outboard problems/opinions

R

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
I'm talking with a friend about our outboard motors and I suggested that about 70% of problems are fuel related, 20% are electrical and maybe 10% mechanical. Do any of you experts out there have any quantitative ideas about these figures? I'd bet Mr. Rodbolt would know about this. Thanks for your thoughts/ideas.
 
triumphrick

triumphrick

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 26, 2008
Messages
1,737
Re: outboard problems/opinions

There are a few Yamahas with known mechanical problems..the worst would be the exhaust plate corrosion problems on the F225's. Also, lower unit cracks on some motors where corrosion affects the exhaust hubs. But in my 24 yrs of Yamaha ownership, I have yet to suffer any mechanical problems. The electrical problems have all been tilt/trim indicator switch problems. But many here have reported them. At least it is a cheap fix. I think you may be right on with the fuel related problems. I am lucky I get to run my boats all year, so fuel problems have been few and far between...
 
JB

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: outboard problems/opinions

I think of troubles more in causes, rather than systems.

I wouldn't put a number on it, but I think by far the majority of troubles are caused by neglect of routine maintenance or abuse.

The remainder are mostly part failures before normal life cycle or, in rare cases, engineering or manufacturing flaws.
 
R

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
Re: outboard problems/opinions

JB, Yep, seems like lack of maintenance is mostly the problem. As long as I keep really clean, fresh, stabilized fuel in my motor, then no problems with carbs, injectors, pump filters, lean mixtures, rich mixtures, plugs fouling, etc. The other maintenance items like changing the foot oil, corrosion protection, greasing zerks is really pretty darn simple and easy. Seems like the fuel-related problems come up a lot! Good Luck!
 
N

northernmerc

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
401
Re: outboard problems/opinions

The two outboards that I have the most recent experience with are a Mercury 50 hp and a Johnson 30 hp. Neither has had fuel issues.

The Merc (1978 model) seems prone to electrical problems; I have developed a thorough dislike for Merc switch boxes, stators, coils, etc.

The Johnson (2000 model) is quirky when it comes to cooling. More knowledgable people than I have given up on trying to fix this thing. It only runs well without a thermostat.
 
N

northernmerc

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
401
Re: outboard problems/opinions

If one wanted to come up with percentages for different types of problems, one could go through the posts on this forum and tabulate results. Maybe someone can apply for a government grant to do this.:D

It might also be interesting to study the number and type of problems associated with each brand. The number of topics and posts on the Johnson/Evinrude board, for example, is much higher than on the Merc board. Does that mean that OMC products are more troublesome and Mercs more reliable? To make those figures meaningful one would also need to know the production numbers and in service numbers of the various brands.
 
T

tx1961whaler

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 31, 2008
Messages
5,197
Re: outboard problems/opinions

northernmerc said:
The number of topics and posts on the Johnson/Evinrude board, for example, is much higher than on the Merc board. Does that mean that OMC products are more troublesome and Mercs more reliable? To make those figures meaningful one would also need to know the production numbers and in service numbers of the various brands.
Click to expand...

You couldn't discern anything useful from the number of posts in each section. It could be that Mercs suffer catastrophic failure and nobody tries to fix them. Or that Merc owners don't tend to fix their own motors. Or OMC motors are in service much longer, and eventually require maintenance. Or Mercs don't break down. Or Merc owner have a more popular repair forum. Too many variables involved to draw conclusions.
 
H

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: outboard problems/opinions

Another big variable is the years of manufacture. The OMC's from the 60's through 80's are the best but rigth crappy for a few years in the 90's and not the same in the 00's. Merc's used to be the racing engine in the 60's and 70's--great when they ran but termperamental. Then they switched to being "popular" and average with some crappy time periods. In come the Japanese motors of generally good quality, not a lot of ups and downs.
Then there's the subjective side like the Ford v GM debates.
Salt v. fresh; cold weather v. hot; short boating season v. long--all affect how a motor earns its reputation, good or bad. Older motors seem to get along being run once a summer for 35 years. New motors have to be run constantly or they die sitting there (part of that is the gas thing).
So there's no way to quantify. I think that when seeking advice on motor's reputation, stick to opinions coming from your boating region and style.
 
N

northernmerc

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
401
Re: outboard problems/opinions

tx1961whaler said:
You couldn't discern anything useful from the number of posts in each section. It could be that Mercs suffer catastrophic failure and nobody tries to fix them. Or that Merc owners don't tend to fix their own motors. Or OMC motors are in service much longer, and eventually require maintenance. Or Mercs don't break down. Or Merc owner have a more popular repair forum. Too many variables involved to draw conclusions.
Click to expand...

Agreed. A properly designed study would have to take a lot of things into account.
 
R

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
Re: outboard problems/opinions

Maybe it would help to define "problem" as anything that would make an outboard motor run poorly, stop running, or self destruct, like with a lean fuel/fried piston situation. It just seems like an awful lot of fuel-related problems and wondering what the overall percentage might be. I'll bet a guy like Mr. Rodbolt could answer this.
 
R

rodbolt

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 1, 2003
Messages
20,066
Re: outboard problems/opinions

ok
ill go out on the limb.
mercury, mostly electrical failurews closely matched with fuel issues.
reason, motorola cant make outboard electronics.
J\E same thing only prestolite never could get it right.
suzuki, corrosion and fuel.
tohatsu, same as suziki.
honda,nissan some pre 95 yamaha's same as suzuki.
jap motors simply dont have much in the way of electrical failures.
mitsubishi and hitachi know electronics.
since 2000 or so I have worked with mostly yamaha, since 2000 I have replaced maybe 2 bad CDI or ECU units, maybe 2 ign coils, maybe 20 bad resistor plug caps and maybe 2 bad stators.
remember from 2000 to 2005 I was the only tech at a marina with over 400 boats at the dry stack or outside storage racks, since then its mostly the same only now I get a lot of trailer boats.
properly maintained, yamaha electrical parts rarely fail.
we have not stocked coils,CDI/ECU or stator assybleys at any yamaha dealership I have worked at since the 1990's.
no reason to we wont sell them.
90% of the issues with yamaha motors since about 2000 are fuel related,HPDI motors excluded.
precision blend rarely fails,usually its customer or a corroded connetor issue.

precision blend is the MOST failed section of the master tech exam folloed closly by drive train.
Yamaha simply doesnt have much issues with trim and tilt or gear case failures.

am I biased towards yamaha,kinda.
remember, in the past 30 years or so of playing at being a tech I have been certified and aurtherized to do warrenty repairs on nissan,tohatsu,mercury,mariner,force,go-devil,suzuki,honda,Yamaha,Mercruiser, and volvo penta(now simply volvo) and for years the bulk of my work was OMC.
all have their idiot design flaws.
cant say otherwise.
so far Yamaha will help customers out long after the warrenty expires as long as the dealership employs trained techs.
last week I was at school in kennesaw again,week before that I had an F150 about an 05 model in with fuel nasties.
fixed the fuel issue,started the motor and the balancer assy sounded like a washing machine.
ran the PID, warrenty expired in june of 07.
called my RTA.
RTA said pull the balancer and see if the assy was disintergrating so he could autherize either a balancer or a powerhead assy.
balancer had not failed but was going to.
yamaha paid for the oil,the balancer,the seals and my labor.
cant beat that.
BRP was as prompt when I tossed a rod through the block on my 07 175 ETEC.
15 hours and 14 minutes I opened a hole in my ETEC, the next weekend my 08 fully dressed powerhead was installed and ready for pickup.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top