How many engine hours?

[dilbert2k]

Hello,

Now, here's a how long is a piece of string type question! But I thought I'd ask anyway!

Unfortunately, I am not in the market for a new boat yet, so am looking at the secondhand market. One the questions I always ask sellers is how many hours on the engine? Great, but how useful is the answer?!

So, I'm trying to get some ballpark data on which to base assessment, hence the piece of string type question - what is the average engine hours per year? I realise this is fairly subjective, due to the various different usages of boats, but right now, I've nothing to base an assessment on.

So, can anyone help with a guesstimate as to how many hours might equate to Low, Medium, High usage?

Any input welcome!

Thanks
D2K

[Nos4r2]

Welcome to RibNet


Depends how old the engine is you're looking at as to whether reliable data is available-but I'd prefer the results of a compression test and a really good inspection of the engine to the reading from an hour meter.I think an hour meter doesn't tell you very much unless you're looking at a nearly new boat.

[9D280]

Dilbert,
Agian, welcome to Ribnet!

I'll second Nos' comments. I am now on my second secondhand rib. (and before you get worried the only reason I sold the first one was to get a bigger one! ) On my current engine, I have spent approx. £5 on a new set of spark plugs on an engine of unknown but I know it's going to be high (it's a '79 vintage ands has spent time as a commercial boat followed by time as a sailing club rescue boat) number of hours.

What has cost the money was 2 new anodes, and an almost entirely new tilt lock mechanism. Both suffering extreme corrosion, I suspect because it spent a long time on a mooring and nobody noticed the anodes had all but dissappeared. Various other bits of plastic bushing have / need to be replaced just due to age & wear. The bushing would probably still be like it left the factory had it been hanging on the back of a leisure craft.

My point is that on an outboard it's quite often the "extra" bits that are the problem. A bit like buying a secondhand car because of it's low mileage engine, but half the electic whistles & bells don't work kind of thing.

Hopefully you'll find what you're after. If it's any help there's a couple of places vaguely near you (Upminster & Rayleigh) that have a pile of old dead engines that have kept my "classic" 1971 vintage Evenrude going.

[Slaphead]

My outboard mechanic reckons that on average most people do no more than 30 hours per year.

[603doug]

I should of done a compression test (only paid $5000 us for the rib so can not bitch). My evinrude had 260 hrs on the hr meter and 60 hrs later it is toast. The engine had alot more wear than the hrs on the meter. But now we just need to convince "the little woman" that her boat needs a 4 stroke .

[floater]

Hi

I did 83 hours last year and the girl at the yam dealer commented on how many i had done saying that the get some in that have only done 5 hours a year

i did 7 on sunday !!

a mate of mine has a zodiac pro 9 with a yam 60 has had it 3 years and it has 260 hours on the clock but by his own admission stated that he left the keys in over 3 days so that added 70 plus hours

Andy

[PeterM]

18 month old 50 HP Yam - 80 hours , & nearly 4 year old opti- 250 hours

More hours on the Yam as I crawl down the river looking at stuff ! Just got the Opti

[Avocet]

250hp Suzi bought new with boat at end of Jan 2007. Have now done around 220 hours on the hour meter at a good assortment of revs. That involves at least one outing nearly every weekend during that time.

[Pinto]

Hi, I'm also guessing at engine hours. Our evinrude 40hp etec is now 2 years old. its mostly just for fun but we are now doinging longer runs. Without a visible hour meter I have no idea when the 300 hr service is due.

Does idling out of gear count, as we often do this while picknicking or watching the porpoises?
I've seen comments that the Xd 100 oil is a 100:1 petrol:oil mix and therfore knowing mpg could leed to an estimate of hours because although I do not know the total petrol used to date, I do peversely know the almost exact amount of oil used. While this would only be a vague estimate, it would be better than the one ( ie none) that I've got now.

Any inputs/guesses welcomed.

thanks

[memo]

Pinto, i am not sure but i think they may see your engine hours when they plug it to the computer at an official service.

[Roy Smith]

We had our engine serviced approx 4 june the hour meter on the consul said
210 the lap top read out says 140 which is the right amount
so i would second what others have said get it looked at by a proffesional
its nice to know what type of owner its had as some of us are a bit over the top (Me) with flushing cleaning etc..