Engine Hours

Budgie1 · 02 March 2016, 12:11

Friend of mine is thinking about buying an 1999 75hp Mercury, ad suggests it has been very well maintained, however it has clocked up 975 hours would that put you all off viewing?

matata · 02 March 2016, 12:23

Do a thorough compression test .Get a simple boroscope down the plug holes would also give a good idea. While your at it what do the plugs look like? Have a look at the overall condition of the wiring etc. Gear box oil?? Take it for a spin and haggle. Its probably in better condition than one just sitting doing nothing!

Dry Run · 02 March 2016, 13:18

Where are they geting the figure of 975hrs from?

Budgie1 · 02 March 2016, 13:38

I assume from a simple hours counter dial on the dash Steve, won't be computer read out as its an old school carb engine .... Don't know how accurate they are?

Xk59D · 02 March 2016, 14:18

if you leave the ignition key on they keep counting up. i noticed that with my last boat (mariner 100 4 stroke) that whilst key was in it kept counting so you could literally have hundreds of hours that the engine has never seen, depending on how they left the ignition when out...OR they could have fitted the gauge at 500 hours and you are miles short, can't tell.

however, if it is clean and tidy and passes the usual checks then it wouldn't bother me.

Budgie1 · 02 March 2016, 14:32

Simply in ignition Xk59D? Or in and turned on?

jonp · 02 March 2016, 20:12

I've bought engines that were stuffed at 250hrs (Honda 90 4 stroke) due to poor maintenance and the fact the engine was used for short trips at high rpm. My mate who works as a mechanic to house boats has put 3000hrs on his less than 2 year old Yam 70f on his work punt and claims the engine to be like new still.

By the way some of the house boats had Honda engines which had done 9000 hrs without fault. Comercialy used engines which run every day for many hours will have a much longer life than the average angler who uses a boat once a week.

Jon

jyasaki · 03 March 2016, 15:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budgie1

Simply in ignition Xk59D? Or in and turned on?

I think he's talking about key in and turned on. Not necessarily motor running. Depends on the way the counter works - if it's simply counting the amount of time it has power or if it actually detects the motor running.

jky

Xk59D · 03 March 2016, 17:56

it depends on how they have been wired, the "proper" way is only when ignition is on but motor not running. i know my motor when i sold it has about 10% less hours than the counter showed due to this.

uncle al · 04 March 2016, 16:10

975 shared by 17 years =57.35294 hrs per year. I would check all of the above suggestions. The tickover will be crap, so never tuck the leg under, allways have it straight up and down. When ticking over.

Daniel · 04 March 2016, 18:57

These are pretty good engines. Wouldn't frighten me. Compression check on an older engine a pretty good idea Tho.

Budgie1 · 04 March 2016, 19:55

Just doesn't add up ..... The seller has owed from new, only used eight times in the last five years so that's mega hours before hand could believe it if commercially owned but for a Sunday afternoon 'ski' boat ? .... Equally can't think of a scenario where ignition could be left on long enough to have significant difference to engine hours? Perhaps inadvertently left with ignition on for a few days until battery drained? .... Must be something like that? Thinking it's worth a punt if the complete rig looks well maintained, compression ok etc .... Hours would make good bargaining point

Poly · 05 March 2016, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budgie1

Just doesn't add up ..... The seller has owed from new, only used eight times in the last five years so that's mega hours before hand could believe it if commercially owned but for a Sunday afternoon 'ski' boat ? .... Equally can't think of a scenario where ignition could be left on long enough to have significant difference to engine hours? Perhaps inadvertently left with ignition on for a few days until battery drained? .... Must be something like that? Thinking it's worth a punt if the complete rig looks well maintained, compression ok etc .... Hours would make good bargaining point

Why is it infeasible to rack up closer to 90 hrs a season on it for the first 11 years?

If the hrs have actually been the time when it's in the water, it's only 18 five hr days a season. IF that is how it's wired, and driven for two hours each time, has an hour of bobbing around skiers, is launched and spends half an hour on the pontoon whilst people faff with kit, and half an hour turned on whilst being rinsed down and tidied up on the trailer it could be reading double its actual hours.

beamishken · 05 March 2016, 23:03

A well used well serviced engine will be a far better bet than an un used un loved low hours engine that has sat under a damp sheet growing Moss half its life .It's a fairly low hours example in reality
I'd be more concerned about its lack of use in recent years than it's regular use previously
Do all the checks and get it out on the water for a good hard run before you commit and you should be fine