2002 Evinrude 115hp RAM FICHT

[jonny100]

Hi

I need some advice. I am looking to buy a first boat and have found a 2001 Boston Whaler 16 dauntless with a 2002 Evinrude 115hp RAM FICHT 2 stroke direct injection engine. The boat ticks every box apart from the fact that it is ex company ski boat and I am worried that a) the engine may have been strained pulling skiers for it's entire life and b) the amount of hours the engine has done.

I understand the engine has done somewhere in the region of 1000 hours in 6 years but comes with a full service history has been meticulously maintained and never been a problem (yet!) - is this too many hours for an engine like this?
What is the average life in terms of hours of an engine like this?
What are the best ways of testing whether the engine is over worn.

Would I be expecting some large bills in the near future with an engine with this amount of hours or should it still be good for a few hundred more hours?

Thanks in advance for the advice - new to this site and eager to solve a few questions.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 2002 Evinrude 115hp RAM FICHT

we beat this to death yesterday. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=255203

 

[jonny100]

Re: 2002 Evinrude 115hp RAM FICHT

Thanks for the link. Sorry for the double post - just signed up and didn't think I had launched it correctly first time round.

I get the impression that the Ficht engine has mixed views - is 1000 hours on an engine like this too many then?

Still a bit confused as to whether Ficht engines they are well regarded or not. I take it the E-Tec engines were launched by Evinrude post 2002?

Thanks

 

[noelm]

Re: 2002 Evinrude 115hp RAM FICHT

this sort of thing comes up all the time, 1,000 hours on a well maintained Motor is fine, 100 hours on a neglected Motor is crap, the actual hours are nothing, you will almost never wear out an Outboard, pulling skiers is also OK if it is propped correctly, the V4 Fichts did not have any inherent problems, they performed as they should from day 1, very common for these to have 2,000 plus hours by now, BUT they do suffer from bad press and as a result resale will reflect this, so, with that in mind, do all the usual checks and if they all check out, the price is right, then go for it.