Life expectancy of a 135 honda

bcarli · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 3:05 pm Post subject: Life expectancy of a 135 honda

Hi
I'm just curious if anybody has any idea how many hours I should be able to get out of my 135 honda...I realize that a lot of variables play into this but basically I use my boat almost daily for about 5 months then put her away for the season. I do all the regular maintenance and don't drive her hard. I currently have about 1600 hours on this motor. Last season I had to do a value job and replace the lower unit.... Any ideas?????????
Thanks

rogerbum · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 4:18 pm Post subject:

They tend to last more hours when used frequently. Given that you're putting on a fair number of hours every year (and assuming frequent oil changes), I'd guess around 3000 hours for the life span. This guess is based on the number of hours that I've seen other obtain on Hondas used at a similar frequency. Of course, yours could die tomorrow or last for 4500 hours and in either case I'd be wildly wrong. Laughing

thataway · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:31 pm Post subject:

Some of those Hondas in commercial use (such as charter fishermen and CG can rack up North of 4000 hours, and I have heard of a few with more than 7,000 hours. Just tun and keep them maintained. Watch out for corrosion, salt passage occlusion, replacing internal zincs, water pumps, occasional valve jobs etc.

journey on · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:31 pm Post subject:

That motor is a version of the Honda Accord 4-cyl, and I'd expect it to last forever.

That said, outboards are used differently, so let's try for an equivalent 150,000 mi @50 mph, which would give you 3000 hrs. That number seems to agree with the above quoted numbers.

By the way, a valve job at 1600 hrs? Since on the last few cars I've owned, I've never done a valve job, I'm curious. Why, what caused it? Since I have the same engine (a 150) I'd like to know if there's something I can do to avoid that. This is my first 4 stroke outboard, and I'm still learning.

Boris

bcarli · Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:48 pm Post subject:

Basically it just started running really rough...so I knew something wasn't right because the engine had been flawless before that...So I took it to a dealer who told me I needed a value done because carbon had built up. I asked him why he thought this happened and he told me because I was using the wrong gasoline...I had to laugh. How could I be using the wrong gas????Anyway I just paid the bill...never did understand why it needed the value job done, but I have heard of a few other engines needing this done around 1500 hours.

Dora~Jean · Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:34 pm Post subject:

Valve job at 1500 hrs seems excessive to me too. What about the lower end replacement, what was that attributed to?

And while we're at it, what is the definition of "end of life" of a motor? When the head can no longer be refurbished, lower end replacement, carbs gone (EFI??), ....or maybe when parts are no longer available? Or the cost of a new engine is less than to repair your old one?

Matt Gurnsey · Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:39 pm Post subject:

If you read the owners manual, valve adjustment on many 4 strokes is recomended every year or 200 hours. On engines where valves get out of adjustment, or with a lot of idling, a valve job could be needed. Others may go forever without the need for one, so 1500 does not seem excessive to me.

As far as life expectancy- I've heard of 4000 hours in cold climates, much shorer in warm salt water environments.