I hope by the end of the summer to have a used 22 Cruiser. It will inevitably have a middle-aged engine with a few hundred hours on it. I would be grateful to hear opinions on how the common engines hold up. Obviously, individual condition/maintenance is most important, but with decent maintenance, any opinion what holds up best with over hundreds of hours? Etec? Honda carbed/fuel injected? Yamaha? Thanks
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Second-hand motor choice?
- Thread starter qboat
- Start date
journey on
New member
Well, Journey On has a 2005 Honda 150 with 900 hrs. It's been a very dependable motor with regular oil changes (top and bottom), gas filter changes and a couple of set of spark plugs. I love the fuel injection, the motor has never refused to start right up. It's used ethanol fuel and straight gas, both without complaint. Sounds just like the folks' Oliver 4 cyl tractor when it's idling. Passed the 10 year mark with flying colours. Well, not on the outside, paint's been sitting out in the sun.
Also have a 9.9 Honda. I understand that you're not asking about that, but as a data point it's been dependable. Carburated, doesn't like ethanol gas, clogs the jets when it's stored so I drain it after use. Heaviest outboard for its size.
The Honda 150 is the motor they use for the Harbour Patrol at Catalina. I expect mine to last 3000-4000 hrs based on what I've seen here. Some of the circa 2005's have a problem with the thrust bearing, but I assume that's infant mortality.
I'd insist on fuel injection on any big outboard I get in the future. It's been great on the outboard, the Ford truck and the Toyota car. Bulletproof.
Boris
Also have a 9.9 Honda. I understand that you're not asking about that, but as a data point it's been dependable. Carburated, doesn't like ethanol gas, clogs the jets when it's stored so I drain it after use. Heaviest outboard for its size.
The Honda 150 is the motor they use for the Harbour Patrol at Catalina. I expect mine to last 3000-4000 hrs based on what I've seen here. Some of the circa 2005's have a problem with the thrust bearing, but I assume that's infant mortality.
I'd insist on fuel injection on any big outboard I get in the future. It's been great on the outboard, the Ford truck and the Toyota car. Bulletproof.
Boris
A
Anonymous
Guest
Yamaha.
or whatever is on the boat you want to buy.
Seriously, it is more important how it is cared for.
But I would stay away from a newer injected honda 90.
or whatever is on the boat you want to buy.
Seriously, it is more important how it is cared for.
But I would stay away from a newer injected honda 90.
I would have to say IMHO Yamaha. Go online and check out Sims Yamaha for parts and service items. I would also look at who ever is local to you that has an excellent reputation and considering what they sell. They all pretty good these days. Changing oil and servicing all the anodes along with replacing water pump impellers every few years they all should last a very long time.It's nice to have a go to motor guy in your relative neighborhood.
D.D.
D.D.
A Fishin C":223hxe2c said:But I would stay away from a newer injected honda 90.
I wondered why you would stay away from the Hondas? I haven't heard of any significant issues with the 90 Hondas--but I have a carbureted 2006.
Over all in the 70 to 115 hp range all of the brands seem about equal. The motors you see with the 5000 to 8000 hours are generally commercial use--such as the harbor patrol as Boris mentioned, Coast Guard, Tow boats etc.
Any modern motor you should expect at least several thousand hours. Very few c Dory owners wear out the motors. My first 22 had an Evinrude from the 1996 era. When we went to sell, it had a bad oil injection pump--so that was replaced and we kocked $1000 off the agreed on price. The next owner used the motor for 5 or so hours, and when the 3rd owner after us, bought the boat--that earlier Evinrude failed and was replaced with an E etc, which the current owner has.
Agree that it depends on maintenance--try and get records. Pretty good chance that the motor will last as long as you own the boat.
Bob: I remember Les Lampman, who was then a Honda dealer, tell me the new honda EFI 90 was very problematic when it first came out, I think around 2006 or 2007. He had more than one customer have a bad experience. I believe it had to do with the electronic computer controls, and I believe the problems have been resolved. Older and more recent Honda 90's have been bulletproof.
I'm a Honda guy: cars, outboards, small engines, everything. I've had very good and trouble-free service, with good performance. I've had zero issues with the 5 Honda outboards I've owned, but they were all bought new. Not so much with Mercury (1), Johnsons (2), Evinrude (2), and the Yamaha (1) I've owned.
I agree with others that it's more about the previous care than the brand, though there are definitely a few bad models out there by all the manufacturers. It pays to research and ask reputable outboard mechanics.
One easy visual test is the presence (or hopefully not) of salt residue around the joints between water passages under the engine cowling
Also: extremely low hours on an older boat can indicate lack of use, which may be worse for the engine than a lot of hours.
I'm a Honda guy: cars, outboards, small engines, everything. I've had very good and trouble-free service, with good performance. I've had zero issues with the 5 Honda outboards I've owned, but they were all bought new. Not so much with Mercury (1), Johnsons (2), Evinrude (2), and the Yamaha (1) I've owned.
I agree with others that it's more about the previous care than the brand, though there are definitely a few bad models out there by all the manufacturers. It pays to research and ask reputable outboard mechanics.
One easy visual test is the presence (or hopefully not) of salt residue around the joints between water passages under the engine cowling
Also: extremely low hours on an older boat can indicate lack of use, which may be worse for the engine than a lot of hours.
I have a 2015 Honda BF 90 on a river skiff and love it. It's powerful, quiet, efficient, and, so far, has not needed anything but regular maintenance. It gets used in fairly extreme situations on the Copper River, and has held up better than the similar yamaha motors that we use on similar boats in the same conditions.
This is just an annecdote, I realize, but when my 2003 BF90 finally gives up, I'll have no worries about replacing it with a new one.
This is just an annecdote, I realize, but when my 2003 BF90 finally gives up, I'll have no worries about replacing it with a new one.
Ive had Force 85 (2st),Honda 40and 50 ,Johnson 90 (2st) ,Suzuki,Yamaha and Merc .Most have been 4 stroke engines and the last 3 were fuel injected . Of all the engines Yamaha and Merc hold up the best down here in SW Florida(corrosion wise). Water salinity is much worse then up in the PNW or almost anywhere else in America .
For the $ the Merc is by far the least expensive to buy and I think to maintain .I love the Merc 115 hp CT .Around the dock it is by far the best engine for my cc23 venture
For the $ the Merc is by far the least expensive to buy and I think to maintain .I love the Merc 115 hp CT .Around the dock it is by far the best engine for my cc23 venture
qboat":3jr5p0sp said:I hope by the end of the summer to have a used 22 Cruiser. It will inevitably have a middle-aged engine with a few hundred hours on it. I would be grateful to hear opinions on how the common engines hold up. Obviously, individual condition/maintenance is most important, but with decent maintenance, any opinion what holds up best with over hundreds of hours? Etec? Honda carbed/fuel injected? Yamaha? Thanks
Lots of good OBs that will last many years. I have 2 and 4 stroke OBs. One on the Parker is 2002 Yamaha F 225 fuel injected with over 1100 hours. It gets regular maintenance and m2cw buy the outboard brand shop manual.