late model 175 Evinrude FICHT knowledge

[mcgilld]

Gday Ausfishers.
I'm currently looking at a secondhand Evinrude 175 FICHT
As far as I can tell it's the last model before the E-tec.
Was there a model after 2002/3??
I was wondering if anyone has any constructive comment on this model (ie facts). I know the earlier ficht had some serious problems, but heard they sorted some of this out with successive model(s).
I really don't know that much about these motors and whether they're direct or earlier injection, and how they compare to the likes of Optimax and etec for economy??, so any advice would be welcomed.

Cheers
Dave

[whichway]

Hi

I'm not sure where you are, but in Brisbane, Ring River City Marine. I was considering buying a boat with 2 Ficts, and I found them very helpful.

Whichway

[Spaniard_King]

Dave,

The ficht engine is a bit of a lucky dip :-[ You can get a good one or a bad one. If you are intending doing a lot of trolling say around 1500-2000rpm i would recommend you do not buy a ficht.

The problem with the fichts was the changinging from stratified to homoganised combustion (injector spray patterns) in a ficht this happened between 1500 and 2000 rpm. I believe in the end the ECU changed spray patterns on individual injectors at random to overcome the problem.

The other thing is the components are very expensive, like $500 for an injector and that was a few years ago :o

Garry

[buccan_brilliance]

Hi,

One of my mates had a 175 Fict (2003) on a 625 cruise craft and has only just upgraded the boat. It did approx 190 hrs in this time and never missed a beat-Plenty of grunt. The only noticable feature was that it seemed to have a quick idle speed out of gear. It was regulary serviced so i would say it was a factory setting.

Cheers

[Noelm]

providing all the updates have been done, and I would think a 2002/3 they would be, get the usual pre purchase checks done and all SHOULD be OK, the later models and the V4 where remarkable motors, very smooth, reasonable economy and reliable, but, the EARLY V6 had a rather bad reputation for mechanical and electrical dramas

[Ocean_Spirit]

Yeah no problems with the Bombardier models.

They are a good donk - and they were refined a lot when Bombardier acquired the assets of OMC including the old Ficht technology. The Bombardier generation of Ficht Ram Injection or Direct Injection engines were nothing like the 'Ficht' engines built by OMC in terms of quality of construction etc.

One thing with your D.I. engines - always make sure there is plenty of power going to them - I.E. Battery Terminals & Battery. Unless they always have full power, I have found, a lot of problems stem from that.

[Ocean_Spirit]

Yeah no problems with the Bombardier models.

They are a good donk - and they were refined a lot when Bombardier acquired the assets of OMC including the old Ficht technology. The Bombardier generation of Ficht Ram Injection or Direct Injection engines were nothing like the 'Ficht' engines built by OMC in terms of quality of construction etc.

One thing with your D.I. engines - always make sure there is plenty of power going to them - I.E. Battery Terminals & Battery. Unless they always have full power, I have found, a lot of problems stem from that.

[mcgilld]

Thanks you blokes - as I suspected.
Problem is the dealer got me interested with 11500 - then jacked it up to 13300 when i rang back!!@##!
I think i got the apprentice quote first time around maybe.
Mind you it's done less than 10 hrs so i'm still considering.