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SUBJECT: # 26663: How long should my motor last?
Submitted by Uncle Daddy (4.230.120.254) from TEXAS on 6/11/04 5:44:00 PM
I have a carburated 1999 c115 Yamaha that I maintain like an aircraft...currently 250 hours. I change waterpumps, thermostats, fuel filters, watch the water pressure and temperature, and drive at WOT only for brief periods. I use Ring Free, decarbonize, and always put stablilizer in the fuel and run the boat every month. How many hours can I expect to get before it's REALLY COMPLETELY worn out (without any rebuilds)? And how many hours would you go before you'd quit taking it offshore, even with diligent maintenance (the equivalent of 160,000 miles on a car)?
- 6/12/04 1:50:00 PM
Submitted by
LocalMotion (24.186.53.1) from NEW YORK says It could blow up next week...
...or last another 10 years. Most likely though, all anyone can really say is somewhere is between.
- 6/13/04 8:18:00 AM
Submitted by
fred (205.188.117.10) from TEXAS says Yammy
If you maitain it like you say you do, you will be stuck with that engine for a long time. I have a 14 yr old 225 Evinrude that ius giving that Bunny a run for his money
- 6/13/04 9:31:00 AM
Submitted by
Thom (12.165.13.17) from WEST VIRGINIA says Lots with luck
I think most folks consider the life of an outboard that has received reasonable maintainence to be right around 1,000 hours. You can get a lot more than that. I repowered over the winter, removing a 1989 Suzuki DT-200 that had just over 2,000 hours on it to be replaced with a DT-225. We fish off shore almost exclusively and at 2,000 hours it was past time for a change. I just didn't feel comfortable with it anymore.You maintainence is probably more rigorous than mine. I change bottom end grease every year, give them a new water pump every year, and change plugs at the same time I'm doing the other two. I use a Racor filter ahead of the stock filter and it gets checked ever trip and changed every year, if not sooner. In the years I ran that engine I changed one thermostat ($40) and both flow sensors ($50), it got a new throtle position sensor ($100), and one of the carburators was replaced with a rebuilt one ($50). I replaced the lower unit ($300) because of a crack in the casing, although the old one was still usable. That was it between 1991 and 2003, just about $1,000 spent on repairs and parts, and that includes water pumps and grease. I attribute the long life that motor got to the use of Wally World (SuperTech) TCW3 oil for about 90% of the time it was run. Before that stuff became available I was using even cheaper stuff that did not meet the TCW3 standard - because the standard had not been established yet.
So my answer to you is that with any sort of reasonable maintainence, and not running them too hard, if you had a good engine to start with (which you do) they will last a very long time.
Thom
- 6/16/04 6:29:00 PM
Submitted by
rogn (64.136.26.228) from MARYLAND says time on engine
My old '73 Johnson 135 made oit for 27 years and the '85 Yam 150 I'm running now must be approaching 1000 hours and I fully expect it to go for at least another 7 years. 250 hours with good care is barely broken in.
