I'll preface this post by saying:

John, if this is considered advertising that is out of bounds, please remove this post and consider me scolded.....

If any of you own one of the newer Evinrude Ficht outboards, you are aware that the spark plugs for these things are very expensive.

I am sure that you are also aware that these high performing 2 strokes are hard on plugs, forcing replacement often.
This season I was spending over $60 for a set of six plugs at my Evinrude dealer! :eek: IMHO, that's a lot of money.

And before you all jump on me for buying them at my dealer, they were not available at parts stores like NAPA as far as I could tell. I got the same answer from two local shops, the plugs won't be available to them for quite some time.

Well, apparently "some time" has come...;)

I was directed to these website recently and my happy days are here finally! Prices fo rthe QC12PEP are like $4.52 at Rock Auto . Com and a little over $5.00 at Spark Plugs . Com. I can get a whole season's worth of plugs for not much more that what one set cost me this year.

Try a search and see for yourself! ;)

https://www.rockauto.com

http://sparkplugs.com/

Good heads up !! Although I knew about them for sometime it slipped my mind to post the price savings. Now if I could just find the oil somewhere cheap

Thanks, I was going to do a google search on the plug number this season and see what $ I could find it for.

Of course they are a standard plug that the shops overcharge for.
I think that is the number of mine too. Gotta check once I pull out of the slip for the season. (Not yet though !!!)

Thank you internet !!!!!

I only change them in the spring after I run the fog oil out.
Are you changing them more often?
The shop mech actually told me they are good for a couple of seasons because these engines run sooooo clean..But I've been changing once a year anyway.
The ones I take out do look fine...Hmmmmmm...

Vector-

I can almost tolerate the oil price, because the engine really uses so little. I wish the fuel could come down a little tho, it certainly had an impact on my fishing this year.

Van-

How many hours are you putting on the engine each year? I have averaged almost 200 each season and have changed my plugs at least twice a season if I remember off the top of my head, if not three times.

I was under the impression that these were platinum tipped plugs which is why they are a bit more delicate that standard plugs. Not sure which model engine you're running or which plug, but I think the Champion QC 12 PEP's are platinum tipped.

I have found that when these plugs go, they go, and quickly. One day they are fine they next, they aren't. Wide open, blown plugs still do the trick, but at slow speeds, like jiggin' wire or at an idle on the drift, it sounds awful.

-Hooper

I don't know how many hours I run, but it's not 200.
I don't troll too often, I like fishing rockpiles and ledges at anchor.

Plus all my spots are a short hop. Engine runs smooth and stroing all season. Only when I troll a long while does it get a bit rough, but one WOT run and its all good again..

When I pull them in a couple of weeks, I'll take a pic..

How many total hours on it Van? I put a lot of hours on it going to Nantucket, the Vineyard and east of Chatham...

I have a 99 225 Ficht with the smaller block than the current 225 and I have to change mine about 100 hours. I can always tell when it is stone cold it will start and stall a sure sign plugs need some help, I probably did 150 hours this year to date with tons of trolling in the beginning of the season very little toward the end and the plugs looked about the same, I also Decarb when I change plugs and run carbon guard. I am torn between buying the new ETEC 250 or Suzuki 250 or just hanging on to mine until death due us part.

Hooper, my 175 ficht is a 2001 which i got in 2000 (sneaky deal).
So this is the fifth season on the boat. Maybe 60-80 (wild guess) hours a season, like I said I don't go far, and usually I'm bait fishing.
So thats like a 1/3 of your hours per season.
Geezz,,, at this rate, this engine should last my lifetime !!!!!!;)

If I ever do repower it will be the new merc verado. (200)Supercharged injected power, this is the most advanced engine on the market today, designing help from lotus and turbo america...only thing I don't like is its not a 2-cycle !!!!! (Obviously not a fan of 4 cycles). But if its all they claim,,,maybe....!!!!!:eek:

Verado= too complicated, too many moving parts supercharger and all!! Never mind the price eeks tag. The new E-TEC will be the simplest most maintenance free of the bunch, they already advertise 3 years no touchie :)

Originally posted by Vectorfisher
Verado= too complicated, too many moving parts supercharger and all!! Never mind the price eeks tag. The new E-TEC will be the simplest most maintenance free of the bunch, they already advertise 3 years no touchie :)

They said the same thing about high pressure injection.

I agree it needs some time to get the "bugs" out though .

:) The difference between a boat repair shop and Jesse James is that he had a gun!!!!

My 2003 225hp evinrude eats up QC12PEP spark plugs every 50 -60 hrs.

Needed plugs in a hurry since I was chartering the next morning and the boat shop had them in stock!!! 12 bucks per plug and I needed 6 Well I checked out NAPA and the same plug was $5.70 each, but order today get them tomorrow!!! So I ordered them to have for next time!!! Needless to say I had to go back to the marine shop and bite the bullet!!! Paid twice as much!!!! Never again, now I buy them from napa and keep a spear set!!!

NAPA online, or in the store??

Originally posted by Fly Rod
:) The difference between a boat repair shop and Jesse James is that he had a gun!!!!

My 2003 225hp evinrude eats up QC12PEP spark plugs every 50 -60 hrs.

Needed plugs in a hurry since I was chartering the next morning and the boat shop had them in stock!!! 12 bucks per plug and I needed 6 Well I checked out NAPA and the same plug was $5.70 each, but order today get them tomorrow!!! So I ordered them to have for next time!!! Needless to say I had to go back to the marine shop and bite the bullet!!! Paid twice as much!!!! Never again, now I buy them from napa and keep a spear set!!!

Flyrod:

I hear ya! Come springtime I am ordering a whole season's worth of plugs online and I can change them at will and not feel like I'm getting boned.


Vector:

What do you do when you Decarb at plug change? Do you think the use of Carbon Guard make a big difference?

Van:

The price of a Verado is reason enough to stay away. I could not in good conscience pay 25K for any outboard when I could have a Yanmar Diesel!

Vector:

What do you do when you Decarb at plug change? Do you think the use of Carbon Guard make a big difference?

Hooper I buy 3-4 cans of Sea Foam or Evinrude's brand of cleaner get my boat all warmed up down at the ramp on the trailer, take off the hood and the throttle body cover and when she's good and warm I give her the double fisted spray, 2 cans in both hands spraying as equal amounts as I can get in there until she billows quite a bit of white smoke, this is with the engine running of course, once she gets full of tuner shut it down pull it up the ramp and clean the boat for an hour or so, then I back it down again fire it off and repeat this time after I get it loaded up I shut her down button it all up and troll it out to the channel a bit and run the hound out of it, then bring her home and change plugs. You have to be careful while doing this the motor does not run away use the tether or a helper and the reason you keep it on the trailer is so that you can run it in gear at 1500 RPM while doing this. I have done it in the driveway and to say the least it has scared the crap outta me. I am surprised whoever services your engine has not informed you on this, carbon is a major NO NO in these DI motors. As far as the carbon guard goes the jury is still out I was not consistent over the summer using it until just recently and when I pull my plugs I will know better. Also on BOATSETUP.com one of the best techs just reported the change from xd-50 to xd 100 has made a huge difference so much so that he stated he won't be putting engine tuner back in his motor.

Van
For Evinrudes competitors they still have way too many moving parts and come the next EPA emissions round both Yamaha and Mercury will be looking for a new design to meet the requirements Evinrude already does with a very simple design. You hear of the Merc Optimax motors burning up air compressors all the time how long do you think the supercharger will last on the Verado in the ocean enviroment and worst off how much will it cost to replace?? 2K? 4K? I think you will see that these 4 stroke motors will be costing people a ton of money when they get 4-5 seasons old if not sooner, Really how long can valvetrain hold up running between 4-5 thousand RPM's day in and day out.

:) I buy them in the store here that is about 3 miles away!!!

If ya order them one day by closing they will have them at 8inthe morning!!! Now that is here , I don't know about any other napa store policy!!!;) :cool:

Thanks for that detail post, I'm embarrassed, but I have never been told about the decarbon procedure that you described. Sounds like sort of a lot of effort tho, or is it not too bad?

I read the post on boatsetup.com that you mentioned and it sounds like the new XD 100 oil is probably a good switch and seems to eliminate a lot of the carbon issues.

BTW, since we're discussing these engines all over the place, what size prop are you turning on your engine? I have a 19 on there now and I think I may drop to a 17 next year. I don't think I'm getting enough speed at my cruisng RPM's. I generally run it around 4K - 4200 rpm and get about 23 - 24kts. I think I can better though...

One guy I have e-mailed is turning a 17 at a 5K RPM cruise and gets in the upper 30's.

-Hooper

Hooper I run a 14 3/4 x17SS on my Vector 2450 Walkaround, she is a pretty heavy boat I cruise right around 3800 RPM 9 GPH forget what speed I think 18-20 sounds right, she will top out 42 mph I only get about 5700 RPM WOT and that is trying to get there.

As far as the decarb goes it isnt bad and if you stay on top of it once a season should be fine. You know what the alternative can be POW

:) I use a 15x17 3 blade aluminum on my 225hp cruise 27kts. at 4000 rpmswith my 26' boat!!!! owt is about 6000rpms 37kts. full tank 100gals. 2-3 people all this is on a good day maybe 1ft. chop!!! DO NOT GO BY WHAT MY BOAT DOES!!!

Go to http://theoutboardwizard.com click on evinrude look to left side click on correct propeller!!!

Yeah, thanks for that Prop site Fly Rod, I really want to drop down. I'm running a 14.75" x 19" and I think that going to a 17" would give me a pretty good bump. Both of you guys are turning 17's, so I may bite the bullet this winter and keep the 19 as a spare. It's all about SPEED! :D

My 23 SeaCraft is similar to Vector's Hydra Sports, but what kind of rig is your 26? Regulator???

Hoop what RPMS do you turn WOT??

Wide open I hit about 5400, I have never topped about 36kts on the GPS. I think I'd be OK going to almost 6K wouldn't I?

15 X 15 SS on my 175 pushes the boat (21 proline WA) at 40MPH at 5400 rpm.

I tried stepping up to a 15X17, but it did not keep the engine at the top of the torque curve and I got lower MPH and RPM.

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Vector I do agree mostly about the verado, IMO they are made for top end tourny guys who got more $$ than god. They want good fuel "mileage" like 4 strokes but the power of 2 strokes.

SO,,,, something has to be done to 4 strokes cause' they just dont have the power to weight ratio. So they supercharged it !!Hey if the SC goes, the sponsor can pay to fix it !!!!;) ;)

:) You should check your motor book and see what rpms you should top off at!!! You should never go over what the max is rated for!!! My 225 is rated to max out 5500- 6000 rpms

My boat is a custom made 26' Dusky open fisherman out of Florida!!! www.dusky.com Dry weight is 4800lbs.,add gas weight;motor etc: Maxes out around 6100lbs. Can't afford a Regulator boat!! This boat is half the money new and gets me to the same places !!!

You might want to sign on to www.iboats.com forum, cost nothing!!! And you will learn something about outboard motors

Great bunch of knowledgable fellows over there and they are glad to help!!!! ;) :cool:

Hoop I think you should be in the 5500-6000 range but like someone else said check your manual or with your dealer. This will make a huge difference in the longevity and the way your motor runs. They say lightly loaded you want to be more toward the upper ranges of the RPM spec. This will also help ward off carbon

Originally posted by Hooper
I'll preface this post by saying:

John, if this is considered advertising that is out of bounds, please remove this post and consider me scolded.....


No spam at all, a perfect example of helping your fellow anglers out.

It's spam when someone self promotes or plugs a buddy to no end...

Now, know anything about the big Etec V6s yet :humpty: ?

What do you want o know JohnR about the ETEC?

:) The one thing that I know about them is"Yes" they are advertised 3 year no maintenance "BUT" you still have to maintain it such as winterize etc: Normal maintenance, diffinitly question the dealer about the "NO MAINTENACE!!!" ;) :cool:

No scheduled maintenance first 3 years or 300 hours, Meets 2006 and 2008 worlwide emission standards (EPA, EU, CARB 3 star ) Produces less than half total reportable emissions of competitors 4 strokes. "AUTOMATIC OFF SEASON STORAGE"

Specs on the 225 25" shaft ETEC
V-6 90 E-TEC Direct Injection
Bore and stroke 3.845x2.858
225 HP@ 5150 RPM
WOT range 4500-5800
Gear ratio 1:85:1
Weight 524lbs