Help on New boat with 150 Etec, 800 Hours +

[leeroybee]

Hi Guys, looking to buy a 2006 Fishing Boat with an Evinrude 150 Etec with 800 hours on it.

Are these motors any good and what should I be looking before I buy it ? I am going to get someone to look at it. But the 800 hours seems alot to me. How long can they last

Cheers

Leeroy

[scottar]

There are reports of commercially run E-Tec's doing in the 3-4 thousand sort of hour range. IMO the hours themselves are a lot less important than how they were done and how the engine has been looked after. Like any second hand new tech engine, I would be getting it looked at by a reputable dealer in your area and getting a ECU download to look at usage patterns and historical faults etc prior to committing. Things of note to check on with the earlier E-Tecs as well - engine mounts and bolts - both upper and lower, making sure the vessel has a good filtration system for the fuel, WOT RPM is at or near the models optimum or higher ( computer report will have a graph and numerical values) and that there are no extreme overheats.

[Noelm]

It's impossible to say how long any motor will last, it may go for 3,000 hours, it might blow up tomorrow, 800 hours would not put me off if everything checks out OK, the age is probably more of a concern than the hours.

[ranmar850]

Motors are better being run regularly and serviced on schedule. A motor with very few hours for its age is a real concern. 12 or 13 years,and 800 hours? I'd say that actually tends to reflect light use. Might be OK, should'nt be an automatic turn off. As others said, get a print out from a BRP dealer.

[gazza2006au]

Etec's are built tough but lack of sensors is there downfall make sure u replace the thermostats and impeller with genuine parts before u use her

I just sold a etec in parts so have an idea of what parts fail and what people want, i had a few people want the flywheel, a few people also wanted the trim unit, they had problems with the exhaust valves sticking open but other than using a little extra fuel it wasnt a problem however to replace the exhaust valve u need to buy a whole middle section

A huge amount of people wanted the icommamd gauges i was asked almost on a daily basis so if yours comes with this guage thats a bonus

The fuel injectors are a let down they can fail without warning at any rpm and there are no sensors this usually takes out a piston but doesnt effect the crankshaft rod journal because the crankshaft has been hardened

[leeroybee]

Thanks.

I just spoke to the service centre and it was serviced 12 months ago.

Is it advisable to service them every 12 months then anyway?

Lee

[scottar]

Etec's are built tough but lack of sensors is there downfall make sure u replace the thermostats and impeller with genuine parts before u use her

I just sold a etec in parts so have an idea of what parts fail and what people want, i had a few people want the flywheel, a few people also wanted the trim unit, they had problems with the exhaust valves sticking open but other than using a little extra fuel it wasnt a problem however to replace the exhaust valve u need to buy a whole middle section

A huge amount of people wanted the icommamd gauges i was asked almost on a daily basis so if yours comes with this guage thats a bonus

The fuel injectors are a let down they can fail without warning at any rpm and there are no sensors this usually takes out a piston but doesnt effect the crankshaft rod journal because the crankshaft has been hardened

No exhaust actuator in the V6 engines Gazza and they can take a piston if they run lean in an injector failure but not every failure does - depends on the failure. I know blokes that have run considerable distance on 5 out of 6 cylinders without drama - not that it is something I would recommend. I think the one's that do take a piston are probably like the one you bought - no indication there was anything wrong. Some failures present as an obvious loss of power - ie no ignition on one cylinder hence no lean running or excess temps. The I-Commands will be in demand because Navico (the manufacturer for BRP) has discontinued the product so no new ones available. If you have a failure you have to change all your gauges if you have multiple displays and wish to retain a uniform look. The replacement series - Icon, returns to using an analogue tach display with a digital LCD under it and separate analogue 2 inch gauges for secondary displays if required. They do have new colour LCD panels but their functionality is squarely aimed at G2 engines.

[scottar]

Thanks.

I just spoke to the service centre and it was serviced 12 months ago.

Is it advisable to service them every 12 months then anyway?

Lee

It's probably not a bad idea Lee if you aren't the sort of person to do periodical stuff yourself. I don't - but every so often I change the gearbox oil, drop the bolts out of the leg and lubricate them (one at a time) and lift the lid and have a general poke around and lubricate various linkages etc. Plenty of guys do self service - not ridiculously difficult with a service manual. The Evinrude Owners Group website is an E-Tec specific website that is a wealth of information on these motors. Like all mechanical forums though, most people only visit if they have issues so at first glance it can seem off putting.

[catshark]

like you say 800 hrs is a lot , must be a good price to get you interested , whats your goal as in fuel consumption, torque, reliability. or is it the boat that is the hero in this selection think about. go carbie old school, least you can pull out the carbies your self for a clean. injectors hmmm call the professionals with the huge bill comin in..ohh my head hurts why did i buy this thing that explodes at 900 hrs ha ha .

[leeroybee]

I just spoke to a guy that inspects boats for a living and he said I should avoid the ETEC like a plague and 800 hours is a lot for a 2 stroke. Hmm he also said the motor is basically worth nothing and Im buying on boat alone.

[Chimo]

Brief comment on the info your received BS

[Dirtyfuzz]

Lol and I bet he said that Mercurys are nothing but black anchors and that Yamaha are the only brand to buy!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stevej]

Well Yamaha’s are :)

But in all seriousness 800 hours of maintained is not a lot of hours

Avoid any outboard that hasn’t had regular servicing

Even though etec have the 300 hour thing or what ever it is now
Pivot tubes need lubing or can flog out
Water pumps pick up sand and many other things need to be checked

A 800 hour outboard serviced regularly in my mind is better then a 8 year old outboard with ten hours and no service

[Noelm]

I just spoke to a guy that inspects boats for a living and he said I should avoid the ETEC like a plague and 800 hours is a lot for a 2 stroke. Hmm he also said the motor is basically worth nothing and Im buying on boat alone.
I would be avoiding that mechanic like the plague, and I wouldn't like to rely on his inspection either, unless he tells the seller and they drop the price according to his bad knowledge.

[bluefin59]

I just spoke to a guy that inspects boats for a living and he said I should avoid the ETEC like a plague and 800 hours is a lot for a 2 stroke. Hmm he also said the motor is basically worth nothing and Im buying on boat alone.

I call rubbish on that statement ,my 60 hp 2 stroke mariner had 950 hrs on it and still had 125 lb in all 3 cylinders . All it’s life it was regularly serviced and premium quicksilver run in it , the guy I sold it too has had 200 trouble free hours on it in 8 months no problems . I believe 3000 hrs is not unrealistic. Matt

[leeroybee]

Thanks Guys.

I spoke to an ETEC Mechanic who the boat inspector recommended and he did say he was biased against them. This is what he told me.

Etec have a bad name because of the way they have been serivce When they first came onto the market they where advertised as you only have to service the engine every 300hrs or 3 years This sucked a lot of people in to buy these motors. What they didn’t see or read was in the fine print where it said applies to fresh water use only. If you use something in salt water for 3 years with no servicing there will always be issues. In saying that if the engine has been service ever 100hrs or once a year like all the other brands recommended there hasn’t been to many issues with the Etec. As for 800hrs yes it’s getting up there. I would recommended when buying any boat get the motor and boat checked out Service history and compression test are a must Service history for a service ever year or 100hrs is a major thing to look for Hope this helps

[billfisher]

I just spoke to a guy that inspects boats for a living and he said I should avoid the ETEC like a plague and 800 hours is a lot for a 2 stroke. Hmm he also said the motor is basically worth nothing and Im buying on boat alone.


I would have loved to get a used ETEC for 'nothing' when I was looking for a new motor. Also there must be a lot of deluded owners on Gumtree etc, who are asking good money for their 10 year old ETECS.

[gazza2006au]

You'll probably find a ton of blown powerhead threads for the Etecs if u google "Etec blown powerhead" you'll find some blow up with only 25 hours some last into the 1000's of hours what i have noticed is the commercial guys like to go four stroke instead of the Etec's i guess its personal preference

i love the look of the Etec's they are way a head of the field in ascetics and still are way a head in there technology they are far more advanced than 4 strokes on our market today i dont care what anyways says either I'm sure Steve will be in here shortly adding sometime...

[billfisher]

Thanks Guys.

I spoke to an ETEC Mechanic who the boat inspector recommended and he did say he was biased against them. This is what he told me.

Etec have a bad name because of the way they have been serivce When they first came onto the market they where advertised as you only have to service the engine every 300hrs or 3 years This sucked a lot of people in to buy these motors. What they didn’t see or read was in the fine print where it said applies to fresh water use only. If you use something in salt water for 3 years with no servicing there will always be issues. In saying that if the engine has been service ever 100hrs or once a year like all the other brands recommended there hasn’t been to many issues with the Etec. As for 800hrs yes it’s getting up there. I would recommended when buying any boat get the motor and boat checked out Service history and compression test are a must Service history for a service ever year or 100hrs is a major thing to look for Hope this helps

Why would saltwater use make much of a difference? Sure you might have to re-grease the prop more often, same goes for the steering, but you can do that yourself. Otherwise with no belts to adjust, sump oil to change, and with long life impellers and spark plugs, why not 3 years services?

[Chimo]

Where are you?

Have you considered a second opinion totally independent of the boat inspector?

If your not happy there are many boat for sale, look at others.

My advice to people buying boat is to start by finding and developing a relationship with the marine tech who is going to service your motor.
If he checks whatever you find he is hardly going to support you buying something that is going to give him headaches and cause him to lose business as you walk away.

Until you really now what your doing use and pay people to guide you. A few $s spent before you commit is well worth it. By way of an example AF member BM said he charges $400 to check a pre purchase boat.

Use someone to help you for goodness sake

Chimo
GOM

[ranmar850]

The G1 Etecs do devalue a boat compared to a comparable aged 4 stroke, of reputable brand. Not saying that is right or wrong, just is. As does an Optimax. Look at enough boats, and you will see a pattern. Looks like a real lot of boat for the money, see older carbed 2 strokes on the back. See same boat for a bit more , has HPDI's , G1 E-tecs or Optis. See boat for what you would expect to pay, see newer four strokes. Or perhaps a a shiny new G2, but they still tend to pull asking price down a bit. Just the market. As others have said, G1's do not have a great rep, patchy reliability. Undeserved, or not?

I'll just bring out the popcorn. If this was THT, it would go 25 pages...before the mods shut it down for bad behaviour::)

[bden]

I am a self confessed Mercury fan and believe the Optimax to have a better record than a Etec but I would not buy either with those hours. I ask 1 question to you this inspector does this for a living how is he benefiting from giving you this advice? I would heed his warning and look at something else or factor in an upgrade on the engine.


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[stevej]

I joined a Facebook page for quintrex boats and the etec fellas are just nuts
Claiming they are the best outboard etc etc

So I went through a year of posts out of boredom
Etec made up 7 percent of the boats owners were posting about Yamaha 60 percent and the rest a mix of merc Suzuki and older stuff

Even when pointing this out I was shot down lol
All the hardcore supporters were semi sponsored by brp just they weren’t smart enough to hide the fact

so just blocked em and got on with life

[leeroybee]

Update Post Inspection:

Hi Guys thanks for all your help. turns out after a solid diagnostic the Tech was very surprised with the ETEC and condition it was in for its age and had nothing to complain about. Said its runs very well and wouldnt believe it had done 800 hours except for the computer plugin.

The downside: The boat im looking at 2006 Cruise Craft 575 Offsider has Transom Rot in progress. The inspector claims its present in nearly every cruise craft hes inspected around that age. I was onsite and observed the crack under the well and travel of the leg when pulled at a 45' angle.

Ive been told it costs about $ 6 - 7k all up to repair. Now to decide.



Cheers,

Lee

[Noelm]

Keep looking!

[Chimo]

What Noel said

Seek advice, then fall in love. The other sequence never works as well.
Same situation that your Dad told you.....................

[gazza2006au]

You'll have those bunch of guys that love Etec no matter what.. these Etec lovers are probably all running engines with factory warranty still covering them and their not worried about resale value, i too love the Etec's i love such technology i just can't afford a blown engine when u sink 2 to 3k on a rebuild and it could blow up in 5 or 500 hours

while i was researching Etec's i read a shit load of reports about people making warranty claims it was a little unsettling since i was about to rebuild mine and spend all my money on it, if u can afford a new engine than by all means look into a Etec as long as u are not worried about depreciation value when the warranty ends

if u are buying second hand or out of warranty its a gamble u may get a really long problem free run but there is a chance shit hits the fan and u will become a Etec nazi along with many other people who have done the same

[Goffiller]

All Cruise craft of that era will have that problem it’s only a matter of time. Look online it’s a common problem. Also budget for new floor and stringers while your at it, I think your quote is light on if getting someone else to do the work cost me 11k for exact same make/model. Great boat but you need to negotiate this in if proceeding.

[NAGG]

I just spoke to a guy that inspects boats for a living and he said I should avoid the ETEC like a plague and 800 hours is a lot for a 2 stroke. Hmm he also said the motor is basically worth nothing and Im buying on boat alone.

The truth is that "the guy" is not far off the mark with his comment …… & the reality is that this motor was built during the horror period of the ETEC s .

While it is true that there will be a lot of happy ETEC owners from that period & will defend them enthusiastically .. However there are horror stories by the truckload & I personally know of several of these .

In 2006 I was looking at buying my Hornet & happened to walk into a service dept at a large Quintrex / Evinrude dealer in Sydney where I saw a row of 2005 / 2006 ETECs of various outputs with powerheads removed. The service manager confirmed that there were several issues & BRP were responding accordingly. That sight was enough for me …. but capped off by a good mates experience at the same time with his new 150HO - Several failures during the first year.
My guy has also said the same thing ….. & yes he is a Yamaha dealer . He wont trade a boat with a ETEC on it but had no issues with the likes of Honda / Yamaha & even Mercury .

No doubt when these motors are running well - they hoot but personally I would be avoiding these Gen 1 Etecs like the plague

My opinion only

Chris

[Ducksnutz]

My 2010 130hp gen 1 Etec has 587 faultless hours. Just my experience it has been a terrific donk.
I’m not sure if they ironed out the issues etc. by then. Will be upgrading to a gen 2 on its 10th birthday.

[scottar]

The E-Tec thing has been done to death many a time. Funny thing is that in areas with good reputable dealer representation, there are "white" motors everywhere. Mine's a 2006 - it's had a few minor issues but never stood me up. Would I buy another one - yes if the current engine available was best suited for my wants and needs. As it stands currently in my HP range it would be the small block G2 or the New Merc V6. Both engines, much like their competition have feature's I am not necessarily fussed with - as do their competitor's but that's life. E-Tec's are like the odd kid at school - easy to pick on because they're different. Coupled with bad blood from OMC's departure which left a lot of not only owners but dealers in a really bad spot, their extremely targeted advertising campaign (which put the 4 banger boys WAY offside) and a few teething problems with new technology, it's no wonder that the bad press escalated to the point it became very difficult to separate fact from fiction. As far as dealers are concerned, more than 4/5ths of them straight up are going to tell you E-Tec's are crap ...…..surprising - not so much - they are hardly going to endorse a product they don't sell and every internet failure is going to do the rounds 4 times out of 5 as a mate of a mates - just the way things are. Are E-Tec's perfect - no - like every man made item they have their foibles but I can't think of a brand that I haven't come across an owner of that wasn't thoroughly pissed off.

At 800 hours, I would say that the engine is no less reliable or likely to break down than any other brand. I know guy's that have written off Suzuki's due to sump corrosion issues with less hours, Yamaha owners who spent big dollars on gearbox issues (one in particular when he rang the dealer, the dealer basically told him to the letter what was wrong and with which engine based on hours - seen a few before I suspect - 500 hours use only) not to mention internet gossip on Merc's and Honda's and other under warranty failures (usually catastrophic) of grey and blue engines - but that's what warranty is for is it not. Second hand - any engine is a gamble. Don't like to gamble - buy new.

Probably the biggest thing with an E-Tec is selling to a smaller market place due to all the E-Tec bashing. You can still get good money for them if you have an engine in good condition and are happy enough to wait for someone who isn't worried about all the internet carry on. There are plenty who will try and use them as a bargaining chip and try to beat prices down on the premise they are going to instantly repower...……..hmmmm. Like I posted - there are a stack of them in SE Qld and I'm sure they weren't all sold new. Some dealers won't trade them purely for this reason - they want stock that moves readily. They also find it a little awkward selling a technology that they spend a fair bit of time hanging shit on too I suspect.

Commercial engines - quite a following in these parts with pro crabbers. All down to hours and servicing. One netter I know personally has now run E-Tec since their inception. He had some early issues - but he's still running Evinrude. Dealer representation I suspect is the reason. It is massively important with any new tech motor unless you have the smarts (and can get the computer gear) for your engine.

Is the above enough reason to rule Evinrude's out of your purchase - only a decision the individual can make.


As for the boat - if it's in need of repair but you really like it, get quotes and factor that into your offer. If it's accepted at least then you will know what you are starting with once it's fixed. If not, move on wiser for the experience.