I am interested in what you guys think.

900-1200

I'm shooting for 5000 from my new Suzuki Four stroke :D

1000

I know 1000 is the rule of thumb.
But I would like to se 1500.

Do you think you can extend the life by running less than WOT ?

Worded different...Does always running at WOT reduce the life expectancy of an OB engine?

IMHO, running WOT will reduce any engine life. No manufacture recommends running WOT for any length of time.

I have always liked the powering scheme where you slightly over-power and cruise at a reduced rpm. IMO, this gives you less strain on the engine, decent fuel economy a good cruise speed and plenty in reserve to really haul ass when you have to. The downside is more weight.

I have met a couple guys that use their motors nearly everyday and they seem to get upwards of 1500-1600 before the re-power. To me that is amazing....Most rec's seem to get much less then 1000 before they start having serious problems. It is probably more a function of a time(years in salt water) and engine hours. I know (from experience) that engine hours are not everything...electrical problems can be a pain in the butt even though you've got low hours.

I was thinking of re-powering ( or trading up) @ 600-700 range....I figure this will give me 3 decent seasons of running.

With the new 4-strokes I would say 2000-3000 hours is probably a good target with proper maint.

For what they cost I exspect to get 2,000hrs. A $14,000 out board should last a long time. And instead of a one or two year they should have warranties on an hour clock. You buy a motor with a warranty and half of it sits in the yard:smash: :smash: So don't ever think that ya got a good deal on an outboard. :af: :af:

Frankly, there is no way an outboard will last 3K hours..if you get 1000 consider yourself lucky. IMO they all suck. You pay big bucks for some of these engines and they they are poorly made, poorly supported and last only a few seasons. I saw one fellow in the parts shop with a 2 year old motor...with 300 hours, the guy at the desk told him "the honeymoon is over for these engines my friend" It is getting hard to justify the cost.
A top of the line 4 cycle cost almsot as much as a complete car (which lasts a hell of a lot longer)

My next 26' will have a dissel engine.The outboards performance and high cost just does not justify the shot life of the outboard. The dissel will go 2000hrs. if not more and could rebuilt it for less

with proper maintence and useage 3K is a definite possibility. And Frankly it happens frequently with comercial use, CG, HM, commercial guys, and even some guides in FL. I would not expect to see 3K, as I do not know too many guys that can get away from work that often.

I would rather own a newer outboard with high hours than an older outboard with low hours. The sitting/infrequent use is a killer.

I do not think all outboards suck I just think some people do not maintain them and expect them to operate as well as a car.

You must keep an eye on your engine, use good oil ( a whole different debate :D ) Decarb ever 100 hours, and watch your filters for water, and gunk.

Think about it, your outboard spends 24/7 hanging a few inches above corrosive saltwater when not in use and extends into the drink when operating at sometimes high rpms when in use!!. Of course many keep their boats on the trailer so it is not the case for all.

I am not stating all outboards are equal there are exeptions to my thoughts and some outboards may detonate with in 2-300 hours but that is just crap luck. Many of the Merc Optis had these issues from 1999-2002 I have had the misfortune of being crew on a boat with (3) new 2002 225 Opti's only to have one fully operational with in 3 hours of a tournament.

To answer your question I would like to see 2500 hours from my properly maintained outboard but only expect 1750-2000

I hope writing this was not bad luck, watch me throw a rod this weekend:smash:

I'm curious why would you expect more hours out of a 4 stroke?

Originally posted by Billybob
I'm curious why would you expect more hours out of a 4 stroke? Much better cooling and lubricating than a 2 stroke. Sure there are a lot more moving parts in a 4 stroke but they are inheritantly better to lube & cool....

The key is in the lubrication systems, better lubrication equals less friction, equals less wear. Also due to the advanced lubrication of the 4-strokes there is also another big benefit, less heat. All these combined should give the 4-strokes the nod in engine life with proper maintenance. All this is theory of coarse!

A very good friend of mine has a four stroke with over 2000 hrs. He keeps it properly maintained or he is just lucky. His 4-stroke is one of the first ones made by honda.He's an advid recreational stripe bass fisherman spends all his vacation time on stripers.

Does anyone run synthetic oil in thier larger 2 stroke outboards? I can get a great price on Amzoil synthetic and was wondering if it would be a good call, or not.

I use evinrude synthetic in my new engine and plan to use that brand as long as I have the warranty. I don't want them to come back and say that the warranty is void for using another brand if by chance anything happens to the motor.

I use the evinrude brand for fichts...it is expensive but I spend far more on fishing gear then gas and oil. IMO fuel is the cheap part of owning a boat.

Less friction = less heat since friction is where the heat comes from. I have a 2 stroke so I'm not an expert, but don't the 4 strokes also run at lower RPM's?

Who can suggest a high quality oil? I would like to make sure that I'm puttin top of the line stuff in my 1997 175 HP Johnson. Always take care of your Johnson!

So far so good though since I've owned it for a year. A new set of plugs this year and it starts first crank every time. A little hickup last weekend though. Starter stuck on me in Edgartown. I tapped the starter very lightly with a crescent wrench and it started right up. Just a fluke or more to come you think?