpose does it serve?

Btw you didn't answer the question.... Do I perform 100 hour service every other week and my fuel filter every 3-4 days?

My motor has 150 hours on a rebuild ..what is my compression?

How many more hours will my motor run?

If the magic hour meter can't answer these questions , what good is it....lol

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

Again, I ask: why all the angst?

It's a guage. It tells run time. Remember, that's what the question was.

Not taking the bait.

 

[R DAVIS]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

What would be the easiest way of tracking how many hours I put on my outboard? Mine is a 73 mercury so I really cant hook it up to my Lawrence HDS 7 to monitor the outboard performance. Does it also count when the outboard is on in idle? Thanks Zipp

Zipp:

Hardline makes some digital hour meters which will serve your purpose well. They measure all time the engine is running, even at idle. Some are resettable, others not, check the specs on their website. http://www.hardlineproducts.com/showpage.cfm?catid=188

These are super easy to install, just wrap a single wire onto one of your spark plug leads. They have a built in 10 year non replaceable lithium battery. You can find them on Amazon.com for less than the manufacturers web site.

I have the combo tachometer / hour meter for my 2 cylinder 50 HP Johnson outboard. I'm quite pleased with it.

Hope this helps. Ignore the comments from those who have nothing to add.

Randy,
South Texas

 

[V153]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

If'n ya wanna record hours running then a "tiny tach" is all's ya need

 

[V153]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

Ya a tachometer in your daily driver is purty much useless. That space could be much better utilized by a speaker or DVD screen ...? Cupholder?

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: How do you track hours on your outboard?

Depending on the area and type of useage the average boater will put about 35-50 hours a year on engine. A bassboater will put less than that as most DFI engines store info and a 5 year old engine will have about 300 hours on it(my 06 has 353hrs). Sking/tubing engines along with underpowered toons will see a little higher hours. Commerical engines average about 6.5 hours a day as they rarely get shut down but get maintained earlier as impeller get weak.