How many hours on the motor would you consider "low hours"?

[yellowbeard]

I'm in the process of selling da boat, which is now 17 years old. The clock says that the 1992 Merc 115hp has 215 hours on it. The guy I bought it off in 2007 said that he'd left the ignition on for a week some time ago and it really didn't have anywhere near those hours. A service technician recently agreed with this.
So is 215 hours just run in or buyer beware?

Cheers

[Blackened]

G'day

215 is nothing. Especially on an older outboard such as yours.

It's almost a crime to have such little hours on it.

Dave

[Jabba_]

I have 195hr on my motor and it's only 20 months old...

[Braddles]

225hrs even if it was "in gear" hours is a piddle in the ocean = NOTHING! (Provided it has been looked after and flushed / serviced etc).
Good luck.

[ShaneC]

I was thinking the same thing the other day mate. I have a 12 month old outboard with 275 hrs on it, and I was away for 4 months of that time since I bought it. Your 215 hrs is bugger all mate, its almost new. I'm just concerned as to what I'll get for a three yr old outboard with 1000 hrs on it, oh well Ill worry about that when the time comes....

[Bowser]

A reasonable across the board average of all fisherman is 50 hours per year, your 17 year old motor could easily have 8 or 900 hours on it with just average use. 215 is nothing. Provided it has been serviced and used with a little regularity it will be OK. Be guided by a reputable mechanic.

[yellowbeard]

Sounds good. I've always hated those car adds that say "low kilometers" -- by the time they spell that out they might as well have put the actual mileage.
Yes it was a crime, the previous owner mostly kept it mothballed, and for me it was a bit big for the bay and I don't go outside as I'm mostly on my Pat Malone. The bay fishing here is mostly done in close to the mangroves or the oyster racks -- not really a 5.3M glass type thing. But I'm only 20 minutes casual drive (and not one traffic llight) from the beach and now addicted to beach fishing.

Thanks

[Smithy]

I'd rather have a 3 year old motor with 1,000 hour on it than one of that age. It will be all the little plastic and rubber fittings on it that will let you down in the future. That sort of stuff perishes, no matter the hours. My current motor has 1,700 hours and is an '05.

[dan099]

i have a 06 60 yammy 4 stroke 400 hrs on it serviced EVERY 50 hrs and does not miss a beat and never has. good oil ,good filter, good fuel ,good fun . Ithink it will still be in top order at 2000 hrs if looked after

[finding_time]

I'd rather have a 3 year old motor with 1,000 hour on it than one of that age. It will be all the little plastic and rubber fittings on it that will let you down in the future. That sort of stuff perishes, no matter the hours. My current motor has 1,700 hours and is an '05.

Mate you said exactally what i was thinking reading this post!!! It's an age issue with this motor not an hours issue! All those little plastic and rubber parts that will have hardened with time! It would be worth going over and replacing anything that has perished or hardened over the years as these are the things that will give you grief!!

[Steeler]

Little plastic bits and rubber parts - carby o/haul new waterpump kit,fuel hose and primer bulb certainly no big deal to a reasonably mechanically minded person with a manual.
Those apparently old dead end cylinder merc outboards are good for 1000's of hours with proper care & maintanance.

Steeler

[krazyfisher]

if the key was left on for a week (168hrs) than that means the motor has 47hrs in 17 years.... under 3 hrs per year??????

I would not tell people the key was left on. hours that low are not always a good sign...

just my thoughts

[tin can marlin]

Not a drama that is real low hours for that age.

[sharkymark2]

My yamaha is 2 years old with 56 hours on it. Most of my fishing spots are 5-7 minutes from ramps and with all this sh....... wind :(.

[Roughasguts]

The seals on a motor that's 17 years old and done only 50 hours could be pretty hard by now.

I would be worried about the gear box seals, and the main seal just under the power head, also the seals around the water pump and pick up tube.

Hoses and stuff should be replaced a long with fuel hoses any way after a few years they go hard and won't seal, let air in and you should know the rest.

Carby's should have new gasketts and seals as well, the would have dried out and probably leak from cracks, unless run or primed every few weeks, or days for just primed.

Other than that the motor should be fine with fresh fuels and oils, although I wouldn't thrash it for a while thats for sure.

Then treat it like it's being run in again.

Pull that prop as well make sure it comes of them there things like to rust on with some motors.

Actually pull the leg as well they can lock up on the drive spline as well under the power head, they need fresh grease or something better that don't dry up.

[FNQCairns]

I have an 86 model, replaced every bit that showed age/wear or corrosion....it now has another 15 years + up it's sleeve, effectively the same prognosis as any well looked after 3 year old engine doing the low yearly hours of an anglers boat but at a faction of the total cost, still 80% of it is original, the age/wear equation has all types of caveats.

cheers fnq

[Dee Jay]

An engine of that age would have had salt sitting in the power head for some time. No matter how well they are flushed there is always some there. All engines need to run regularly to keep the flushing process happening. I would be asking how often and regularly has it been run. I start and run all of my outboards every two weeks for this reason. I have never had corrosion problems, but have seen plenty. I would not be touching it personally. Have also heard the line about “leaving the key” on about a thousand times.